《Reincarnated with an Analysis system.》 Chapter 1 My First Time... Explosion! ?The school bell rang, signaling the start of the sses. Sato sat down at the left end of the ss looking outside the window, he paid no attention to what the teacher was saying and didn''t even know when the teacher left. He''s a high school student with ck hair and ck pearly eyes. He had always been the type to keep to himself, the only friend he had throughout high school was a girl named Komiko Takizawa, she was pretty popr with the students which made it difficult for Sato to hang with her. "Sato!". A feminine voice called out to him, He turned to check and saw Komiko heading toward his location, ''What does she want?'' He thought to himself. "Sato, guess what." Komiko uttered excitedly, she is a fair-lookingdy with brown hair in a white and blue uniform. she pulled out a chair and moved closer to Sato before sitting down. "I''m not good at guessing." He replied, looking at her with a in expression. Sato had his hand resting underneath his jaw as he stared at Komiko. "Come on, you could at least try." Komiko pouted. Sato sighed, "Let''s see¡­" He hummed, thinking of the response he should give. While in thought, he stylishly used his eyes to scan the ssroom and noticed that the whole ss was giving him death stares. "You got into the ult research club?" Sato guessed, he ignored the stares and changed his focus back to Komiko. She gave an unimpressed look as she uttered, "You suck at guessing¡­ fine I''ll tell you." She smiled. Komiko ced her hands on her waist, "You are now looking at the new vice president of the newspaper club." She said with a smug look. "Wow, hurray." Sato voiced out sarcastically. "You can at least pretend to be happy, you jerk!" She yelled before someone suddenly called her. "Komiko, quicklye here." A girl called out, she was sitting in the midst of some boys who had their eyes fixed on Sato. "Alrighting!" Komiko replied, she stomped Sato''s feet before blowing a raspberry, "Meanie!" She ran off. Sato groaned, holding his foot as he wiggled on his chair, "Damn you!" He shouted. It was finally the end of school time and Sato couldn''t be any happier even if he tried, he walked over to his locker and noticed his shoes weren''t there. "Did I not bring it in?" Sato thought out loud, he dropped his bag on the floor and began to search his locker. While searching his locker for them, he noticed a letter at the back of his books. He opened it up and read the message that was inside before giving a sigh. . . . .. . . . "I''m guessing you left the letter in my locker." Sato uttered, raising the letter to the sky. He was standing opposite the student, they were both at the back of the school building, looking around Sato could tell that someone was behind the car. "I''m d you came, I was starting to think you were going to bail on me." The boy said, grinning with his hands pocketed. "I see, well the letter said, meet me at the back of the school ande alone, I want to discuss something with you, your pal... Monobe." Sato read out before sending a poker look at the boy. "I mean, I hardly know you and I get wanting to discuss, but why tell me toe alone if you were just going to bring some friends?". Sato raised a question, using his right eye to look at the packed cars. ''I knew people were there, what the hell is he ying at?'' Sato thought to himself. Monobe sighed," Come out boys, looks like he figured it out,". About six male students came out and each one was holding a weapon. Sato showed no sign of fear as he just stood there watching them. "Don''t take it personally Sato darling, but this has to be done, you need to learn your ce." Monobe yelled. They all dashed towards Sato, who immediately kicked the sand on the ground straight into the eyes of the students. He took to his heels and ran away from the scene at full speed while jumping over fences and cars along the way. He made it to the road that lead to his dorm and began heading straight there before stopping on his way to get a breather. "This is the third time this week, it''s getting really exhausting." Sato murmured, panting while resting his back on the fence. Once he had gotten hisposure, he started walking to his dorm. The heat of the sun was starting to weigh on him and his clothes were drenched in his sweat. His dorm wasn''t too far from his school, but even still the hated going outside, the sun being his number one reason. On the way to his dorm, Sato met a suspicious-lookingdy standing in front of the dormitory. She wore an alluring white sundress and had a brown hat on her head. She stood in front of the hotel as the wind blew past her hair and dress. From the look of it, Sato could tell that she wasn''t from around there, her beauty in itself was something Sato couldn''t ignore. "Hello, are you looking for someone?" Sato asked, holding his bag tightly while he looked at her. She didn''t utter anything, instead, she slowly raised her head which revealed her face that the hat was covering. Sato''s eyes went into shock as soon as he saw her face, she was very pretty that even Sato couldn''t stop looking at her. He averted his eyes before thinking to himself, "No no no, don''t be fooled... she''s still a girl." He then sighed and sent a straight face back at the girl. Before he knew it, the girl who was just staring at him, began to tear up suddenly with her hat blowing away from her head to reveal her beautiful silky ck hair. "Wow wow, don''t cry." Sato tried to calm her down, ''Did I do something wrong, people will definitely get the wrong idea here." Sato thought to himself while looking around to make sure nobody was watching. He reached inside his bag and brought out a red handkerchief before handing it to her, "Here.. use it to wipe your tears." Sato muttered. "Many thanks, young master." The woman uttered, taking the handkerchief from him and cleaning her eyes. ''Many thanks? Who says that?'' Sato thought to himself, ''I should leave.'' He turned his back and walked away. He entered his apartment and closed the door behind him, heading straight to the fridge to get some cold water. "Today¡­ What am I saying? I''ll never see a day that''s not weird, it''s like I''m cursed or something." Sato uttered. The school offered every student their own apartment, meaning Sato lived in a way that kind of fitted his lifestyle. He headed over to the living room and sat down on the chair to watch some television. He didn''t even bother to change out of his uniform. He kept changing the channel to see if there were any good channels to watch but none piqued his interest, so he ended up tossing the remote to the side. "I''m so bored." Sato groaned, standing on his feet, he walked over to the balcony to get some fresh hair. That was when he spotted the woman, looking down he could see the woman was still standing there. "The hell? She might be really lost," Sato eximed, the woman suddenly looked up and their eyes met. With the glow of the woman''s eyes the whole apartment blew up almost instantly, Sato didn''t even have enough time to react. The rest of the dormitory was fine, but only Sato''s room waspletely burnt with nothing to pick from it. . . . . . . [Notice contract with the artificial core is in process] [0.1%] [15%] Opening his eyes Sato found himself floating in a never-ending void of darkness, "Where am I?" Sato questioned. [100% Synchronizationplete] [First ss intellectual core has now made a contact with its host] [Unique Skill Analysis obtained] [Unique Skill Wisher obtained] Sato could hear a female monotonous voice speaking in his head, he couldn''t quite understand what was going on but he knew something was off. "What the hell is going on?" [Skill acquired Knowledge] [Initial skill Conceal obtained] . . . . . . A bright light suddenly shone on Sato''s eyes and before he could tell what was going on he found himself in the middle of a foggy forest. He wasying on the floor when he slowly stood to his feet with his hand on his head from the intense dizziness he was feeling. "What... what the hell happened?" He groaned, "I was in the apartment when..." His eyes widened when he managed to remember the explosion. He immediately began looking around to have a look at where he was, the forest was filled with fog which made it hard for him to tell somethings. "I see... so I did die, I''d be stupid if I thought I could survive something like that." Sato thought out loud, he sighed, and then the image of his apartment blowing up appeared in his mind again. He fell to his knees with his face riddled with shock as he looked at the ground, "I totally died! so this must be some kind of afterlife!" He thought to himself. A loud shriek suddenly echoed from the left side of the forest and all the crows in the trees began to fly again. Sato turned back to check what the sound was about, only to see a dark figure emerge from the mist. Its green bright eyes were the only thing Sato could see clearly but he wasn''t hoping to stick around and find out. . . . . . . . A/N I hope you enjoyed your read, if so doment your thoughts and I promise to improve. Thank you for reading. Chapter 2 The Grim I Killed ?Sato moved back after spotting the being, his heart rate began speeding up as fear took over. He wasn''t sure of what the monster was but he was sure of the emotions he was feeling at the moment. The air felt toxic and it was like death itself was the oneing towards him, taking a few steps back, he looked to his back to see if there would be a road he could escape to. "The hell is that... no wait I might be exaggerating here, sure would be easier if I could tell what it was..." Sato thought to himself as he took his steps backward. <> <>? A female monotonous voice suddenly voiced in Sato''s head, he kept moving back while still keeping his eyes on the blurry figure in front of him. "What was that!" Sato paused for a bit, looking around the area, wondering where the voice came from, ''Was that my imagination?'' He thought to himself. He changed his focus back to the figure and saw that it hadn''t moved from its position, the only thing Sato could make out was the green glowing eyes. Sato sighed in relief before giving an awkward smirk, "I must be losing it, this ce is giving me the-" "Shskkrrrrr!" The monster suddenly whooshed out of the fog, sending a powerful strike at Sato with its scythe. Sato, shocked, leaned to his back as he watched the scythe speed past his head and cut a piece of his hair. He wasn''t sure how he was able to dodge such an attack, but that was the least of his worries at the moment. "Shit shit shit, it''s a freaking monster!" Sato yelled, He immediately ran away from the grim reaper, panting as he kept running in between the trees. "What the hell was that?" Sato panicked, taking a sharp turn to the left. <> "It thinks I''m dead?! I''m not dead! Why is iting after me?" Sato jumped down from a small cliff only to find himself at a dead-end that was covered in rocks. "Of course, it''s a dead end." Sato turned and was about to take another route when the grim reaper appeared in front of him. "Hey! You''ve got the wrong guy! I''m not dead!" Sato yelled, looking at the way the grim reaper''s eyes were glowing. The grim reaper had a dark hooded cloak on and was holding a dark scythe that was oozing with dark energy. The grim reaper suddenly whooshed toward Sato again, "Damn it, quiting after me?" Sato was able to dodge the attack again. He took to his feet and began running, looking back to see the grim reaper still chasing him, "it really wants to kill me that badly? Damn!" Sato muttered. <> "Skill? Is this one of those RPG kinda skills?" Sato asked, he felt his body getting sucked in from behind. Looking back, he saw the grim reaper raising his scythe to the sky, a dark mist-like vacuum began sucking everything inside its dark hole, Sato included. Sato screamed, holding on to a tree branch but that wasn''t enough, his hands slipped and he went flying toward the grim reaper. Upon getting close, the grim reaper held Sato''s neck and pushed him to the ground, it began roaring, sucking all of Sato''s life force from his body. Sato struggled to get free as his face began to decay from the grim reaper''s touch. He was slowly starting to lose his hair and his eyes were losing their color, he could feel his life nearing an end. Using thest of his strength he voiced out while holding the bony hand of the grim reaper "Activate... it." He stuttered. <> Sato''s right hand began glowing, and a red-like streak showed up on his hands and beganworking toward the grim reaper''s body. The grim reaper immediately let go of Sato and tried to get free, but it couldn''t get away. The streaks were like threads, they only got longer, and no matter how many times the Grim reaper tried to use its scythe to cut it down it didn''t bodge, instead itworked to the scythe too. The streaks glowed brightly as it began sucking more of the grim reaper''s mana, a slow process but the grim reaper began to lose its strength. Sato was still on the ground with his dried skin but that didn''t stop the threads from speeding out of his fingers. He was fading but could still hear the painful shriek of the grim reaper was letting out and the immense push of wind that followed. After a few seconds, the grim reaper turned into dust, it no longer had any magic energy for it to sustain itself and was then destroyed. The streak returned to Sato''s body, sending a huge amount of magic energy back at him. His body began healing up and was now back to its normal tone, "Wow, I''m alive." Sato yelled. Before he could stand to his feet, he received a whack to the head and went unconscious on the floor. . . . . . . He could hear the sound of females murmuring amongst themselves while he was still in his unconscious state. He opened his eyes to see three women dressed in a fantasy-like way standing in front of him. Sato tried to stand up but then noticed that his hands had been chained to the wall and he was locked in a cell. "Look who''s finally awake." One of the women said, she had long blonde hair and carried with her a sword. "You think, we should call Lady Hime now?" The other female spoke, she was wearing an outfit that covered her face a little giving her a bit of a mysterious vibe. "I don''t thinkdy Hime would react very well to us, knowing we caught a demon in our domain." The blonde-haired girl uttered, ring at Sato who was still confused. ''Demon? Are they talking about me?" Sato thought to himself, "No no, demon?". He suddenly remembered how he absorbed magic energy from the grim reaper that attacked me, "Fantasy dressing, grim reaper, skill¡­ all these look like something that would happen in an anime". "Isekai!" Sato yelled, the woman looked at him with a fast gaze wondering why he yelled like that. Sato ignored their looks and kept on thinking, ''I died... so which means I reincarnated?'' <> Sato gave an awkward grin, "So I did die? For a second there I thought I might just be in aa". <> "Souka, kinda hard to believe considering I''m still here, and you? Are you some kind of demon that''s possing me?" Sato asked. <> "I have no idea what that means, why did thisdy just call me a demon?" Sato thought to himself. The door to the prison room suddenly opened and Benihime walked in, her outfit was just the same as the women in the room. She had ck long hair, a rocking body and her face were soothing enough to make Sato stare even if it was for some seconds. She walked toward the cell and looked at Sato who was trying to keep a straight face, so he doesn''t show any weakness. "I? You really wanted to keep this from me?" Hime uttered before turning to face the girl with the blonde hair. "I''m sorry, we didn''t want to bother you, I swear." I immediately responded with a sad expression. Benihime sighed, "No need to fret over it, but be sure never to keep a secret from me again". "It won''t happen again." I replied after giving a silent squeak. "Now that that has been cleared up, let''s head back to the Giron, you all are due for some questioning". "Ahh, shit... I think I know how this goes." Sato muttered. . . . . . . Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 3 Ultimate Skills! ?*First person* I opened my eyes to find myself resting on the ground, I must have fallen asleep after waiting for so long for them toe back. The females who locked me in here haven''t even shown up once to check on me, who knows how long I''ve been here, two, three, seven hours, or maybe a whole day? I sighed, I could feel my body freezing up from the chill breeze that was passing through the window. I came in contact with this world during nighttime, so I wasn''t sure if this was even the sunny season or not, but I also know it wasn''t this cold before. I rested my head on the wall while looking at the open window." It''s so cold, geez at least give me a nket, I don''t want to freeze to death" I muttered. <> "It''s that voice again?" I questioned, the cold I was feeling was suddenly gone but now that only made the air feel warmer. "Perfect, now I''m hot¡­ Can you make the heat go away too?" I asked, rolling my eyes, expecting to hear the voice. <> "Damn!" I was shocked, and even though it all seemed strange to me, I couldn''t help but feel excited. "Voice, do you have a name?" I asked. <> "I should give you a name." I said, racking my brain as I struggled toe up with one, but that seemed more difficult than expected. it must have been from the hunger I was feeling, I felt dumber than the time I took a pop-up test in ss. Before I knew it, I had already given up and was now asking a different question. "How am I able to obtain these skills?" I asked. <> "I see¡­ How many of these skills do I have?" > ''I have three unique skills, isn''t that a little too op?'' I thought to myself, from what the monotonous voice was saying, it seemed like I gained the extra skill after defeating the grim reaper guy, "Show me how to use these skills, starting with conceal or what was it?". <> <> I looked to my left to see a green parasite crawling on the wall. It had red marks on its back but was also very small. "You want me to kill that?" I asked, I didn''t think there was any mana to take from the small creature. <> <> "Is that a fact?" I was certainly intrigued, I crawled over to the parasite and stretched out my arm but there was only so far I could go with the chains on my hands. "Here goes, Conceal!" A bright light shone on my hands and I could see the red threads form at the tips of my finger. I gulped down my spit as I felt the rush of power flowing through my finger like I was having a huge rush of blood in my hand. I slowly moved my finger forward and made contact with the smile, the threadsworked toward the slime and began to cover its body. I watched as the slime fell to the ground after having its Mana sucked from its body by the glowing threads. "It worked!" I smiled, feeling amazed, the slime that I had just used my skill on had recovered its Mana so fast and was now heading toward the window, probably to escape from me. <> <> <> I was speechless, she got everything to thest letter, I wondered how she knew I would possess those skills but I didn''t feel the need to ask. "Sure¡­" I gave my response. "Escaping is one thing, but I don''t even know where I am" "I see¡­ that means, it''s not even a vige?" I thought to myself. "What about the women? I mean they should belong somewhere, right?" I asked. "There are gods here?" I suddenly sensed someone walking toward the prison room, it must be my skill working, the sound of the steps tells me they were about three heading over. Three women entered the prison room and walked over to my cell. Thedy standing in the middle had long ck hair and was holding a rather mysterious spear. She looked at me for a while and her eyes were definitely filled with disgust. "Release him from his cell, be sure to get rough if he struggles". Thedy said before turning away, the two women standing beside her walked over to my cell and pulled me out. I knew something was about to go down, and I would be lying if I said I didn''t want to test my skills out if a fight were to break out. . . . . . . *Third person* The woman pulled Sato onto the ground while entering the pce, looking around he could see women looking at him with hatred in their eyes. ''Why are they all looking at me like I''m some monster¡­ oh yh¡­,'' Sato quickly remembered why he was imprisoned in the first ce. The woman pushed him to his knees, before walking away, he was kneeling in front of Bemihime, the leader of the Valkyries. Benihime looked down at Sato as she sat on her throne, "Why have you infritared my vige¡­ Demon?" She asked. Sato red at her, taking a deep breath before he spoke, "Listen, I don''t know why you are calling me a demon but I''m not." He replied with a calm voice. "Is that so?" Benihime rested her jaw on her hand, and her red glowing eyes were spreading fear inside Sato. "She''s so scary." Sato muttered before he began to crawl back slowly. . The fear Sato was feeling suddenly vanished and he was back to his normal self." That was magic" He muttered. ''Okay then, I''ll y their game,'' Sato grinned before standing to his feet. "Hey! Don''t you dare make a move!" I yelled, she pulled out her sword and aimed it at Sato''s neck. But that didn''t phase him, his eyes were still fixed on Benihime, "What do you wanna know? I''ll answer whatever you ask, pinky promise". Chapter 4 I Aint Human? What Am I? ?"Cooperative, I think we''re heading to a great start, what''s your name?" Benihime asked again, this time she had her eyes focused on Sato. With Her eyes glowing red while she locked gaze with Sato, but this time he felt no fear so he was able to answer calmly. "My name is Sato Inugami,". Sato responded, An instant mummering echoed inside the room from the women seated in the room. He noticed how they were all looking at him with a confused looks, the name he just mentioned seemed to have struck a bit of curiosity in them. "What kind of name is that?" I raised a question, sending a disgusted stare Sato''s way as she tilted her head to the side. Sato wasn''t sure but he felt like they were all pulling his leg, his name wasn''t all that weird in fact it was a very popr name in Japan. ''What do they mean by that? Are they for real?'' Sato asked himself, looking around to see their faces. The only face that didn''t seem to have any bit of confusion but instead still carried a calm expression was Benihime. After smiling a bit, Benihime stood up from the lump of wood and walked toward Sato. her alluring dress dancing in the air as breeze blew past her. "Sato?... That''s an unsual name, and where might youe from?" Benihime asked. She stood in front of Sato, using her hand to tilt his jaw up as she looked into his eyes with a smirk on her lips. ''What the hell am I supposed to say?'' Sato yelled inward. After panicking, he suddenly gave out a serious look, "Far away." He replied. Benihime was a bit shocked by his response, she let go of his jaw and took a step back, "Far away?" She asked. He immediately shook his head positively, agreeing to the question she brought up. "I see¡­ you must remember where youe from right?" Benihime muttered. "No, no I don''t, I was ¡­. I can''t remember." Sato groaned, cing his hands on his head as he tried to remember, "I don''t know, all I remember was waking up in the foggy forest,`` He uttered. <> Satoughed awkwardly in his mind, ''That is not a skill I want to have,''. "You bastard!" Hina, a girl dressed in a ck outfit with a touch of white spoke up. She had long purple hair and held with her two huge des, each having a circle like shape at the end of it Hina was standing behind Sato with her body enveloped in her magic power. She was brimming with anger as she slowly streached out her de that was partially taking some of her magic to embody itself. Sato turned to look at her before slowly raising his two hands to the sky, "Wow calm down" He voiced out. "Who the hell do you think you are? I saw you take on a grim reaper¡­. So stop with the lies and die already!". Hina yelled, she tightened her grip on her double de which came pouring with a full force of dark energy packed into it. Sato was a bit startled, "W-w had do you mean lies, I really don''t remember. Are you sure it was me you saw... It was pretty dark you kno¨C". Hina immediately dashed toward him, she was so fast that some of the females in the room didn''t see her move. The whole ce came flowing with a huge force of wind when Hina stopped in front of Sato with one of her de aimed at his neck. Sato squeaked, pulling his head backward as he felt the tip of the de on his neck, ''Shit, she was really trying to kill me!''. Benihime sighed before walking toward Hina and using her fingers to push the de down away from Sato''s neck. "Learn to control that anger of yours Hina, calm yourself." Benihime uttered, before changing her focus back to Sato. "I-i''m sorry, that was irrational, but this monkey is too shady to just believe everything he says." Hina dispatched her des and gave Sato a deathly gaze. Benihime smiled, "You don''t worry yourself about it, I''m sure we can clear this out". Sato stood behind Benihime, giving out a relieved sigh, ''I thought I was a goner, even though I did see hering, still¡­ damn''. "These people are no joke." Sato identally thought aloud. Benihime changed her focus back to Sato, "And we are to believe that you are saying the truth?" She asked. "Of course" Sato replied instantly, ''Damn it, how the hell did I get into this mess''. "Akari, please do your thing," Bemihime said before walking over to the wood to sit down. A girl with long ck hair and was wearing a kimono that wasplimented with the hand fan she was holding stood up from the mist of the women and stepped forward. Akari used the fan to cover the lower part of her face before moving toward Sato. She stared at him for a bit and smiled. "You don''t have to be so nervous," She whispered to Sato. "Yeah-Yeah¡­ o-of course" Sato stammered as he tried to give a straight response. Akari giggled, "I''ll begin now". She voiced out, stretching out her right hand for a sparkling white magic orb to appear, it hovered above her hand giving a mysterious vibe. ''What is that?'' Sato thought to himself. <> ''Tch! You speak now? You were quiet for so long that I thought you powered off or something,''. <> ''My dimension what?''. "Please ce your right hand on the orb". Akari said, drawing Sato''s attention back at her, "Oh okay¡­ here I go then". Sato muttered, he carefully ced his hands on the orb and the light began to shine inside the room. "That would be enough." Akari uttered, she pulled the orb away from Sato and ced her own hands on it. Everyone waited in their spot quietly, watching as Akari was meditating, even Sato could feel the seriousness in the atmosphere. Akari suddenly gasped, opening her eyes and looking at the orb with confusion. "What''s wrong?" I asked. "Is he our enemy? I''ll dly cut him down, if he is." Hina also asked. ''Damn it, what''s with this girl and killing me!'' Sato yelled inward, ''That aside, why is she so dramatic all of a sudden?'' He changed his view back at Akari. "Everybody settle, don''t just throw questions at her." Benihime sighed, "Akari, what did you see?". Akari spread her fans and covered the lower part of her face with it before giving a response, "The orb couldn''t get a read on him, his entire existence is unknown to this world". They all gasped and didn''t think twice before standing to thier feet to pull out thier weapons. "Normally you''d have to belong to a race or species, either you''re a demi-human, human, elf, Valkyrie, God, dwarf, something, at least one of any categories, it''s impossible to not belong to an my!!!" Hina yelled, trying to convince herself that what Akari said was a mistake. "I''m afraid to tell but he isn''t, his race is unknown, and although he looks human, he isn''t. I''ve never seen something like this before." Akari muttered as she stared at Sato. Sato was just as confused as the rest, he looked around and their eyes went from confused to terrified. ''What in the hell?'' Sato walked over to Akari and held her arms tightly, "What the hell did you mean by that? I''m human¡­ Ain''t I!" He yelled, looking her in the eyes as he pulled closer, "Come on.... answer me damn it!". . . . . . . . A/N Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 5 Nonexistent ?"Let go of her." Hina voiced out, she grabbed Sato''s hands and pulled them away from Akari''s arms. "I''m sorry." Sato uttered with a sad expression on his face before moving away from them. He looked to the ground as he struggled to make sense of what he heard, ''Hey, voice what''s going on?'' He asked. ''What the hell do you mean by that? If I''m not human then what am I then?'' ''What the hell!'' Benihime suddenly stomped the ground with her foot to silence the murmuring that was going on in the room. They all kept quiet instantly before changing their focus to Benihime who still had a calm expression on her face. "Lady Hime.. this is strange I''ve never heard of something like this happening before, we shouldn''t take it so lightly." Akari uttered before walking toward Benihime, "He''s nonexistent¡­ that shouldn''t be possible!". Benihime stared at Sato for a while before sighing, she twitched her eye brown as she also triedpose herself, "Hey boy!" She called out. Sato slowly turned to look at Benihime, his expression was weak, he didn''t even try to add any life to the way turned. He was finally epting the fact that he died and now he has been reincarnated as another thing, but this thing is exactly what he wants to find out. "How did you arrive here?" Benihime asked. "I said it before, I don''t remember." Sato answered. Benihime paused for a while, "I I want you to guard him of the vige and he is never to be seen around here again,". "Lady Hime, what do you-" I tried to convince her but Benihime wasn''t looking to reason, "Don''t try to change my mind I, escort him out of here and return immediately." Benihime uttered before grabbing her sword from the ground and walking away. Leaving I and the rest wondering what was going on. Once Benihime had gone the remaining warriors began walking toward Sato. "Better start talking, what the hell are you?" One of the women said, drawing her sword and aiming it at Sato She wore a ck outfit and had multi-colored hair mixed with ck and a hint of white. Sato looked at the sword with a raging eye before ring at the woman, he was about to release his magic when I suddenly interfered. "Ladies back off." I ordered, walking in the middle of Sato and the woman, "Put down your sword". "Lady I, the same thing must not happen again, we better kill him here before he bes a threat". "Put down... your sword." I repeated work her body oozing with light energy and her sword liting the ce. They all started moving away from her and sheeting their sword before looking away in embarrassment. Right after Benihime, she was considered the second most powerful, hence her status as the second inmand. "Come on." I muttered to Sato before walking out the door. . . . . . . . . Rizaha, also known as the home of the Valkyries, is a small vige located in Orion which is in the Demon nation. The natin had many other Kingdoms and towns, Rizaha was located in one of the Kingdom (Orion) next to the Dragon rocks. There are multiple different species located in the Demon nation, from demi humans to fairies and the likes. But Rizaha was considered an independent vige, it was located somewhere in the forest of witches close to the Dragon rocks. As the name suggested, the forest was home to witches, words had it that the whole forest was filled with magic which was meant to seal a certain celestial being in the forest. And as luck would have it, Sato managed tond in the forest of witches. I directed him away from the vige until she made up her mind that it was far enough. "This is as far as I can take you." I voiced out, she held her sword in her hand while keeping a calm expression. Sato didn''t bother looking at her face, throughout the entire time, his face had been focused in front of him and he didn''t look back once. "Thank you". Sato muttered, he began walking forward leaving I standing with her hand on her hips. ''Hey, voice, how do I make my way around here?'' Sato asked. "I see." Sato muttered, from behind him came footsteps, he turned to check and saw I walking past him. She was walking so fast, for a second there he thought she was someone else. "What are you doing here?" Sato asked. I stopped walking and turned to aim her sword at Sato, "Listen! You said you don''t remember anything right? Which means finding your way around will be tough, monsters are lurking in every corner." She voiced out. "Even if you are shady, I feel helping you is the right thing to do, so shut up and follow me," She said before pushing her sword down. "You''re helping me?" "Yeah, I am, got a problem with that?" "No, whatever you say, I''m cool with it". I sighed, "Better, then let''s go". "Sure¡­" She kept escorting him to the path that lead out of the forest, and throughout their walks, neither of them said anything to the other. ''Hey, voice? Do you know where she''s taking me?'' Sato asked. ''I see, that should be a perfect ce to practice some of the skills you''ve been mentioning,''. ''I should give you a name,'' Shiro uttered, using his hand to move the leaf away from his face as he entered another path. <....> "How about¡­ Oh, I know Helix?" Sato smiled. ''Yeah''. "The hell? I got a new skill again!" Sato thought out loud. "What are you saying?" I asked, looking back at him with a questionable face. "Nothing¡­ please carry on". "Weirdo.. anyway." I emitted before giving Sato a disgusted look. "We''re here." I said, charging her focus away from Sato and to the leaf covering their path. . I was about to open the leaf when Sato suddenly yelled before dashing toward her. "Wait! Step back!" Sato yelled, he pulled I back with her cloth while moving his own body forward. Elves dashed through the leaves and fired a long arrow at Sato. As soon as his feet touched the ground Sato held the arrow before it could damage his face. I was shocked, she immediately pulled out her sword and took a defensive stance, "Elves? What are elves doing here?" She questioned. Multiple elves surrounded the entrance, each of them holding a bow and arrow that was aimed at Sato. "Well well well, I would say I''m surprised, but I''m not¡­ the Valkyries, fallen warriors." A dark elf wearing brown trousers with no top came out of the leaves. He had a sinister smile on his face as he stared at I, "What are you doing so far in here?". Sato threw the arrow on the ground, "Are you guys by chance¡­ elf?" He asked, keeping his facial expressionpletely stern. "Dark elf! Are you blind?" The dark elf shouted. "My name is Orlon Bewask, and my friend, you just stepped into the wrong territory and I''m afraid that can''t be overlooked" Orlon smiled before pulling a knife. I rested her back on Sato''s, "Listen to me.. when I give the signal I want you to run." She whispered. "You want to run?" Sato asked, "Aren''t you supposed to be some kind of warrior?". "Just shut up and do as I say". "Sure¡­ your move". . .. . . .. Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 6 A Dark Elf Wants Me ?Benihime walked into her room with Akari following behind her. Amongst the other Velkyries, Akari was the closet to Benihime, which was why she became her personal advisor. "Are you sure that was a wise move,dy Hime?" Akiho asked, she dropped the orb on the center table before attending to Benihime. Benihime was standing close to the mirror, waiting for Akari to pull off her clothes so she could have a bath. "What do you mean?" Benihime asked, she stretched out both her arms as she waited for Akari. Akari moved closer and slowly began pulling off Benihime''s clothes, "My orb read nothing from him, which has never happened before, something quite simr happened in the past expect I was able to read him, but his guy was different and we just let him go...feels¡­" "I understand your worry Akari, but remember, he never did us any wrong." Benihime said, "keeping him here is both injustice and very". Akari picked up the clothes from the floor and began folding them, "You''re right mydy, i apologize for disturbing you with that question". Benihime walked away and headed toward the side of her bed to grab the towel that was hanged there. "No need to be so formal Akari, you are my advisor, loosen up a bit." Benihime smiled, "Now if anyone asks, tell them I went to take a dip in the river". She uttered before leaving the room through the back door. Her room was just right behind a pool of water that runs down from different viges in the kingdom of Fiora. Akari slowly stood up from the ground and ced the clothes in the drawer, ''I hope you''re right mydy.'' She sighed before leaving the room. . . . . . . . . Back in the forest, Sato and I had been surrounded by the elves, making them outnumbered six to two. "Resisting is futile, we have the whole ce surrounded just give in and follow us calmly, isn''t that hard if you think about it." The male elf said. Sato had a calm expression as he slowly used his eyes to scan all the elf''s one by one until he spotted a female elf dressed in a ninja like way. She had dark hair and was a bit small in stature, her cor covered the lower half of her face and a small katana could be seen resting vertically on her back. ''Wow! Is that a real ninja?'' Sato was shocked, he was about to walk toward the elf when another elf spoke. "Let''s just get them already, we''re wasting more time!" The male elf yelled. "Rx, we can just take in when there''s a mons-". Before Ond could finish his statement, a loud roaring from the tress behind the vige echoed throughout the forest. "Now!". I yelled, using the distraction of roar, she used the de on her hand to rotate as she sliced up some of the trees around her. The trees went falling to the ground, blocking the path of the elves and showing I and escape route. she immediately grabbed Sato''s hand and began running. "Get them!" Ond shouted, the elves began chasing them with their incredible agility, jumping from tress to tress while firing thier arrows. I kept on dodging, running in between trees and flying over boulders, this way she sought to create confusion for them. "Shouldn''t we just try to talk to them?" Sato voiced while following I''s movement. "Shut up and run!" I responded. He sighed, ''Yo,puterdy! Elves are considered good creatures right? So why the hell are they attacking us?'' Sato asked. <> ''So they are good people then, I knew it.'' Sato muttered. The elf ninja suddenly emerged in front of them from the ground before mming her hand on the ground. The earth was erected, causing a massive wall to appear that blocked I''s path but she didn''t slow down even after seeing it. I leaped to the sky before using her sword to slice the thick rock in half leaving the elf ninja surprised at the sight. After I hadnded on the ground she immediately booted the ninja with a powerful kick. The elf went flying and crashed into on of the trees, before she could get back up, I was already in front of her. With a raging scream, I raised her sword and icey steam began to surround the tip of the de. She stroked her sword down only for it to be stopped by Sato who stood beside her. Sato held the de with his left hand while standing in front of the elf, "Hey! hold on and think about this." He voiced. His hand was rapidly turning into ice and it wasworking all the way to his neck, but thanks to his cold resistance he didn''t quite feel it. I instantly pulled her sword away from Sato''s grip, "Have you gone insane? What the hell is wrong with you?" I yelled as she looked at Sato''s frozen arm. Sato smiled, ''Figured as much'' He thought to himself before turning to the elf, "Are you okay?" He asked. The elf and I watched as the ice began to melt from his arm and start dripping from his fingers. The elf stood up and pulled out a kunai that was resting at the side of the thigh, she took a defensive stance and slowly took steps back. "Why did you help me just now?" The elf ninja asked. "I''d be lying if I said I had a reason, call it an intuition, all I want to know is why you are suddenly attacking us?" Sato asked. I grabbed Sato''s arm which had been frozen before and looked at it with confusion, "How were you able to cancel my magic?" She asked. "I have ice magic too." Sato replied. "Even so, it shouldn''t have been that easy," I uttered again, she was still shocked at the whole thing. The rest of the elves starteding in from different directions, Sato quickly turned into dust and went behind the elf ninja. A scythe appeared on his hand and he aimed it at her neck. "I thought you were good, what are you doing?" The elf ninja muttered. "I''m not going to hurt you, I promise." Sato whispered back. Ond came out of the woods and began pping his hands, "That''s a bold move you''ve made there." He said. "If you think, I''m going to stop my attack just because you managed to take one of my people, hostages, then you must be dumber than I thought". "Oh shut up!" Sato voiced out, "The least you could do is tell us why you are attacking, you don''t just randomly attack people and expect them not to run". Ond grinned, "Ever heard the saying curiosity killed the cat?" ''This guy is really pissing me of.'' Sato''s eye brown twitched in annoyance. ''Aren''t those guys supposed to be evil?'' Sato asked. ''Why didn''t you tell me this earlier''. ''I see''. "Hey, you''ve gone quiet all of a sudden, what''s wrong? You finally scared?" Ond mocked. "Hey¡­ did you know he''s a dark elf?" Sato silently asked the elf he was holding, but she didn''t give any response. Instead, she was actually shocked, she was wondering how exactly he knew that. Sato stretched out his scythe, "You''re a dark elf aren''t you". Everybody gasped as soon as Sato said it, Ond frowned his face before shouting. "Bow him down! Kill him!" "But sir, he had Elena with him" . "I said bow him down, you idiots!" Ond yelled again. They all aimed their arrow at Sato, but their faces were driven by fear, and their hands trembled. "Why the hell did you provoke him?" I said as she slowly moved toward him with her back. "Don''t worry, he can''t do a single thing" Sato said with his Scythe still stretched out, "In fact... I dare him to". Chapter 7 The God Bird ?Ond grinned, "What''s the holdup? Bow him down already!" He yelled, frowning his face as he furiously pointed at Sato. The elves began firing arrows, aiming carefully at Sato even though they were shaking in fear. Sato immediately let go of Elena and whooshed to the front, he began spinning the scythe around to deflect the fast moving arrows. "He just deflected our arrows like they were nothing." One of the elves standing on the tree branch muttered. "Fire again!" Ond yelled, Sato charged toward him while using his scythe to deflect all the arrows from all directions with ease. Sato managed to get close to Ond and was ready to attack when he suddenly saw the grin on Ond''s face. "Got yah~" Ond sang, he tapped his fingers, and Sato was soon covered in mes. There was a magic circle that Ond had already nted on the floor, so when Sato passed over it, it denoted like a bomb. Watching as Sato was burning in the mes put a smile on Ond''s face, the rest were shocked most especially I. "Damn you!" I yelled, holding herself as she couldn''t make a decision whether to attack him or not. "Burn, burn!" Ondughed, "See this? This is what happens when you defy the dark elves". "If any of you defy me, I''ll do the same thing to your families, and then nothing will remain of your viges! Do you understand me?" Ond asked while pointing his knives at the elves. With sad expressions on their faces, they replied in unison, "We understand". "Ahh, Souka, that exins why the elves are working for a jackass like you". Everybody gasped in shock as soon as they saw Sato walking out of the fire. The mes on his body were going off as Ice steams began putting out the fire. "The hell! How are you still alive?" Ond yelled, moving back to get some space. ''This hurts like hell, Can... Can you make the pain stop?'' Sato uttered, walking slowly towards Ond with his body still on fire. "Perfect". All the mes around Sato''s body burned out leaving his body bare naked as his clothes began to turn into arshes. His skin had been burnt by the mes but with his new skill, he could barely feel the pain. "S-Stay back, don''te any closer!" Ond yelled before falling to his butt, he began crawling away with his butt rubbing against the ground. "Bow him down! Bow him down damn it!" Ond yelled again. The elves began setting in new arrows to fire, but before they could fire them Sato made his move. "Bang!" Sato voiced out, symbolizing his hands like that of a gun, he aimed it at one of the elves and fired an ice crystal at them. He kept on doing this till he had destroyed all their bow, leaving the elves speechless. Sato changed his focus and began his advance toward Ond, "Is this really the best you can offer?" "Hold on, wait! Please don''t kill me, I''ll give you whatever you want!" Ond begged, "Women, money, I can give you all, these stinking elves have a lots of women to spear". "I see," Sato muttered, "Well here''s the thing, you are going to have to answer my question, or else I can''t stop what''s going to happen next". "Why did you attack us?" Sato asked again. I had already held Elena, with her sword aimed at her neck before using her as a body shield just in case any of the elves nned to attack. Ond stood up from the ground after hearing Sato''s question, "Is that all you want to know?" He asked. "Yes." Sato replied. "Every year the elves hold a ceremony where they bring offerings to their savior, a med angel that saved them from the attack of a dragon." Ond uttered, he paused before he continued. "But this year, something happened that pretty much confirmed our doom, the seal that was ced on the me bird was breached by my brother, and now the god bird is angry, we woke it from its nap and it wants revenge, but if we give it another sacrifice it''s sure to calm down". ''med angel? Do you have any idea what he''s talking about?'' Sato asked his Analysis skill. The system then proceeded to show Sato images and the history of the Phoenix bird. "Where is this bird now?" Sato asked Ond. "It''s in the vige, still trapped in the cave it had always been in for the past 500 years." Ond replied. "Take me there". Sato uttered, and everyone immediately wore a shocked look on their faces, especially I who pushed Elena to the side before walking toward Sato. "What the hell are you thinking? You want to be their sacrifice? I didn''t go to all this trouble just to have you be a sacrifice to some bird". Sato smiled, "Rx, I''m not going there to be a sacrifice." He smiled. "You''re not?" I asked with a confused expression. "Then why do you want to meet the god bird? If you''re hoping to defeat it then I''m sorry you are -". Ond was immediately interrupted by Sato''s words, "If this bird has protected you for years then it must have some connection with its people, I want to do ismunicate with it, that''s all, so please, take me there." He voiced out while looking Ond in the eye. Ond looked around to see the faces on the elves, those expressions were one that he knew they had made up their minds. After sighing, he turned his back and started walking to the vige, "Alright fine, I''ll take you there." He said while walking away. They walked to the vige after crossing a small bridge that had water flowing under it. The vige wasn''t that big, there were multiple leaf houses and a few y-made houses too. The Elves vigers all had their eyes on Sato and the rest as they entered the vige, after passing the middle of the forest they were suddenly confronted by the chief of the forest. He had no top on and had only animal skin around his waist, the elves were already packing, seemed like they were looking to vacate the ce as soon as possible. "Ond, were you able to get a sacrifice for the god bird?" The vige head asked, he was also a dark elf. Sato noticed as he looked around that the vige was mostly filled with elves and dark elves didn''t even pass the number four. ''Thanks for the warning, do you know where the bird is?'' Sato asked, he could see Ond discussing with the head of the vige. A map suddenly showed up in Sato''s eye view, he saw the red blinking circle on the map which indicated where the Phoenix was. "Perfect." Sato muttered before taking to his heels and heading straight for the Phoenix. "Hey!" The vige head yelled, "Don''t just stand there, get him!". All the guard elves in the vicinity that had a weapon with them began chasing Sato. . . . .. . Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 8 The Phoenix Tongue ?Sato whooshed past the leaves and trees as he began heading toward the red point on the map. The elves were following behind him but his speed was unmatched, they couldn''t catch up to him. ''I really ought toe up with a name for you!'' Sato uttered while charging toward the location of the shrine. <> Sato not paying attention, began racking his head for a name he could call the system as he ran past tress. "How about.... oh I know, Helix!". Sato muttered before ceasing his advance, ''That''s what I''ll call you... Helix, pretty cool aye!'' He smiled, admiring his greatness. <> "Great, now what am I looking at?" Sato asked. He was standing in front of a small altar that was in the middle of tworge boulder, it had strings of paper tied around it, each having magic energy dancing over it. "Looks like a Shrine." Sato uttered while slowly moving closer to the Shrine. <> Sato suddenly heard Ond and some elves racing behind him with their weapons with them. "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" Ond yelled, panting as he pointed his dagger at Shiro. "This is the deity protecting your vige, isn''t it?" Sato asked before turning to look at Ond. "Yeah, what''s it to you?" Ond grinned as he slowly moved toward Shiro. Sato changed his focus back to the shrine, ''Helix! Is it possible tomunicate with the Phoenix while it''s still trapped in the rock?'' He asked. <> ''I see¡­'' Sato sighed, he turned his back on the shrine and walked away with disbelief, "Can''t believe I wasted all that time, I should I''ve confirmed first." He muttered. Ond was standing in Sato''s path with his dagger still aimed out, heughed before frowning his face. "What? Finally realize there''s no way to calm our ruler? Well no that it matters, I wasn''t going to let you leave anyway." Ond uttered. All the elves standing behind him, aimed their arrows at Sato, "You might be strong, but even you can dodge an attacking from all directions." Said Ond . Sato didn''t say a single word, his eyes were fixated on the floor, it was bad enough that he found himself in a new world but now he has to be a sacrifice to some vige''s god. "Screw this!" Sato yelled, he changed his focus back to the shrine and charged toward it leaving the elves speechless. Upon getting to the shrine, Sato leaped to the sky before deploying his scythe, "Might as well see what the fuck you''re afraid of!". He went falling to the ground with his scythe covered in dark energy as it sliced the shrine in two, causing the two boulder to fall on themselves. Sato stood up and turned to look at the shocked expression that were stered on the elves faces, almost like they had just seen a ghost. One of the elves suddenly yelled as he panicked, "We''re done for! He¡­he broke the seal!". Ond fell to his knees with his eyes fixated on the destroyed shrine, "No¡­ way¡­" He muttered. Sato sighed, "Rx you, weirdos, there''s nothing-". Before Sato could finish his statement, there was a sudden sound that resonated throughout the forest, it sounded like multiple bells were clinking against each other. The loud sound of the bell began to affect the ears of those that could hear it, causing their ears to bleed and for their head to swell from the delusion. Everyone within range of the shrine bell sound fell to the ground as they desperately tried to block the sounds by covering their ears. Sato screamed, while using his hand to cover his ear from the noise, his body was still badly burnt from the previous fire and the sound was making the pain surface back. <> The sound suddenly reduced inside Sato''s head leaving only the screams of the elves for him to hear. He stood up from the ground, panting heavily before using his hand to clean the blood in his ear. "Thanks Helix." He uttered. Upon getting to his feet a loud screech of a bird was heard which came with a full force of fire that blew Sato away. He went flying and crashing into one of the trees with his back beforending on the ground. He groaned in pain shortly after he stood up from the ground before dusting his body from the painless fall. "What the hell is that?" Sato questioned, positioned a few feets away from him was a giant bird that was ming all over its body. The hellish bell sound stopped after the Phoenix gave out another scream, which made the irritation all the elves were feeling stop. They began to stand up from the ground as they mummered about what they all thought happened. One of the elves spotted the Phoenix and fear instantly took over, "Oh Lord Rava save us, it''s the god bird!" The elf yelled, alerting everyone about the Phoenix. As soon as the rest of the elves saw the bird they all took to their heels and ran, while some just stood there fear struck from the sight. I ran into the scene and even she was frightened by the sight of the gigantic Phoenix. She moved back slowly watching as the Phoenixnded on the ground with a ze of fire following it around. "It''s¡­ it''s a real Phoenix." She stuttered, looking to her right she saw Sato standing opposite the bird with his damaged body. "What the hell is he thinking?" She tried to run to his side but the heat the Phoenix was giving out was too much. Sato kept a close eye on the Phoenix, making sure he didn''t make any sudden moves to make the Phoenix attack him. ''Helix! I should be able tomunicate with it now right?'' Shiro asked. <> Sato took a deep breath while he thought of what to say, "Yo Birdy!" Sato yelled. The bird moved its head closer to Sato before giving out another loud shriek. ¡ã¡ã¡ã "You speak thenguage of a rare species! What are you?" ¡ã¡ã¡ã Sato was shocked when he figured out that he understood what the bird was saying, he didn''t even know that a smile made its way to his lips. "It''s working." Sato muttered, "Okay¡­ the people of the vige are worried about¡­" The Phoenix suddenly interrupted, "The people of this vige have defied me yet again, I have lost my patience¡­ I''m not a mare bird¡­ I am Divanchi.. the supreme ruler of the east, and I will burn everything to the ground, starting from the one who woke me from my slumber!" The Phoenix yelled. It whooshed to the sky leaving aches of its mes burning on the ground and trees. "This isn''t good¡­ wasn''t I the one they woke up from...?" Looking up, Sato could see the Phoenix charging toward him from the sky down. Its wings spread wide with its mes and its body was shooting down like a falling rocket. After realizing the Phoenix was after him, Sato took to his feet and began running, "Shit, shit, I have no choice but to fight back¡­ damn it!... pretty exciting." He smiled. . . . . . . Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 9 The Beast Named Divanchi ?Sato utilized one of the trees as a walking stone before leaping to the sky with his hand held out while he flipped over the Phoenix. "DEVOUR!" He screamed out, a dark-like thick mist poured right out of his hand and went sucking in the Phoenix Mana. After flipping over to the other side of the Phoenix, Sato wentnding on his legs while huffing from the rush of excitement, ''This should be enough to copy its powers right?'' He inquired of. <> ''Damn it¡­'' Sato went to his knees and was getting ready to throw himself toward the Phoenix again, "Well, second times the charm." He muttered before grinning. With a whoosh of breeze, Sato unexpectedly found the Phoenix stationed in front of him, the Phoenix was so immediate that the trees in the area went flying from their roots after the sonic boom. "Holy". The Phoenix then gave Sato a p to the side with its wings which sent Sato tumbling onto the ground, and before he could retain bnce the bird was already beside him. It spat out a huge fireball that crushed the ground and Sato together in one hit. Wild demolition was caused and the ground went splitting in two. Sato managed to evade the st but just scarcely, the fire still caught up to him, hence the reason why he was spreaded on the floor. Sato darted to the sky as he started feeling tiny senses of ache in his body, ''That should have killed me, that was no ordinary attack, it still hurts even with my pain resistance''. Sato unhurriedly stood up from the ground, snorting with every movement he made before he was able to stand on both his feet. He struggled to keep his bnce while his eyes were fixed on the Phoenix, it was giving out loud screams while fire encircled its whole body. "What is this guy thinking? Fighting with a deity is nothing but suicide." I spoke as she took a round turn around the trees to try and ambush the Phoenix from behind. The rest of the elves were still face-shocked from the way they oversaw Sato battle a Divine beast, something a mere human couldn''t hope to do. The Phoenix scattered its wings before charging at full speed toward Sato again, but even with that Sato didn''t advance from his spot. I and the elves were wondering why he just stood there, they assumed he had a move he hadn''t shown yet but after catching a glimpse of how powerful the Phoenix was charging at him they began to second their belief because no one could survive an attack like that head-on. Before the Phoenix could get close to Sato, he gripped his fist as he delivered a raging scream. "Damn bird! Don''t fuck with me!" With his left leg pinched from the ground, He punched the bird in the face which sent it scrambling and breaking the trees it copsed on. While Sato fell to the ground after losing his bnce, "D-did I get it?" He murmured to himself. <> Sato smiled, "Souka... I don''t think I can fight any... more" He uttered as he scanned his burnt-up arm and sigh. "He-he just punched a Divine being in the face!" Ond uttered in astonishment. Sato gradually stood up from the ground and took in a deep breath, "I can''t give up now, the fuck kind of mc would I be!". Boom! Heunched his body to the front before charging toward the Phoenix at maximum speed, ignoring everything else around him. "Not yet, run run run!" He yelled as he approached the Phoenix, gasping with every step he took. When he got closer, the Phoenix also stood up from the ground and sent a a thrill of mes Sato''s way. Sato rasped but he didn''t weaver, taking a quick stop with his leg still gliding against the ground he cried out, "Devour!". His dark mist initiated to take over the mes but that didn''tst for long, the Phoenix mes were starting to surround his own mist. Both forces smashed against each other, causing everything around them to blow away from the huge force they were creating. The mes grew so big that some began whooshing past Sato while he worked to maintain his skill. "Not yet!" He yelled, without hesitating, Sato dropped his hand and ran straight into the mes while screaming at the top of his lungs, "Not yet!". Splitting the mes in two with his body, Sato positioned his hand on the Phoenix''s head before yelling again, "Devour!". His dark mist coated the whole of the Phoenix causing the mes it was shooting out to snuff out. The Phoenix struggled to get free from Sato''s clutches but he didn''t let go, he held its head while releasing all his mist over its body. <> Sato was sagging but he didn''t let go, he hung on until the Phoenix fell stomach t to the ground before he also fell to one knee. I was amazed at the sight, Sato was overpowering a divine beast, but she could also tell he was also being affected. ? "Just¡­die already." Sato mumbled as he fought with the instinct to keep his eyes open. "Wait wait! Okay I get it, I won''t attack the elves again, I''ll do whatever you want so please¡­ just let go already". Sato heard a female voicee out from the Phoenix''s mouth, he let go of the Phoenix whose mes only covered its back now. "Eh? Did It just concede?" Sato thought out loud. A bright red light shone on the Phoenix bird and it immediately altered into a girl. She had red hair and a red beautiful dress thatbeled her stateliness at first sight. "Who are you calling it, I''m a she I''ll have you know, and my name is Divanchi." The girl voiced out while sweeping her hair to the side. Sato stood there and didn''t utter a word, all he did was gape at the girl before giving an awkward grimace. "I.. risked my life¡­ for this¡­" He stuttered with his eyes still fixed on Divanchi. Divanchi pouted at him before tilting her head to look at the other elves who were just as shocked at Sato. "Hey, you! I''m sparing your lives, so be grateful, degenerates!" She shouted while pointing at them. "H-hai" They all responded at once. "And as for you¡­" Sato suddenly fell unconscious with his head sleeping on Divanchi''s boobs. She gave out a tiny squeak before yelling. "G-Get off me, you filthy vermin¡­. Ahhhh, get off!" . . . . . . . . . Benihime walked out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around her body, she headed toward her bed and sat down. Her room had been divided with a long cloth, keeping one half of the room for visitors and the other half for Benihime''s use. Benihime removed the towel around her body and began drying her hair with it. The texture of the towel was drying her hair fast due to the magic embedded in it. "Excuse me¡­" A female voice came from the other side of the room, Benihime stood up from the bed with the towel in her hands. "Do you need something Akari?" Benihime uttered before opening the clothes that divided the room. She wrapped the towel around her body and sat down on the ck chair that was close to the window. "It''s about the prisoner we just released, do you think that was the right call?" Akari asked with the hand fan covering her lips. "Are you worried? or have you perhaps taken a liking to the boy?" Benihime asked before crossing her legs and smiling, revealing her legs to Akari. Akari looked away, feeling flustered from the sight, "Well¡­ it''s just I''ve never seen a reason like this before, what if he ends up bing a threat to use one day". "If that were to happen, then we''ll take them out like we do any of our foes,". Benihime stood up from the chair and reached the other side of the room to pick up her clothes that wereying on the bed. She pulled them close to her before tossing her towel to the side and putting on her underwear. "What he does shouldn''t be our problem, our peoplee first¡­ every other thing is not our concern." Benihime uttered with a sweep of her hair as she put on her dress. "I understand Lady Hime, but¡­ I would be lying if I said, I felt a strong connection with him". Akari said while looking at the ceiling. There was a sudden knock on the door and it was just the right timing since Benihime was done dressing. "Yes,e in," Benihime voiced out. I walked into the office panting as she dropped her sword to the ground and walked over to Benihime. "Lady Hime! We have to take him under us!" I yelled. "What are you talking about?" Akari asked. "The non-existent prisoner¡­ we need him if we are going to change this war!" I yelled with confidence written all over her face. Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 10 Grim And I ?''Ugh, I feel like I''ve been sleeping forever.'' Sato snorted. "How long was I out?" He inquired of with his eyes opening slowly, ''I''m still so tired,''. << Notice, you''ve been asleep for four days>> ''Four days!'' Sato shouted. He instantly aroused from his sleep and found himself lying on a small bed in a a diminutive building. He sat upright before ncing around him to get a view of the room. There were threenterns filled with green glowing bugs that lit the room, the middle of the room had animal skin on the floor and on the wallsbeled with different face masks. Sato could hear the murmuring of people outside the hut he was in, he sighed before standing up from the bed. Once he was up he took a deep breath toe to calm his nerves before bursting out in anger. "What the hell! Where am I? Hold on Sato chill, I remember very well, I defeated the firebird girl and then¡­" Satoid over his mouth with his hand in stunner before falling to his knees, ''Don''t tell me I''ve been kidnapped again!'' He yelled inward. <> "Uhn?". <> "That''s reassuring, I guess." Sato muttered before walking back to sit on the bed. The shbacks of when he battled the Phoenix bird began to resurface causing him to sigh and fall t on the bed. "I can''t believe I fought something like that and survived." He spoke while looking at the ceiling. "Helix¡­ about the Phoenix, did I¡­ murder it?" Sato asked with a hint of hesitation in his voice. <> "Souka¡­ I thought I had it, didn''t I use my Devour skill to suck out its mana or something? Even that didn''t kill. it? Damn." Sato muttered with a calm voice. He was feeling weirdly cozy on the bed and was slowly starting to fall asleep again. <> Sato sat upright again, "Wait, you mean I have skills from a Phoenix?" He asked. <> "Then what are you waiting for, tell me!" Sato eximed. <> [ <> ?Hellfire/holy fire: Allows host to use hell/holy fire as an attack or defensive weapon. ?Photokinesis: Allows host to manipte light magic at will.>> <> <> <> << Shapeshifting: Host has the ability to transform into creatures in custody or learned.>> ] Sato just sat on the bed with a a a dumbfounded expression that just kept growing as Helix called out his skills. "Isn''t this a little too much?" Sato cut in. <<>Would you like me to discard some skills?> "No, I''m fine with it." Sato replied, ''Why wouldn''t I want to be op,'' He gave out a lustrous face. <> <> "Yeah¡­sure." He responded. <> <> <> "The hell, you didn''t tell me my sub-skills for the other one!" Sato yelled. <> << Sub taskpleted..>> ''Did she just ignore me?" Sato rmed. <> Sato sighed, "look I don''t understand what you are saying, just do you I guess." He uttered. <> "I just said do you." Sato voiced, before standing at his feet. <> "Yeah sure¡­ wait what?" <> Sato''s eyes began to turn green and he could no longer control his body, in a matter of seconds, he found himself floating in his consciousness. ''No way¡­she took over my body!'' Sato yelled while floating in an endless dark void, "Helix!". Sato could see everything through his eyes like he watching a really big HD screen of his own life. Sato, who had now been overworked by his skill Helix, stood in the middle of his room with his right hand stretched out. "Activating the Ultimate Skill Predator,". A wild force of dark mist rushed out of his hand, causing a strong breeze to storm into the room. "Releasing Grim Reaper from the void," Helix uttered. The Grim reaper that Sato fought with when he first arrived in the Fantasy world gushed right out of the mist and straight to the ground. The grim reaper was just hovering above the ground with its head covered by the cloak it wore. ''Is that the monster I faced back then? What the hell is Helix doing¡­ if It attacks now..'' "Activating the use of Evolve on hosts properties¡­ now Evolve!" The Grim reaper gave out a loud shriek as its body began to brighten, it fell to the floor and its body began to change. When the light dimmed down, the grim reaper had already Evolved into a new form and Sato was shocked by the oue. It took the form of a naked middle-aged girl with a broken crown at the side of her head. She had long ck hair and golden eyes that are hard to ignore. She stood up from the ground with an emotionless face as she stared at Sato. "Taskpleted, transferring consciences back to body" Voiced Helix. Sato abruptly found himself maintaining a his limbs before a smile hit his lips, "I didn''t know I''d miss my body so much~" Sato hugged himself. "Oh right." He suddenly remembered something, "Helix, did you perhaps-" "Master?" The Grim Reaper uttered. Sato slowly looked at her, head to toe before squeaking like a girl after seeing her naked. His face turned beet red as he covered his face with both his hands, "A ne-neked girl!" He stammered. The Grim reaper tilted her head to the side in confusion, she looked down at her body before looking back at Sato with the same confusion. "Master... like?" The Grim reaper asked as she pointed at her body. "For the love of God, Why are you naked!" Sato yelled. The door to his room suddenly opened and an elf holding a bowl of water walked in with two small kids following behind her. The first thing she saw when she entered was Sato standing in front of a beautiful nakeddy. She dropped the bowl of water and ran out of the room screaming, "He''s awake!". The two kid elf''s remained in the room and had their jaws dropped at the sight of the girl. One of them pointed, "Prettydy~", why the other one fell to the ground from the shock. .... Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 11 Acting Chief ?Ady wearing a white jacket above her ck cropped top, she also wore a ck tight trouser were one of the length is on her thighs and the other covered her while leg. She dashed into the room with mes following behind here, "Behold, I havee to pay thee a visit." She said. She had a proud grin on her lips as she rested her hand on the wall, "You must be surprised¡­ better, won''t make for a grand entrance if not." Sheughed. Sato just stood therepletely puzzled by the whole thing, right behind him was a dark-haired female with a broken crown on her head and in front of him was a girl with red hairughing. "What the actual hell is going on?" Sato uttered silently as he watched more elves walk into the building. . . . .. . . Sato sat on the bed with his death angel standing at a corner of the room while the vige head, Garion and Divanchi stood in front of him. That had already sent the elves away so they could have some personal time with the person that defeat a Divine beast. Garion was an old-looking dark elf, although no one could tell that at first nce, he wore pants made out of animal skin and had long white hair that fell to his back which wasplimented by the blue crystal on his forehead. While Divanchi was the human form of the Phoenix Sato fought with, her presence alone held a lot of magic power. Divanchi smiled as she stared at Sato, "So, aren''t you going to ask the obvious?" She asked. Sato sighed before looking at the old man seated in front of him. The room was small and had no light, but Sato could still make out the man''s face. "I remember you, you are the vige head here, I heard the dark elf call you that, but I''m not sure..." Sato uttered as he stared at the man hard to get a good look at him. Gironughed, "You are quite right, yes I am the vige head, and my son was the one you encountered in the forest, Ond." Said the man. Sato clicked his tongue before looking to the side, ''That jerk wanted to use me for a sacrifice!'' He yelled in his mind. "I want to apologize for what my sons doings, he let power and fear overtake him and ended up breaking the sacred rule we elves kept amongst ourselves." Said Giron. "Excuse me, old man, aren''t you also a dark elf? What are you doing ruling over pure innocent, kind, and warm elves?" Sato asked. "I was about to get to that part." Giron sighed before he continued. "The elves and dark elves had always been enemies, fighting for bothnd and resources, is was survival of the fittest at that time. But you see, our race was one of the most fragile races, back when we were ruled by the demon Lord Abedion no one dared defy him. He made sure, both the dark elves and elves were enved, our men were killed and women were sold as ves. To escape that faith we came to a understanding that we would work together with the elves and defeat the demon Lord, or atleast escape his reach. That was when we had help from one of the dwarfs working for the demon Lord, he told us about a divine beast somewhere around Rizaha, so we traveled here. We begged the Divine beast to help us and it did, it defeated the demon king and didn''t ask for a price in return, all it asked was for us to not disturb it while it was asleep in the rock." Sato couldn''t help but send a side stare at Divanchi who had a smug look on her face, ''Hard to believe he''s talking about the same Divine beast, she almost burnt their whole vige.'' He thought to himself. Giron continued, "Thanks to the Divine beast the dark elves grew closer to the elves and decided to be of one race, does that answer your question young master?" The man asked. Sato hummed with his hand ced under his jaw, "I guess so, but why was she trying to attack you, if she once saved you from the demon Lord?" He raised another question. Giron gave a weak smile because even he didn''t know the answer to that question, they both turned their gaze at Divanchi, expecting her to give an answer. "Sorry, I don''t feel like saying right now." Divanchi replied, "But¡­ if youmand me I''ll have no choice but to speak" She uttered with a hungry look on her face. "Eh? Command you?" Sato questioned. "Well obviously, you defeated me, a divine beast of all things, a being such as yourself is worthy to be my master." She uttered with a smile. Sato jolted up from the bed with his eyes widened in shock, "Say that again¡­" He muttered. "Divine beast.." "After that¡­" "You''re my master?" Divanchi ced a finger on hercheek with her eyes facing the ceiling as she guessed again. A smile made its way to Sato''s lips as he turned to face Divanchi, ''Every guy''s dream is happening right in front of my eyes¡­ she called me master. I... I am a girl''s master!'' He held her hand as his smile grew bigger. Divanchi ced her finger on his lips before giving Sato a shy look, "M-master, you''re holding me so tight¡­ please be gentle~." Said Divanchi with a soft tone. Sato immediately removed his hand before stepping back a few feet, "S-Sorry, I got carried away." He muttered. Divanchi had her arms wrapped around her stomach as sheughed, "Oh men, Master, you should have seen your face¡­" She cracked up. ''Stinking son of a bitch was messing with me the whole time!'' Sato smiled while hiding the frustration he was feeling, "Silly me". Giron suddenly stood up from the chair and walked toward Sato, "I should get straight to the point." He uttered while moving closer. Sato then changed his focus from Divanchi who was stillughing to Giron that stood in front of him. "Young master, I''d like to ask you a favor, I know we tried to kill you in the past, and this request is by far a selfish one, but will you please hear me out?" Giron asked. Sato nodded, "Yeah sure, I''ll listen." He uttered with a serious look, ''Yes! This is it! The best part of an RPG gamey, I bet he''s going to ask me to save his daughter or something!''. Giron stood up from the chair and bowed his head, "Would you be willing to take on the role as the acting chief of this vige?" He asked. "Eh?" Sato muttered with a puzzled look on his face before moving away from the man and tripping on the bed. He immediately stood up back and positioned himself beside his Grim reaper, "W-What do mean chief?" He asked. Giron raised his head and had a gentle smile, "It''s no surprise that I''m getting old, I can''t keep looking after them anymore, they need a strong and dependable leader, I can''t be that.¡­ I asked thedy Divanchi but she said... I won''t be leading because as of this moment I belong to my master". Sato turned to look at Divanchi who still had a smug look on her face, he then gave a weak chuckle as he uttered. "I might be screwed here¡­ I''m... the back up n?" . .... Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 12 Give Me One Week! ?With a sigh, Sato came out of the hut to meet about twenty different elves standing outside. Each one had a face of curiosity that made him nervous, standing beside him were Giron and Divanchi. They stood in a corner with a smile on their face, "Go on." Divanchi whispered to him. Sato changed his focus to the group of elves standing before him before giving out another sigh. "Hello there, my name is Sato Inugami." He voiced out. The elves began murmuring amongst themselves, the m of Giron''s staff on the floor was what brought theirposure back. Sato couldn''t help but give another sigh, ''What the hell am I even doing?'' He thought to himself. Before he could say anything again, Giron had already stepped to the front, to lend Sato assistance. "I''m sure you all remembered the hero who saved us from the God Phoenix''s rage, who heroically stood against a divine beast and came out victorious, the very same man that saved our vige, he stands before you¡­ the man who will soon be the leader of the vige." Giron voiced out before pointing at Sato. Nobody uttered a single word, silence took over as they all stared at Sato with confusion written all over their face. "Uhmm¡­chief!" A female elf with long blonde hair called out with her hands raised. Giron looked at her and shook his head, "Go on, speak." He uttered. "I don''t think it''s wise to trust an outsider with the affairs of the vige," She said with boldness written all over her face. "Yes!" Another male elf yelled, "Even if he did defeat the God bird, putting him in charge is more than dangerous". "Yeah!" They all began throwing their thoughts around, each one giving a reason why Sato should be the one leading. The whole thing didn''t surprise Sato all that much since he had already seen iting, "At the end of the day they are still like humans, they wouldn''t trust an outsider so easily." He muttered. Divanchi just stood in the corner with her arms folded as she nced at Sato from the side, ''Well, I wonder what you''re going to do can''t deny that I want to see how far this goes.'' She smiled. ''Helix, can you do me a favor?'' Sato said. <> "The vige state currently, can you tell me its current state in terms of a healthymunity?" He inquired. <> ''They drink and bath in the same water? no wonder they all look skinny, can you also give me a possible solution to fix the water problem?'' He asked. <> The elves had turned their personal opinion into a debate for who was right, while some were against the idea of Sato being ruler others were simply okay with it. "He defeated a divine beast, his strength is beyond impressive!" A male elf yelled. "What if he uses that power to threaten us one day, think you idiot." The blonde elf uttered. "Who the hell are you calling an idiot?" The male elf frowned before tightening his fist. "Enough you guy! this is not a way to act." Giron voiced out. They all kept paused, and moved away from each other with their focus aimed at him, "We apologize" They muttered. Giron then sighed, "This is proving more difficult than I thought." He muttered to himself. "I''ve been quiet for long, I think it''s time I said I few words or two" Divanchi grinned, she moved toward Sato before pointing at the elves. "You all got some nerves, are you suggesting that I chose the wrong leader to watch over you?" She said with a serious look on her face. "He tamed the god bird¡­" . "Amazing"... "Perhaps he can help us." They all started murmuring again. "God bird!" Elena called out as she worked out of the elves'' mist. Divanchi immediately turned to her, "Stop calling me God bird, it''s annoying¡­ My name is Divanchi!" She uttered with her eyes closed and irritated. "My apologiesdy Davanchi, but it is true he defeated you in battle, what''s to say he has the attribute of a leader¡­ a good leader isn''t a leader based on strength alone." She voiced. "Right now, our home is falling apart, it''s true our current chief hasn''t gotten us out of it, but if not for him, things would have been far worse. Can he save us from such predicament... I believe this is the true making of a leader" Elena bowed her head. Divanchi looked at her for a while before sighing, "Okay then, so you want to test his leadership right?¡­". "Nody, Divanchi I never said...". "Fine, we''ll do it then" Divanchi voiced out with a smile, She turned to face Sato, "Hey, Sato, can you stop-" "Shut up for a sec" Sato shut her down as he looked around the vige like he was searching for something. Divanchi was hard shocked at that, she couldn''t help but feel embarrassed about how she was cut short in front of the elves. Sato changed his focus to Giron, "Take me to your drinking source." He requested. Giron didn''t bother asking why, he just smiled, "Of course, shall we?" He uttered and led the way. The whole vige followed also, wondering why the guest would want to see their water source. "There it is." Giron pointed to the river that was running down from the opposite vige. Sato walked forward and bent down in front of the river before cing his hand inside, "Are these people crazy?" He muttered. He couldn''t even see his own reflecting in the water, it had also of bacteria inside and to top it off, different kind of parasite were sicking to the side of the river. He then turned to face Giron while still bent, "Do you drink directly from this?" Sato asked. "Yes we do, is there a problem?" Giron asked. "Of course, there''s a problem!" Sato yelled, "This river isn''t pure¡­ hell at this point it''s considered a dump waste... why would you drink out of this?". Giron gave a weak smile, "We know that, so we also make sure to boil it before consuming, it''s the only water we have, we can''t be picky". "But that won''t do, not when the water is this bad, did you not every try getting water from the other kingdoms or towns?" Sato sighed as he stood to his feet. "Water would cost money, around 5 gold pieces to sustain the whole vige, and we don''t have that" Giron muttered. ''5 gold? Helix?'' Sato questioned. <> Sato sighed before looking at the faces of the elves, "No wonder they drink this, 5 gold looks too expensive" He uttered. "Lord Sato?" Giron called out. "One week," . "Uhn?" Sato looked to all the vigers with a determined expression, "I just need one week... I''ll make a miracle happen." Sato said with his thumb aimed at his chest. "What are you talking about?" Elena asked. "I''ll transform this vige inside out, in one week, I''m pretty determined man." Sato said again, leaving the vigers to gasp at his n. Divanchi gave a proud smile before walking over to his side, "He meant give Us one week". Sato looked at her and smiled back, "If between those one week, you feel I''m still not cut out to rule, then I''ll dly leave the vige". They all began looking at themselves, each one wondering what they should say, but that was until a dark elf came running it. "Cheif! Chief!" The dark elf called out as he ran toward the gathering. He fell to the ground with his face sliding against the rock before he finally came to a standstill. "Deka, what happened? Why are you running?" Giron asked as he moved closer to him. The rest of the vigers moved toward him too, leaving Sato to stand at the riverside alone with Divanchi. "Lord Giron, we have to run!" The dark elf yelled. "Calm down and tell me what happened-" "The demons are here!" The dark elf yelled again, "And they are not going unless we give them another one! they want to destroy everything". . . ..c. . A/N Please be sure to help me with powerstones, you''d really be doing me a huge favor. Chapter 13 Ill Handle The Demons. ?"Demons?" Sato muttered to himself, he overheard what the dark elf was saying to his people. ''Helix, could these be the same demons those women who locked me up were worried about?'' Sato inquired of his system. <>. "I should do take a closer hearing." He murmured before heading over to the crowd. "Calm down Deka, breath," Giron said as he used his hand to rob Deka''s hair, trying to calm him down. Everyone could see the way he was panting, while some were terrified others were angry and frustrated. "I''m sorry Chief." Deka uttered, "but I couldn''t stop them. They came in demanding another set of women but we already told them we have none to spear, they chose not to listen and began to take them by force¡­but then- then a girl in ck dressing protected us." He uttered. "ck dressing?" Divanchi questioned. "Yes Mdy, she protected us, and now the demon''s n to wipe out our vige if we don''t pay what we owe, even with you by our side mdy, we can''t win a war against them." Deka reported with his eyes facing the ground. "I guess, they finally lost their patience with us." Giron muttered to himself, they could all see the sad expression on his face. "Chief, what should we do? I''m willing to fight if you tell me to, if it''s for the safety of our people, I''ll dly raise my sword." Elena uttered as she moved toward the Giron. Giron was still confused about the whole thing, the thought of his vige going to the ground especially now that Divanchi refused to rule began weighing on him. "Chief!" Elena called out again, this time she knelt down in front of him, "I won''t hesitate to sacrifice my life for the vige, so please give me the order". Giron turned to look at her, but he had already given up, "We¡­ don''t have-". "What are you all so worried about?" Sato interrupted, drawing everyone''s attention to his side. He stretched out his hand and a scythe materialized, "I''ll take care of the demons, but I need you to do something for me." He said. Divanchi was surprised but was also smiling, almost like she had been waiting for him to say those exact words. Walking over to the dark elf that was on the ground, Sato proceeded to hand him the scythe he was holding. The dark elf was confused as to why Sato was giving him such a weapon, "Sir.. I don''t-". "While I try to chase the demons away, I want you all to hide here and don''te out," Sato uttered, "I am lending you to this scythe in case you managed to run into a demon while hiding". "Do you n to help us?" Giron asked. "Of course I do,e on Divanchi, let''s go y some demons.''" Sato uttered before dashing back to the vige. He began to make his way to the vige, speeding through the trees with Divanchi following behind him. ''Three, no five, I can sense five new magic sources, they must be the demon.'' Sato thought to himself. "Are you sure about this master?" Divanchi asked as she also whooshed past the trees. "Of course, don''t tell me the might Phoenix is scared." Sato responded. "Unlikely, but If you attack the vige, there''s no doubt the demons wille back at full force." She uttered again. "That was exactly why I told them to wait behind, as of now, I''m still a passerby who just happened to run into some demon while exploring the vige." Sato smiled, he couldn''t hide the excitement he was feeling. As soon as he came out of thest tree, the first thing he saw was a girl dressed in ck, crushing the wrist of a demon. The demon was screaming in pain as it struggled to get free from her grip, she had a sinister grin on her lips, almost like she was enjoying every moment of it. "Is that?" Sato muttered, looking to the left he could see four demos standing in the middle of the vige. They looked just like any human, the only exception was the fact that they all had glowing pupils, each having different colors and horns. One of the demons, dressed in a ck uniform and having beside him a sword yelled as he held a female elf in his hand. Grabbing her by the hair he aimed his sword at her throat, "Who the hell are you?" The demon yelled. Thedy in the ck dress threw the demon she was holding to the ground, leaving him to wail in pain before changing her focus to the demon in front of her. She didn''t utter anything, instead, she just kept walking toward the demon with ck mist surrounding her body. ''What the hell is she? She took my guard out in less than a minute, are the elves having help now?'' The demon thought to himself. "Stand back!" He yelled, "Stand back or I''ll slit her throat, right here and now!". He pulled the female''s hair up, leaving her to scream in pain as her legs dangled in the air. But the ck-dressed girl didn''t stop, she continued her approach and was slowly increasing her speed. That was until she heard a voice call out to her, "Enough reaper,e back." The voice said. She suddenly turned to see Sato walking toward her and her frowned expression suddenly turned into a bashful one. "M-master." She stammered as she watched him move closer to her. "You evolved so quickly, you can leave the rest to me now." He said, patting her head as he walked past her. She looked to the ground with her face beet red from the action before she red at the demon Sato was heading to. "Yo!" Sato voiced with his right hand raised. "And who are you?" The demon asked. "I''m just a traveler looking for a ce to settle in today, you look well dressed, are you from the capital?" He asked with a smile. "Tamrin Jiojo, i am an imperial knight of the Fiora kingdom, call the vige chief out here, I''d like to have a word!" Tamrin yelled. "The chief? I didn''t know this vige had a Chief." Sato uttered while looking around the vige. "The hell! You think I''m ying¡­ I''ll slit her throat right here, losing one elf wouldn''t hurt" Tamrin said with a grin. Behind him, two of his men had three other female elves that they''ve tied to the ground. "Come now, don''t go that far, I-." Sato smiled as he voiced in a soothing way but was interrupted. "Shut up!" Tamrin used the side of his sword to push a bit deeper into the female''s neck causing her to bleed a bit. "Start¡­ talking". The sight of the female elf crying from the cut she got on her neck was slowly starting to build up rage in Sato. He looked at Temrin with fury written in his eyes, "Oh but I think you misunderstood me." He uttered as he moved toward the demons. "The chief you are looking for¡­ is standing right in front of you!" He said with a smile, "Let go off the cupcake". ... A/N Thank you for reading, I really appreciate it, feel free to leave ament on your thoughts. Chapter 14 The Scythe One Victory! ?Elena had a small green leaf in her hands which she used to rub the little scratches on Deka''s body. The leaf was normally used to heal injuries and stop poisons, but for some reason, it wasn''t given a name, this was due to the fact that few people knew about it. "Is this okay?" Elena asked, rubbing the leaf on the small cut that was eating on Deka''s face. He smiled before taking the leaf from her hand and rubbing it himself, "Thank you, Elena." He muttered, but his sadden look was still eating on him. Elena stood up and couldn''t help but stare at the Scythe Sato gave Deka, she picked it up with a curious look on her face. "Chief¡­ I don''t feel right doing this." She uttered as she turned to face the chief who was seated on the ground. "What do you mean?" The red-haired female elf inquired. "Making an outsider fight not one, but two of our battles for us¡­ it''s uneptable and disgraceful." Elena red at the scythe. "I understand but these are the demons we are talking about, one of the most dominant races, it was either that or we watch our people die," Deka voiced out. "I know that but still¡­" Elena mumbled while still looking at the Scythe. "The safety of our people will alwayse first, we have lost too many men and women to the demons, we can''t let that happen anymore." Giron uttered with his eyes focused on the sky. "Mummy, is there going to be a fight?" A kid looking the age of 11, although whenpared to the elves'' aging System, one could say he''s about 6 years old. The woman standing beside the boy went to her knees before cing her hand on his shoulder. "Everything''s going to be alright sweetie, don''t worry about it." She muttered with a smile. Elena heard footsteps running toward their location, she dashed toward where the woman was while yelling, "Move away from there!". Both the woman and the boy looked at Elena with bewilderment on their faces, that was until they saw the frightened expression on the rest of the elves. The woman immediately looked to her back to see a demon with a crazy grin on his face leap toward her. Without hesitation, she pushed the boy away from danger and was ready to take the danger head-on. The demon sliced her chest with his sword, sending her falling to the ground as her blood began to spew from the cut. Elena was still running, even though she wasn''t fast enough to save the woman, tears dropped from her cheeks as she yelled in rage. The demon began tough as his red eyes glowed, "Oh my¡­ never met a race so pathetic before!" He uttered. Elena dashed toward him while pulling her short katana from its sheath, she took a huge jump and sent a sharp attack with her short de. The demon was able to block it with his sword which he held with one hand, "Know your ce your filth!" He yelled before booting Elena to the ground. Her back mmed on the ground and her sword flew away from her grip as she bounced. The rest of the elves packed themselves to a spot, shivering in fear as they watched the demon close in on Elena. Elena struggled to get up, just that one kick had made her insides twist in pain, the blood dripping from her mouth was a dead giveaway. "Where''s that strength of yours you had a minute ago¡­ don''t tell me it''s gone now?" The demon yelled as he sent another kick to Elena''s stomach. Her body sprung to the sky as blood spewed out of her mouth before hitting the ground back. "Fight back damn it, don''t make this boring!" The demon yelled again, stomping his foot continuously on Elena''s head. "Come on, fight back! Fight back you pig!" The demon kept trash-talking. Elena''s face had beenpletely damaged with bruises and all she could do wasy on the ground and kept receiving the attacks. Giron looked away from the scene as he couldn''t bear to watch any longer, he knew if he spoke, the demon woulde targeting the rest. So he just sat as he desperately ignored the smashing sounds he was hearing, he could even hear the slight sobbing Elena was giving out. "I''m sorry chief¡­ but¡­ I can''t bear to watch her suffer anymore!" Deka stood to his feet as he grabbed the scythe on the ground and dashed towed the demon screaming. The rest of the vige called out to him, begging him to turn back but he yed a blind ear and continued his approach. Even his fiance, the elf with the red hair, begged as she cried but that still didn''t stop him from running to Elena''s rescue. "Get your hands off her, you bastard!" Deka yelled. The demon immediately turned and swung his sword at Deka with a an ominous grin on his lips. Deka still didn''t weaver, he swung the scythe he was holding with all his might and was somehow able to slice both the demon''s hand and the sword together. The demon fell to the ground with a a horrified look on his face as he watched his hand and sword fall to the ground. "M¡­M¡­My hand! You cut my fucking hand!" The demon yelled in pain, "Ahh! You bastard!". Deka held the scythe in front of him as he also was surprised, ''Just now, the power I felt¡­ was from this weapon?'' He thought to himself. "Yes! Brother did it! Finish him, brother." One of the kids cried out. Deka turned back to see the surprised look on their faces covered in the happiness they were feeling, a victory they''d been hoping to have. "Everyone?" Deka muttered as he looked at Giron who in turn sent a warm smile at him. He immediately turned to face the demon as he held the scythe tighter, "I can do it¡­ I can win!" He yelled. The demon stood to his feet as red energy began to surround his body, "Don''t get cocky just because of one lucky shit!" He yelled. With a boom, they whooshed past themselves with a huge sh following after, while Deka was covered in a dark mist the demon was covered in red energy. A wild wind blew past both their paths, Deka then stood up from his knees and turned to look at the demon. The demon had a terrified look on his face as looked to the ground, "No.. way.." his head went falling to the ground alongside all the trees beside him. Deka looked at his people and saw how shocked they were, he then looked at the Scythe as tears dropped from his eyes. He raised it to the sky with a smile, "I did it!" He yelled. They all ran to him, jumping and giving him a hug as they all cried their hearts out. Elena rested her back in the tree as she looked at the demon''s head on the floor, "He¡­ killed a demon." She muttered. "Thank you¡­ you are truly a blessing¡­ lord Zeno" Giron uttered while watching the vige people crying alongside Deka. Chapter 15 Yuri The Death Angel ?Deka stood up from the ground and looked at Giron to see the proud expression on his face, "I did it¡­ I killed a demon." He muttered in excitement. "Deka¡­ You were amazing, but how were you able to move like that?" The red-haired elf asked as she moved away from him. "I don''t¡­ I don''t know, I just¡­ did." He responded with his gaze focused on the scythe. "It''s safe to say, there''s some kind of magic boost in that Scythe," Elena uttered and stood to her feet, holding her broken arm as she drew closer. "You really think so?" Deka asked. "Hm uhm." Elena shook her head in agreement, "Since now we know you can take on a demon, we should go lend our helper a hand." She muttered looking at Giron to see if he objects. Giron smiled, "You can, but be careful¡­ I wish you good luck, I won''t be any help. He said looking at Elena''s damaged body but hid the sadness he was felt. "Thank you chief, okay, let''s go." She said, picking her de on the ground with a grunt. "Oh no, there''s no way I''m letting you go, look at yourself." The red-haired elf uttered. Elena smiled before turning to look at her, "I''ll fine Latina, I do have healing magic you know." She said. "I don''t remember your healing magic being strong enough to heal broken bones." Latina voiced before sighing, "I''ll go with him,". "Are you stupid?" Elena yelled. "I refuse!" Deka yelled alongside Elena, "You''re pregnant you Idiot, what kind of man sends his pregnant wife to fight demons?" He yelled again. Latina grunted, "What the hell do you want me to do then? Look at her, she can''t even walk properly!" She yelled back. "Look, I get it, you wanna help, but you can''t.. not when you are carrying a child," Deka said with a soft tone. "Agree with them, you shouldn''t go." Giron interrupted. "Chief!" Latina called out, "You know this is the best cause, it''s either this or we run." She uttered. "You are not going¡­ we will all being with you, it''s our vige and we all should put in equal efforts." Giron voiced. "Chief!" Both Deka and Elena yelled in unison. Latina immediately looked at Deka with a smug look on her face which led to Deka sighing at the thought of his wife going into battle. "Yayyy! We are going to go kick some demon butt!" One of the kid elves yelled. "Chief, you have to reconsider." Elena voiced out, "We don''t know if the demos have-". She paused when they all suddenly heard a feminine screaming from the vige. "That was Diana!" Latina muttered before dashing toward the vige. "Latina,e back!" Deka yelled before chasing after her. Elena did the same, with her de in her hand, she ran after them, while the rest of the vige followed. Deka arrived at the cliff and he could see the whole vige below him, just to his left, he spotted Latina hiding behind the boulder as she spied on the demons. "Latina-". She immediately hushed him, "Keep it down, quicke see something." She whispered. Deke moved closer to her and went to his knees, peeping from the side to look at what was going on. The rest of the vige joined in not long after to also have a peek at what Deka and Latina were looking at. Sato stood in front of the demon, "Look, I''m not looking for conflict if that''s at all possible, all I''m asking you to do is release the girl." He said. "You must think you are some kind of hot stuff, well I''m sorry to disappoint you but I''ve lost my patience." The demon uttered. He tossed the girl he was holding over to his men and began to approach Zeno with his sword covered in magic. "Should we go help him?" Latina whispered as she peeped. "I don''t know, he said specifically to note in unless he gave the go-ahead," Elena whispered back. "I don''t know, taking two demons at once is a big deal." Deka said. "He took on a God bird, I doubt they are any stronger." Giron muttered. Sato''s grim reaper could sense the elves from afar, so all she did was look at them before changing her focus back to Sato. Sato gave a sigh, "I just said, I wanted to avoid conflict, you keep doing the opposite of what I ask for." He muttered. "Shut your mouth you brat!" The demon yelled andunched himself toward Sato, looking tond a strike. Unexpectedly, Divanchi whooshed to the front with a grin on her lips and fire swarming around her body. The demon was shocked but he was moving too fast for him to make a quick stop, ''Who the hell is this?... Screw it, I don''t care,''. He held his sword tighter and swung it at her, to his surprise, Divanchi broke his sword with just a punch. His eyes widened as he watched her move to his left andnd a kick to his spine, she was moving twice his speed which led to the massive wind that blew after. The demon''s body went tumbling to the ground before she smashed into one of the tiny huts in the vige. "Sir Xong!" The two demons called out before leaving the elves and running toward him. "Good job." Sato praised as he smiled at Divanchi. She gave a smug look in return, "Did you expect anything less from the almighty Divanchi!" She uttered with a loudugh. Sato smiled, he then turned to face the female grim reaper, he stared at her for a while before sighing. "Helix, does she by any chance have a name?" He asked. <> "I see¡­" Sato went into thinking, "Okay, how about¡­ oh I know Yuri!" He muttered with a proud look. <> ''Wait, death angel? I thought she was a grim reaper?'' Sato shouted. <> "Awesome!" He murmured, "In that care, Yuri!" He called out. Yuri walked toward Sato and immediately went to her knees with her head bowed, the gesture startled him at first but he chose to ignore it. "I need you to transport these vigers back to their people in the forest." He said. Yuri looked up at Sato, "Master¡­are you perhaps referring to them?" She asked before pointing to the Clif. Deka and the rest tried to hide when they saw Sato look over to their side, but were able to see them with the help of his skill perception. He could see their heatwave through the rock, "What the hell are they doing?" He muttered, with his eyes brown twitching in annoyance. ....,.. Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 16 Sato Vs The Demons ?Yuri walked over to the four female elves that were sitting on the ground and still feeling terrified from the previous event. Yuri stood in front of them for a while before lowering her body and lifting one of the elves from the ground. The elf wailed in fear as Yuri lifted her up from the ground and in the blink of an eye, the elf dematerialized alongside Yuri. The remaining elves that were on the ground all stood up in shock as they wondered where they went. Latina and Elena were still peeping and hiding on the cliff while the rest of the elves were seated. "Look, guys, I think we''ve done enough," Deka uttered, he had his back resting on the rock with the scythe on his leg. "Don''t tell me you wanna give up now, what happened to your intuition?" Latina replied. "No I think he''s right, rather than waiting here we should just go in there and help." Elena added her thoughts. With a sigh, Latina ceased her spying and rested her back on the rock, "Alright fine, whatever you say." She responded. The whole ce went quiet for a while, and to their surprise, a dark mist suddenly appeared in front of them. They all put their guard up, Daka grabbed his scythe while na had her hand positioned on her sword. The rest of the elves all stood to their feet immediately and moved closer to Giron to defend themselves. Once the mist cleared out, Yuri walked out with the female elf in her hands. "Daina?" Latina muttered, feeling surprised. Yuri ced her on the floor and dematerialized again before the remaining elves could start asking questions. Deka drew back his scythe the same as Elena who had a relieved look on her face after seeing one of her friends. "Diana!" Latina yelled before dashing toward her and giving her a hug. "Are you okay? Are you hurt? I hope they didn''t¡­ you know¡­ do anything?" Latina kept throwing her questions. "I''m fine." Daina responded, with tears rolling down her cheeks. The rest of the elves smiled at the sight as Yuri kept bringing more of the elves to the sight. Meanwhile, Sato was still in the vige monitoring the way his death angel was going back and forth to transport the elves. ''Who knew saving a vige full of elves from a couple of demons would be so easy.'' Sato thought to himself, ''But still...,''. He looked at where Tamron''s body was and saw that he was already on his feet with his guards beside him. "And he''s up, I don''t want this to escte more than it already has, I''ll have to do something." Sato muttered. "I''ll take them on if you''re not up for it¡­ I despise demons anyway, I wouldn''t mind beating one still kingdome." Divanchi uttered as she stood beside Sato. Yuri suddenly appeared beside Sato, "I havepleted my task Lord Sato, do you request anything of me?" She asked. "No, not really." Sato responded, ''Right now, I have to make sure these demons don''t cause any harm.'' He thought to himself. <> Sato immediately looked at the demon to see that all their bodies were brimming with magic energy. ''Shit, they still wanna fight?'' Sato yelled inward from the surprise. "Let go!" Tamron yelled as he yanked his arms away from his soldier''s grip, his eyes were full of rage and focused on Sato. "You bastard¡­. You are going to pay for embarrassing me like that, I''m going to make you wish you never crossed paths with me!" Tamron yelled. ''Figures he''d target me.'' Sato sighed, "Oh well, seems there''s no helping it, fighting is unavoidable at this point." He uttered as he began to walk toward Tamron. "Nice, I''ll join you-". "No, you stay back." Sato interrupted Divanchi, "I''ll handle this one myself," He said while still making his advance. ''Helix, can you show me critical points to hit on this demon, you know to leave him somewhat hurt but not dead,'' Sato asked. <> ''The fuck is a vicle?'' Sato asked. <> Sato gave an awkward smirk, "I feel like she just mocked me?" He uttered. "Get ready you little piece of shit, I''m about to turn you into a beating example for the elves!" Tamrinughed. He screamed as his body began to flow with more magic and his muscles were growing bigger with time. Sato just stood there looking at him with a poker face, "Okay, first of all, big cap!... Second, before I turn you into a beating lesson, I have one question to ask you." Sato voiced out. "Shut your mouth!" Tamron yelled, heunched himself toward Sato at full speed, leaving his back covered in dust. Sato instantly tilted his body to the side, evading one of the punches Tamrin threw at him, "I haven''t even asked myself a question yet." Sato muttered. "Quit talking, you insect!" Tamron yelled again, this time he mmed his hands on the ground, causing the earth l to split in two. The crack was speeding to where Sato stood, Sato just casually leaped to the sky to avoid falling into the hole. While he was in mid-air, one of the demons was already behind him, "Got yah!" The demon yelled as he swung his sword. Sato held the sword with his palm before it could do any damage to his neck, he then turned to look at the demon. "Sorry, but I already sensed youing," Sato uttered. [Incarnate] The sword Sato held began to turn to ashes and it was spreading toward the demon''s fingers. The demon immediately let go and fell to the ground on his feet while looking at the tip of his finger which was now ash and blowing away with the wind. "He burnt my finger with a touch?" The demon questioned as he looked to the sky. Sato also came falling to the ground, only to look beside him and see a fully charged dark energy ball charging toward him from the other demon. Sliding against the ground, Sato held out his hand, "Predator!" A rush of dark mist poured out of his hand and began to devour the fire. After a few seconds, the dark mist had alreadypletely gobbled up all the energy leaving nothing but the whooshing sound the mist made as it returned to Sato''s hands. The demons that had surrounded him all had their jaws dropped at the sight, even the elves watching werepletely shocked. "Now¡­ where were we?" Sato muttered with hands raised to the sky and a huge ball of dark energy began to form, causing a massive wind to blow around the area. .... A/N Thank you for reading, Chapter 17 Sato Vs The Demon II ?Tamron moved back a bit, ''Damn it, he looks stronger now, what gives.'' He muttered while he looked at his men''s faces one by one. ''I dare not think about it but¡­ do I have to retreat? Bull shit!'' Tamron scoffed at the thought. He charged toward Sato with his body enveloped in his magic energy, "Listen to me¡­ I need you guys to distract him while I go for the kill." Tamron yelled. "Y-yes, sir!" They both responded and also darted straight at Sato''s position. ''Are they for real? Damn it, I thought they''d try to retreat by now,'' Sato thought to himself as he stood in the center while they charged toward him from three sides. ''I guess I have no choice then,'' Sato muttered with a deep breath following right after. Tamron had almost gotten close to Sato and could no longer hide his grin, "I told you not to get cocky over one lucky hit!" He yelled. Just after taking another step, a force of wind blew both he and his men away, Tamron''s back went crashing to the ground before he lost his grip on the sword. "W-What the hell!?" Tamron yelled as he looked at the huge beast in front of him, "it''s a Divine¡­..beast!". Sato, still in the middle of the demons, had transformed into a gigantic Phoenix, with red burning fire surrounding his body. Divanchi gave out a loudugh, "Wow! Master, that''s amazing!" She shouted. Yuri just stood beside her with a look of admiration on her face and her eyes light green from the excitement she was feeling. Sato gave out a shriek as he moved closer to Tamron while the fire around his body intensified with the scream. "A-A God bird¡­" Tamron muttered while he looked at Sato''s Phoenix from, "A real Divine beast!?". "Yeah, so what? I''m not leaving, till I bring you down, you hear me!" Tamron yelled, he stood to his feet before grabbing his sword from the ground. With a raging scream, he charged toward Sato, only to have both his men run toward him and lift him up. "Hey! What are you doing!? Put me down!" Tamron yelled while he struggled to free himself. "I''m sorry, Sire, but we have to retreat, if you die it will be on us!" One of his men yelled as he ran with Tamron on his shoulder. "Put me down Damn It! I''m not done with him, Put me down!" Tamron kept screaming. The demons ran away as fast as they could on foot, the thought of them taking their horses didn''t cross their mind since they were running for their life. ''Well, I''m d that worked.'' Sato muttered to himself, with a burst of mes Sato transformed back to his human form beforending softly on both his feet. As soon as hended, he felt a slight dizziness in his eyes, "Easy...Well, Helix did tell me the form was going to consume a lot of mana". "Way to go, master!". Sato looked back to see Divanchi running toward him while Yuri just appeared by his side. Divanchi straight to him, "You were amazing master! The way you ate the demon''s attack was just¡­ wow! I bet they were scared as hell!" Sheughed. Sato smiled while scratching the back of his head, "Well.. praise me, praise me more." Heughed. Yuri nodded her head with her eyes sparkling with admiration, "I¡­ also think Master''s amazing!" She muttered. ''I''m getting praised by two beautiful girls, oh can life really get any sweeter.'' Sato uttered as he entered a state of pleasure. <> ''Shut up Helix!'' Sato yelled, "Geez, don''t ruin this with your weird analysis." He muttered. "Lord Sato!". Sato suddenly heard a masculine voice call out to him, he turned to check and a surprising look hit his face. When he turned, he saw the whole elf vige on their knees with their heads bowed, Sato moved back a bit starlted from the sight. "Hey¡­ guys, what''s up?" He asked hesitantly. "Lord Sato¡­.". "Yeah?" Sato replied with a nervous look on his face. "It would be an honor, lord Sato if you considered being our leader!" Giron shouted. "Ehhh? What about the one week test?" Sato asked. "You have proven yourself over and over again, we fully acknowledge you, lord Sato, please be our leader." Deka voiced out. Sato immediately had a serious look on his face, ''i never thought about this before, but the vige does look like a mess, shouldn''t there be a king for something like this?'' He asked. <> Sato scoffed, "So they sent demons to take their women, and yet they don''t n to help grow the vige, politics will be politics I guess" He muttered to himself. <> ''it''s not? Then who-''. Sato was interrupted by the shirt pull Divanchi actioned, she looked him in the eye, "Won''t you give your reply master?" She asked. Sato changed his focus from her to the elves, he sighed before giving out a smile, "With pleasure¡­ you don''t have to worry about a thing!" He said. The elves all looked up with excitement on their faces as they stood to their feet to rejoice. Giron walked toward Sato, "Thank you, Lord Sato, I''ll forever be in your debts." He uttered. "No, it''s nothing¡­. It really is." Sato replied with a smile. Deka used the opportunity to approach Sato with the Scythe in his hands, "Lord Sato!" he called out. Sato hummed as he looked at the Scythe in Deka''s hand, "You can keep it." He said. Deka paused, "Lord Sato, are you sure, it''s a very powerful weapon." He yelled. "Yes I''m sure, keep it," Sato repeated. Deka with a smile, bowed his head, "Thank you, Lord Sato, thank you!" He yelled as he ran away. Sato looked to the sky, "Helix, you better get ready, you and I, we are going to rebuild this vige til it bes a Paradise" He uttered. <> Chapter 18 I Sato Your Lord ?"Look at his face, he looks so cute when he''s asleep." A Feminine voice spoke. "Please refrain from touching my master with your dirty hand while he''s asleep." Another feminine voice uttered. "So you don''t want to know how soft his skin is? It''s very soft". Sato was still asleep but he could feel someone poking his cheeks with their finger, ''What the hell is going on?'' He thought to himself. "Well¡­ I guess one poke wouldn''t hurt,". Sato unexpectedly opened his eyes to see Yuri''s face leaning toward him and her finger drawing close to his cheeks. "What are you doing?" Sato asked with the poker face he was letting out. "Watching you sleep." Yuri replied. "Why would you be watching me sleep?" Sato raised another question with a calm face. "..... Because I''m watching you sleep." Yuri replied with the same response. "That doesn''t answer my question!" He yelled before giving Yuri a head butt which drove her to the ground. She used both her hands to cover where Sato hit her before looking up at him, "Are you, upset Master?" Yuri asked in a soft tone. Sato sighed, "No I''m not, it''s just creepy when someone watches you while you sleep." He replied. Yuri looked to the ground with a sad face, "Master does not like it when I watch him?" She asked with a sad tone. Sato sighed again, "And you, what are you doing on top of me?" He asked Divanchi who was seated on his stomach. She stared at him for a while before giving a smile with her tongue sticking out as she knocked the side of her head. With a twitch of his eye brown, Sato threw both Divanchi and Yuri outside before shutting the door behind him. "Damn it, what''s with those girls?" He questioned as he looked around to see the hays on the floor and different kinds of attire on the ground. "Good morning Helix," Sato greeted. <> "I told you to stop calling me that, just call me Sato¡­" He uttered. <> Sato gave another weak sigh, "This ce needs a lot of work, I wonder how much I can cover today." Sato said as he reached for his top. Before he wore it, he looked at how tattered the clothes were, the down part had been burnt off and it had already lost most of its texture. He wore the cloth gently in order not to damage it even more, "Helix, time to work, show me today''s n." He muttered while heading to the door. <> Sato paused, "I gained some skills again? At this point, I''m starting to think I gain skills in everything I do." He uttered, "Fine, let me hear it". <> "Well, that exins why everything seems more understanding, I did notice I was remembering more of my world." Sato uttered before he continued his advance. <> "Then let''s get right to it." He said before opening the door and walking out of the warehouse. Divanchi and Yuri were still outside, so when they spotted Sato leaving the warehouse they immediately followed behind him. "Master¡­.are you still upset?" Yuri asked while she walked beside him. "Of course not, I''m not upset, forget it okay?" Sato replied. Divanchiughed, "Master, are you a sorry?" She asked. "Shut up!" Once they got to the center of the vige, they met the elves walking in the small fabric they were wearing and sitting around the big pot that was on fire. Sato walked in, "What are you guys doing?" He asked. They all looked at him as soon as his voice was heard, "Good morning Lord Sato!" They greeted him. Giron left the stirring of the food for Diana before walking to Sato''s position, "Lord Sato, we were just about to call you for breakfast." He uttered. "Nice, what are you cooking?" Sato asked. "Porridge." Giron replied. "I see¡­" Sato muttered with his eyes ncing past the elves that were seated around the pot. "Come, lord Sato, we left a spot just for you." Giron said before leading Sato to his spot in the circle. Sato sat down with Divanchi and Yuri sitting beside him while they waited for the food to arrive. Sato noticed that Deka wasn''t around but he could sense the scythe was somewhere around the vige. <> ''What?'' Sato yelled in his mind. <> ''Oh yeah, I did say that, didn''t I?'' Sato gave out an awkward smile while scratching the back of his head. <> "Sure." Sato replied. Sato stood up from the ground and walked over to the left side of the circle, "Yo guys listen up¡­ I need everyone to stay in a straight line!" He yelled. They all looked at him with confusion but none of them tried to question him, they stood up and began to line up in front of him. ''I didn''t think they''d be this obedient.'' Sato thought to himself as he watched them line up. Deka walked in with a bag of potatoes in his hands, "Good morning Lord Sato, what is going on here?" He asked. "Great, you''re here to¡­ join the line." Sato uttered. Once everyone had lined up and were now in an orderly manner Sato smiled, ''Okay Helix do your thing.'' He uttered. <> Sato''s eyes suddenly turned red, he stretched out his hand as he looked at the elves in front of him. "I want you to repeat after me¡­ and please inject your name in these words, I¡­.. hereby ept Sato Inugami to be my Lord and will follow his word to the bitter end with all faith and honesty.". They all looked at each other feeling hesitant to say it, that was until Deka took the initiative. He walked forward with the Scythe in his hand, "I Deka, pledge to serve lord Sato with all Honesty and faith" He uttered. He immediately fell to his knees as his body began to glow. Latina ran toward him, "Deka what''s wrong? Are you alright?" She asked as she panicked. When the glow had gone, Deka''s appearance shocked the rest of the vige leaving their jaws dropped. Deka lookedpletely different, his hair was longer and the immense magic flowing around his body was powerful enough for Divanchi to react to. "I¡­I¡­feel different, what is this power I''m feeling?" Deka uttered as he stared at his hands. .... A/N I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 19 A New Village ?Once Deka had said his vow, the rest of the vigers didn''t feel hesitant anymore, one by one they began saying theirs. Once they were done, their transformation began, they were more healthy and beautiful, and while the females were sexier the males were more attractive. Each of them had a small crystal resting on the center of their forehead which had different colors depending on each individual. "Wow, Elena, you look¡­ different!" Daina yelled in excitement as she stared at Elena. Elena smiled, "I do feel different, it''s like¡­I''m connected to him, it''s kinda awesome." She uttered with her focus aimed at Sato. Giron walked toward the elves'' mist with a smile on his face, "I think this is the power of Lord Sato¡­ we should pay our gratitude," He uttered. They were all stunted at his new appearance, he looked way younger with a handsome face to go with his attractive body. "Chief? Is that you?" Latina asked with a stunted expression, she moved closer to him and began to poke his arm. Gironughed, "I''m quite shocked myself, I never would have thought the day woulde when I could actually walk without my stick." He responded. Sato gained his control back and before he could take another step he fell to the ground. "Master, are you okay?" Yuri uttered and immediately appeared by his side, "Hey, Master what''s wrong?" She asked again. The rest of the vigers spotted him and ran to his side also, leaving Divanchi standing close to the pot while she drooled at the porridge. Sato grabbed Yuri''s hand and pulled it close to his chest, "Y-uri." He called out in a weak tone. "Yes, Master¡­" Yuri responded dramatically. Sato slowly pointed at the big pot of potatoes and coughed, "Give¡­ me¡­ food." He chose his words. ...¡­.. Sato sat down on the tree log alongside the rest of the vigers and began eating the porridge that was served to him in a wooden bowl. He dropped the bowl on the ground after he had finished eating and gave out a relieved sigh, "Oh God, I''ll never take food for granted again, I haven''t eaten since I arrived here." He uttered. "Do you need more Lord Sato?" Diana asked, she was seated in the circle but was willing to get up if Sato requested of her. "No, I''m good," Sato grunted as he stood to his feet, ''Helix, share the details of the n with them.'' He uttered. <> <> All the elves suddenly got new information gathering in their brains, "Is this?" Deke muttered before looking at Sato. "I take it you all got the message?" Sato said, "Those are the ns of how we are going to run this vige, I did promise one week." He smiled. They all stood to her feet with motivation written all over their faces before they bowed, "Thank you, Lord Sato." They said in unison. For the whole week, the vigers worked very hard as they followed each and every order that Sato gave. First of all, Sato made a move in purifying the dirty water with the advice he got from his Helix System. Using bamboo sticks and leaves, he built a huge tank and a pipe with the bamboo sticks, so some of the water from the river would automatically run through the bamboo sticks and into the leaf tank. But before the water would enter the sticks, he altered a piece of clothing using his skill Alter to act as a purifying agent and ced it in the mouth of the bamboo stick. The water flowed from the river and straight into the stick, where it got purified before entering the tank as clean and fresh water. He then linked the tanks to several more tanks, each having different clothing with different altars, one for cold water, one for hot water, and one linked directly to the small farm which helped the nts grow faster. Once he was done with that, he asked Divanchi and Diana to go pack as many fruits as they could get from the forest but they were only able to get watermelon, apples, and grapes. Using this fruit, Sato started a crop circle with them, Helix already informed him which season was for which so he knew how to handle it. He ced a female elf named Nishida in charge of the water source, while Gambi, a male young elf, was in charge of the trees. ...¡­. [One and a half week after development] Sato heard from Giron about some animals known as Deerhugs, they were hard to catch hence the reason why no one bothered to catch them. They were incredibly smart and fast, but they were also very very rare and delicious. Sato was already bored of eating potatoes all day and wanted to try out some meat so he went for it. Sato, Deka, Elena, and Yuri went to try to catch some Deerhugs while Divanchi and Diana tried to sell the cold water they had to the neighboring vige. Once Sato and his subordinates arrived at the site, they could see hundreds of Deerhugs feeding on the grasses. "Wow, awesome, they look like Buffaloes." Sato wowed at the sight, the field was whole and filled with grasses and Deerhugs. "Buffalos? What''s that my lord?" Deka asked. Sato looked at him and paused as he thought of what to say, "They are huge beats with big horns like this." He described while gesturing. Deka was shocked, "As expected of you My lord, you''ve even dealt with monstrous beasts with horns." He praised. Sato gave out an awkwardugh before turning to face the Deerhugs, ''Helix stats,'' He uttered as he moved closer. <> "I see¡­, Okay, then I''m going to use the lion style of hunting, should be fun," Sato smirked and turned to the rest. "Okay listen up, here''s the n-". "What are a bunch of stupid elves doing here?". He was suddenly interrupted by a group of people riding their horses toward the field. They stopped in front of Sato and his subordinates, a blonde-haired man got down from the horses with his men following behind him. "Oh hey there!" Sato greeted. "Shut up,!" The blonde-haired man yelled, "I asked you a question, what are you doing here?". Sato twitched his eyes brown in annoyance,'' Did he just¡­ call me off?'' He muttered to himself. ''I should handle this with care, they remind me alot of bullies back in my world.'' Sato thought to himself as he stared at the man, ''I wouldn''t want some kind of way breaking out¡­''. Yuri suddenly walked past Sato with her body oozing with dark mana, "I dare you to say that again¡­ please do¡­ I would love to have your head as a gift for my master." She said with a crazy smile on her face. "Idiot!" Sato yelled in his mind. ... A/N Thank you all for reading, please leave ament so I can show my appreciation. Chapter 20 A Vampire For The Hunt. ?The blonde-haired man looked at Yuri with a grin on his lips, "I don''t hurt women, but could make an exception." He uttered. "Too bad I can''t say the same, I will happily help rearrange your teeth for you," Yuri responded. Sato immediately walked to the middle with a nervous smile on his face, "Can''t we all just get along¡­ we came here to hunt-". "I already told you to shut up!" The blonde-haired man yelled before sending a punch in Sato''s direction. A rough breeze blew as soon as the man''s kick made contact with Sato''s arm which he used to block the attack. Yuri immediately ran toward the man and kicked him in the stomach which sent him flying in the midst of the remaining men. Sato wiggled his arm a bit, ''That dude is strong, didn''t know humans packed quite a punch.'' He thought to himself. Deka and Elena ran to Sato''s side immediately, "Lord Sato, are you Okay?" Deka asked. "I''m fine, but do you know who they are?" Sato asked. "I''m afraid not My lord, we never left the vige for any reason, but I guess the chief might know a few things." Deka replied. "I see¡­" Sato muttered, ''Helix, what can you pick up?''. <> ''Well hurry it up, we got some bullies in our hands.'' He uttered again. <> A sudden p from within the mist of the men began to go resonate from the group of men. Sato and his subordinates were immediately drawn to the action, the men had slit open a path for a red-haired man to pass through while the blonde was still on the ground. The red-haired man had red mythic eyes and was wearing a red-on-ck outfit with a red robe topliment his majestic look. The man pped his way out of the group before finally arriving in front of Sato. Sato himself could feel the intense energy pouring from the man''s body. But Sato didn''t show any sign of fear, instead, he just looked him in the eyes, ''I can tell, this guy''s bad news¡­ way to go Helix what kind of stupid senses did you give me!''. <> ''Great! Let me hear it.'' Sato responded. <> ''Vampires uhm? Didn''t think I''d see one in a fantasy world, to be honest.'' Sato thought to himself. The red-haired man suddenly smiled, "I take it you also came here for hunting?" He asked. Sato was still shocked at the unexpected behavior, "Uhm, yes, of course, that''s why we are here." He responded. The man turned his attention toward the Deerhugs, "Quite the beast they are, intriguing, even a Duke such as myself still breaks a sweat trying to catch one." He uttered. "Duke?" Sato questioned. "Oh, I guess I haven''t introduced myself, my name is d, the leader of the forever knights of vampires, it''s a pleasure to meet you," d stretched out his hand for a handshake. Sato shook with hesitation, "Likewise, the name is Sato Inugami¡­ leader of the elves." He introduced. The rest of the vampires behind d gasped in shock, Sato was forced to look at them as he felt confused by their sudden action. "I apologize for that, I would be lying if I said I wasn''t also shocked, correct me if I''m wrong but you just called out two names? How is that possible?" d asked. "Two names? You mean a surname?" He also raised a question back. <> "You did just call yourself Sacio Inagiha, did you not?" d asked. Satoughed awkwardly, "it''s Sato Inugami," He corrected, ''How can a person only bear a single name¡­ how do they carry the family tradition and the likes?''. "Are you alright?" d asked when he noticed that Sato was spacing out. Sato immediately shook his hand while giving a weakugh, "It''s nothing¡­" He uttered. d looked at him for a bit before smiling, "Well, now that we are on good terms, it''s time I mention something." He said before releasing his magic aura to the surroundings. ''What kind of power is this?'' Deka panicked and held out his scythe. Elena did the same thing, she could also feel the intense power and instinctively just pulled out her de and took a defensive stance. Meanwhile, Sato and Yuri just stood there unfazed while they had their eyes locked on d. "What do you mean by that?" Sato asked while still trying to keep a calm expression. "Well, it''s quite simple actually, your servant attacked mine, it''s only natural that apetition will be held between both parties." d uttered. ''The hell is this guy saying?.'' Sato thought to him as he hid his frustration, "That''s not how I saw it, you baby doo Doo vampire over there attacked me first, my subordinate was only looking out for my well-being¡­ If anything, I should be the one making theints." Sato voiced out. d smiled before releasing more of his magic energy into the air, "Is that a fact?" He uttered. Sato moved closer and poured out his own energy which immediately had d and his men stunned. "It is, I''m not looking to fight so why don''t we just call this even?" Sato asked. d pointed at the Deerhugs with his focus still on Sato, "How about we make a bet?" He uttered. "A bet?". "Yes a bet, we pick one servant each to go out there and hunt for Deerhugs, whoever manages to catch more gets to issue the punishment for the loser." d uttered with a smile. Sato smiled back, "Nah, I''ll like to make mine interesting, you can issue the punishment if you win, but I¡­ want all your horses and goods if I win," He voiced out. dughed, "You are quite the greedy type aren''t you? Very well¡­ Sieg.. get up ande hunt for me will you,". Sieg, the blonde-haired man stood up from the ground as he walked toward d while ring at Sato and his servants. "Yes, sire." Sieg bowed his head. Sato sighed, "Deka? Are you up for it?" He asked before looking at Deka. Deka didn''t hesitate, then stepped forward with the scythe resting on his shoulder, "I won''t let you down my lord." He uttered. "Elves? Pathetic creatures like you want to go against vampires?" Siegughed. "We''ll see who will beughing at the end." Deka voiced out with a calm look on his face. .. . . . . .. Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 21 A Vampire For The Hunt II ?Boom! Boom! Boom! "Damn it! Stay still!" Seig yelled with his hand slightly in to the ground as he slid to the right after missing his chance to catch a Deerhugs. Deerhugs are rare animals that are super fast and very smart, ording to Sato, they looked exactly like buffalos. The Deerhugs were already running further away from Seig, at full speed making the whole ce blinded with dust. "Damn it, get back here!" Seig yelled, he sprinted in the midst of the herd with the aim of at least catching one. Just when he was about to grab one of the Deerhug''s horns, it stopped running, leaving Seig to dash to the front alone. Sato and d stood at the side of the field with their servants behind them, "Such intriguing creatures." d uttered. ''You''ve said that before buddy.'' Sato said to himself, he sighed before looking at Deka who hadn''t moved from his spot. ? ''Hey, Helix, the elves grew stronger after they evolved, right?'' Sato asked. <> Sato still kept his eyes on Deka while he was listening to Helix, ''If I didn''t know any better I''d say the rank was game style'' He thought. <> Sato gave a heavy sigh, "No,ter, right now I''m hoping he''s not having stage fright." He uttered. Seig was suddenly seen walking toward them from the dust, he was walking slowly while he dragged two Deerhugs onto the ground. A smile hit d''s face before he looked at Sato, "Looks like he caught two, rather impressive." He said. Sato tried to hide the disgusting expression he wanted to put on, ''What the hell is wrong with Deka? Why hasn''t he moved?'' He thought to himself. Deka stood where he was as Sieg passed him with the two Deerhugs he killed in his grip as he whispered. "Just give up while you can, no need to embarrass yourself anymore than you need to." Sieg grinned. Deka''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at all the Deerhugs running around, "How is¡­this possible?" He muttered. "These Deerhugs¡­ they are¡­ they are¡­ how are they moving so slow?!" Deka yelled in thought. "We''ve been lied to, the chief said they were impossible to catch, but they are so slow¡­ even the other dude had trouble catching them¡­. This isn''t making any sense!" Deka panicked. "Deka! What''s the hold-up? Take a move already!" Latina yelled. Yuri moved closer to Sato, "Master, why not give me the task to catch the deers?" She asked. "Hold up first¡­ let''s see what he does." Sato replied, ''But still though¡­ is he scared?'' He thought again. Deka suddenly looked back at all of them and pointed at the Deerhugs, "Is this some kind of joke?" He asked with his facepletely frozen. "What are you talking about¡­ did you suddenly get cold feet?" One of d''s vampiresughed. "Darling, what''s wrong?" Latina asked. "There''s no way these are the fast-moving Deerhugs¡­. these aren''t fast at all!" Deka yelled. All the vampires paused before giving out a loudugh, "Can''t move, I''d expect nothing from elves, you guys should just go on your knees already, you belong to us now." Seig voiced out with augh. "Slow, what does he mean slow?" Latina changed her focus to the deer and saw that their speed was at a minimum. "You see it too right, I''ve been noticing it all day, the environment, everything seems much brighter, we aren''t the same elves we were anymore." Elena voiced. Sato couldn''t help but smirk, "Deka, please bring back three Deerhugs for me." He shouted so Deka could hear. "Okay my lord." Deka responded, he took a few steps forward before whooshing to the front. The loud boom was heard as they watched Deka chase down a Deerhugs and catch up in less than a minute. Once Deka was close to the Deerhugs, the deer wanted to make a sudden stop but Deka was two steps ahead. He grabbed the horn of the Deerhugs and crushed it before lifting the deer to the sky and mming it to the ground. Deka didn''t waste any time, he pulled out the horn or the Deerhugs and threw it at the next one with amazing speed. The horn went through three Deerhug''s necks before stabbing the ground and leaving a massive hole from the impact. Everybody had a shocked expression on their faces, including Sato who was making a stunned expression at the sight. ''What the hell? Dude just did a 950 with a freaking horn!'' Sato yelled in his mind. a <> "Shut up¡­ this is bad¡­ if these vampire freaks figure out how powerful he is, they might view us as a threat¡­". Sato stylishly looked to at d to see the annoyed face he was making, "Ahhh, I knew it¡­ we''re screwed." He cried. Deka approached Sato with six big Deerhugs on his shoulders, "Here you go my lord, I made sure to catch the biggest ones I could find." He said before dropping them on the floor. Sato still looked at the Deerhugs and gave a weak smile, ''Okay, I can still fix this, if we just walk away and Ignore the bet I''m sure they''ll think we forget and leave us alone''. "I believe this belongs to us". Sato slowly turned his head to see Latina and Elena raiding the vampire''s belongings, in bewilderment, Sato froze up. "No, wait." Sato yelled. d cleared his throat before turning to Sato, "I believe you won the bet¡­ as promised you get all my goods, but may I ask that you at least leave us a horse so we can¡­". Before d could finish talking, Latina walked past him with a sack in her hands, "Not a chance, we are taking it all, right my lord?" Sheughed. "I''ll go get the wagon, I''ve always wanted to ride one of those." Deka walked toward the horses and his presence alone scared the remaining vampires. Sato was still undecided on whether he should take it or not, but when he saw the huge gold Elena brought out he immediately had a change of heart. "d, it was an honor betting with you, but this leader has to scram, see ya." Satoughed before getting on the horse. d felt pissed off and clenched his fist as he watched Sato and his people ride away with his horses. Chapter 22 Avalons The Name ?It was early in the morning when the sun was just slowly starting to show itself, it''s been two days since Sato won his bet against the Vampire''s duke d. 16 gold coins, six horses, 10 different magic crystals, and weapons, these were the equipment Sato took from d. To top it all, the cold water sold bringing in an extra 8 silver into the vige''s finances, this was a major big win from Sato''s perspective. He nned to travel to the main kingdom once he had settled on how to spend the money rightly for the growth of the vige. 10 bronze = 1 silver 10 silver = 1 gold. Getting 10 gold was enough for Sato to understand that he was rich to some extent, so now he nned to take the vige to a whole other level. Being in the Demon capital, he knew he couldn''t meet any humans, and even if he did they''d either be in hiding orpletely shut off. With that in mind he came up with a n to help him, and the day arrived when Sato was nning to use that n for his trip. Diana, one of the elves in the vige, came out of her hut so early in the morning when the sun was barely out. She had a small basket with her filled with different farming tools as she walked out of the hut, with a sigh she looked at the sunrise. "I don''t want to drag anybody down, I need to work twice as hard." She said to herself as he headed toward the small garden. On her way there, she met Deka and two other elves, walking toward her with a chopped-off tree on their shoulders. "Oh Good morning Diana, what are you doing so early in the morning?" Deka stopped to ask while the remaining elves went along. "I should be asking you the same thing." Diana replied, "What are you doing so early in the morning." She raised a question of her own. "Lord Sato said he needed a few trees, so I''m merely doing that before he wakes up" Deka responded. "Oh, but, isn''t cutting the trees down a bad idea? The witches of the forest might get upset about it." Diana stated. Deka smiled, "We''ll cross that bridge when we get there." He uttered, patting Diana''s head before walking away. Diana sighed, "I hope everything goes smoothly," She said with another sigh. She walked over to the garden and knelt down to take a closer look at the nts, the small garden was divided into four ces with a red rope. On one side were the potatoes, another was the apples, another the grapes, and thest ones were the watermelons. And each one of them were looking fine, Hina fell to her knees to take a closer look at the nt and couldn''t help but smile. "This is insane." Hina muttered before raising her head to touch the potatoes and watermelon since they were the ones with the most developments. "They shouldn''t be growing this fast, could.. could the water be causing rapid growths in the nts." She thought to herself. Diana stood up and was about to pick up the kettle of water on the ground when she suddenly sensed someone spying on her. As soon as she turned, someone sneaked up behind her and pushed her to the ground which caused her to scream in fear. ...¡­. Sato was still sleeping on the lump of hay while he snored with half his body on the hay and the other half on the ground. <> Sato woke up after hearing the message Helix sent to him, "Uhn? What do you mean?" He asked. A young elf suddenly knocked on the door, "Lord Sato, there''s trouble my lord!" The elf panicked. Not long after the massage, Sato and the elf went running toward where the danger was and only to meet a couple of elves surrounded there already. When Sato squeezed his way through the crowd he met three animal humanoid men standing at the other side. One of them held Diana and had a sword aimed at her chest, while the remaining two Intruders stood behind thier leader. A frown made its way to Sato''s face as soon as he saw the scene, "What''s going on here?" He asked. Divanchi and Yuri were at the side but they had calm expressions on and didn''t seem to care about what was going on. The Tiger beastman pointed the sword at Sato before tightening his grip around Diana''s neck, "Are you the one in charge around here?" He inquired of Sato. Deka opened his palm and his scythe appeared, "My lord, do not concern yourself with this, I''ll handle it." He said a while he approached the intruder. Sato ced his hand in front of Deka, "Wait," He uttered. He looked at the intruders for a while, ''Animal ears, furry tails, and freaking animal noses, are these guys, beast people?!'' Sato yelled in his thought In surprise. <> ''No freaking way, beast people, damn now you got me thinking of anime.'' Sato thought with a drooling smile on his face. But he immediatelyposed himself right after, ''No, this isn''t the time to drool over this, regardless of their species they are still intruders,''. "What is your business here? In case you haven''t noticed you''re in¡­ you''re in¡­" Sato stammered which made everyone''s eyes turn to him. Sato''s eyes widened in shock, ''What the hell? I''m just realizing I don''t even know the name of this vige. Shit think of something¡­ I''m going to look like an idiot if I don''t .¡­ ahhhh!''. ''Oh, I know!'' Sato yelled in his mind before giving the beastman a hard stare, "Sorry, I choked on my awesomeness for a bit, let me repeat that, in case you haven''t noticed, You''re trespassing on my vige, Avalon¡­ now get out!" He shouted. Chapter 23 Carin And Sato, Lets Talk! ?The elves around Sato stared at him as they wondered when their small society was given the name Avalon. The Tiger beastman keeping Diana hostageughed at what Sato said, "What kind of idiot are you? This vige isn''t even in the kingdom. How did it get a name then? Can you even afford it?" The intruder mocked. Sato looked at him with a dead pan look as he observed the beastman, "The crap are you talking about? You need to pay to name a vige?" He asked. "You''re their leader and you don''t even know this? You really are just a stupid airhead!" The beastmanughed again. Yuri and Divanchi suddenly stood up from where they sat and walked in front of Sato, "Master, can I kindly dispose of this trash, it won''t be long I promise." Yuri requested with a warm smile on her face. Sato sighed, ''Before anything, this proves I need to strengthen the security of this vige'' He thought to himself with his hand on his jaw. "Deka!" Sato called out. "Yes my lord," Deka responded with his head bowed. "Were you able to get the trees I asked for?" Sato asked with his back facing the beast people. "Yes my lord, we were only able to gather seven trees, although we wanted to get more, then this happened." Deka exined as he changed his focus to the beast man. "I see¡­, can you get a bunch more?" Sato inquired. "Of course my lord." "Great, it will be urgent." Sato contended. "Right away." Deka bowed before raising his head to look at the two male elves beside him, "Come on let''s go." He uttered before walking away. "Are you insane?" The beast-man yelled, "You want to chop off the trees of the witches, are you dumb?!" He yelled. "Okay, that''s it." Bgoom! Divanchi, at full speed, dashed toward the beast man before he could even utter another word. Shended a punch on his face and sent him flying to the ground with his sword following him. Daina fell on Divanchi''s chest and was still shocked about the whole thing, "What''s going on?" She asked. "Don''t worry your pretty little head about it." Divanchiforted with a smile on her face. The two servants of the Beast man, who were both Wolf and Rabbit, drew at their swords as the attack startled them. "Sir Carin!" One of the dogmen called out, before he could move, a blue fast lighting appeared beside him at light speed. Looking to the side, he could see Elena with her sword drawn out, "I hate intruders." She said in her usual cold tone. Elena turned the sword before striking the Wolf boy on the neck with the bottom of her sword which drove him unconscious. She puffed out a little air from her mouth before sheathing her sword, when she turned to get the other bandit she saw that Latina had already taken him down. ¡­ . . . . . . . "Uhn¡­ my head." Carin, the leader of the beastman said as he slowly opened his eyes to see Sato sitting on hisyer of hay. "Is that¡­" Carin''s eyes suddenly widened when he noticed he was tied up in a warehouse with Sato and both his servant standing beside him. Carin yelled in fear, "Untie me this instant!" He eximed as he struggled to get free on the ground. Sato sighed, "Will you calm down, it''s not like I''m holding a knife only thing." He inserted with his zealous expression. "If not to kill me, then why tie me up," Carin asked. After hearing the question, Sato stood up and walked toward Carin, who was on the ground. Yuri and Divanchi just stood at the back as Sato discussed with the Beast man. Bending down in front of Carin, Sato looked into his eyes before asking, "Why did you choose to attack my vige?". The question struck something in Carin, he thought he was being interrogated and felt the need to put on a bold font. "Why the hell do you think I''m going to just answer you." Carin asserted as he looked Sato in the eye. With a sigh, Sato stood to his feet, "I really don''t want to do this, but you leave me no choice," He hinted while he walked over to the pile of hay and sat on it. He looked at Carin a bit with disappointment, which left Carin confused as to why Sato was looking at him like that. "Yuri!" Sato called out. ''Yuri, what''s a Yuri?'' Carin panicked in his mind from the way Sato acted like some kind of mafia boss after calling out to Yuri. "Yes, master." Yuri responded. "Make him talk, will you dear?." "Right away." Yuri said before walking toward Carin, "Please stay still, we don''t want me to identally kill you." She uttered. mming Carin''s head to the ground with her hand, she lifted his head with his hair and began to look him in the eyes with her body tilted forward. "What are you going to do to me?" Carin panicked, he couldn''t look away from Yuri''s red eyes, the grip she had on his head was too strong. "Oh nothing much," Sato chimed in, "She''s just going to read your mind a little, and then as time goes on, she''ll nt scenarios in your head, which will cause your brain to fry because of the excess magic flowing in it, you''d probably die or lose your mind, but it''s a win-win for me, because no matter how I look at it, I will still get what I want." He said out loud with an evil smirk on his lips. Once Sato saw the fear on Carin''s face, he knew he hit the jackpot, ''Just like Helix said, Beast people are afraid of mind control, probably past trauma, I don''t want to use it against them, but I have no choice in this case.'' He thought to himself. Yuri pulled Carin''s face closer, "Don''t worry I''ll be gentle, it will happen in a sh¡­ you won''t even know I¡­" "I give in! I give in! I''ll tell you what I want but first, get this witch away from me!" Carin pleaded with a hint of tears hanging around his eyes. "Perfect," Sato responded with a smile, "You can let him go now, Yuri." "As you wish." Yuri replied before releasing her grip on Carin''s face and walking back to her spot beside Sato. "Okay now, tell me, why did you choose to raid this vige?" Sato asked calmly. Carin was still feeling hesitant to answer, but he knew that if he didn''t, he''d have to face Yuri again. So he took a deep breath and sighed, "I shouldn''t be telling you this, not because I feel it''s important but because I didn''t want to get you involved¡­ The reason why I did what I did was because of the Vampires" Carin revealed. ''What are the chances he''s talking about other vampires.'' Sato thought to himself with a dead look on his face. Chapter 24 Orland Free? ?Namruk is a big city located on the Northwest side of the kingdom, it is home to numerous numbers of vampires and werewolves and Ghosts. The Beast people were located in the Northeast of the kingdom, they were a smallmunity but still hard to prate because of their cunning and survival instinct. A day came when a noble family from Namruk came to pay a visit to the Beast people. They were the Dware family, one of the most powerful families in Namruk after Duke d. They asked the Beast people to help with some task, the task being too fake a crime on the Noble family Quiera, a werewolf family. But when they refused, they proceeded to take their women, the Beast people had no chance against the Vampires, an S-rank species so they thought of another way. While some people in the beast race wanted to do as the Vampires said, others wanted to move into hiding in a new ce. That was where Carin, the second son of the leader of the beast people came in, he and his followers thought they could take the vige from the elves by force but that n didn''t go as nned. After Sato heard the story from Carin he sighed, "So you thought taking something from others was a nice way to save your people?" He asked. "I had no other choice, my father was willing to be part of some political bullshit like that ever goes well," Carin replied. "Your people, how many are we talking about here?" Sato asked. "... We are just a small number, 23 at best," Carin replied. <> ''I see,'' Sato muttered to himself after realizing the Tiger beast-man was still willing to lie to him. "What''s your name again?" Sato asked. "Carin." The Tiger responded. "Here''s how this goes, you can either tell me the truth, and I help you out of the situation you''re in, or you lie to me and I kill both you and your men outside, either way works for me I assure you." Sato threatened in a cold tone. Carin frowned his face, "You bastard, leave them out of this, it''s me you have a problem with!" He yelled with a loud roar following right after. "You are mistaken again," Sato hinted before standing and walking over to Carin, "I''ll have a problem with all your tribe if the vampires find you here and think of me as an aplice, but I''m willing to overlook this, if you just tell me the truth." He proimed. After some seconds of thinking forth and back, Carin decided to talk, he exined how the Vampires got into the vige and that the beast tribe poption was about 150 in total. Where about 70% of the poption were warriors, while the remaining 30% were normal citizens. ''150 is quite a lot, I doubt they''d all fit here¡­ unless¡­'' Sato smiled. "I''ll help you hide until the vampires give up their search for you." Sato asserted. "Really?!" The beast-man yelled in excitement. Divanchi and Yuri both looked at Sato, confused at how he nned to fit 150 beast people in the small vige. "But¡­ in exchange for this, I want you to do something for me¡­ do we have a deal?" Sato uttered. ..... Sato came out of the warehouse with his servants and Carin following behind him. Once Carin''s subjects spotted him, they immediately left the porridge they were eating and ran to his side. "Master Carin, are you okay?" The Wolf beastman asked with a look of concern on his face. "I''m fine, were you guys treated badly?" Carin whispered. "Hell no, I never knew the elves were this nice, I ate porridge, and their children breaded my fur, awwnn, I wanna stay a little longer." The second subject, who was a rabbit''s beast woman, smiled as she spoke. Carin smiled, "I''m d you two are okay." He uttered, before turning to look at Sato to bow his head. "Thank you for your generosity, I will repay you." Carin thanked. "See you in two days." Sato replied. "We''ll be here." He uttered and raised his head, "Come on let''s go,". Carin and his subject walked away and entered the forest to head back to their home. "Are you sure we can trust them master?" Yuri asked. "Time will tell." Sato responded before walking away. Now that Sato had taken care of the beast people temporarily, he moved back to modifying the vige. Using the trees that Deka had cut down, Sato used his skill record on the elves in order for them to help him build a wooden Japanese house. Using the wood and the heightened memory Sato gave them, the elves were able to build two perfect-looking Japanese-style houses. Jiro, one of the young elves fell to the ground after nailing the nk of wood that was carefully sliced by Sato to the building. They used wood that Sato had altered to be ten times stronger than nails and so far it was holding out perfectly. "Chief, can we just do this tommorow, the sun is killing me?" Jiro moaned as hey on the ground. "I guess so, we are done with the two buildings." Giron said with a smile, "Let''s head back,". "Yeahhh, finally, I wonder if Ari is done with the Deerhugs," Jiro shouted with excitement. Before they got to Sato''s warehouse, they met the elves centered at a location. When Giron and Jiro went to go check it out, they caught a glimpse of Ond holding Sato''s shirt while yelling. "What the hell, do you think you are doing to our vige!" Ond shouted, but Sato still had a dead look on. Yuri and Divanchi hadn''t made a move because Sato told them not to, but they were brimming with anger as they watched. "You need to calm down." Sato said with a calm voice. "He''s right Ond, do you realize he''s the new chief of this vige! Show some res-" Deka yelled. "I don''t give a damn who he is, are you guys blind? Can''t you see he''s changing the whole vige to his desire!" Ond shouted. "You call this a bad thing? Boy, you''re dumb." Sato muttered. "Why you little!" Ond was about to hit Sato but was immediatelynded a punch on the face from Giron who dashed in unannounced. "Learn some manners boy." Ond asserted, "Are you okay my Lord?" He asked with a bow of his head. "I''m fine," Sato replied, but on the inside, he was very shocked, ''Ahh! Mah dude got bbergasted!''. ..... A/N I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 25 Orland Recruited ?Ond stood up from the ground with his hand on his bruised cheek as he frowned at Giron, "Chief? How long did you n to keep me locked up?" He asked. Standing at his feet, Ond moved closer to him, "It''s been almost two weeks, what the hell was I still doing in there?" He raged with his attention fixed on Giron. Giron still had a calm look on despite the way Ond was yelling, "How did you get free?" He asked. "That''s all you''re going to say?! Some beast people broke in, if you wanna know, they are somewhere in this vige and you idiots don''t even know about it." Ond gave out a crazy grin as he uttered. "If you''re talking about the tiger dude, I already took care of him." Sato chimed in with a smile. Turning his head he stared at Sato for a while, "This bastard again!" Giron muttered to himself. "Giron?" Sato called out. "Yes, Lord Sato." Giron responded. "I know it''s partially my fault for not bringing it up before, but why did you lock Ond up?" He asked, "If I remember correctly, wasn''t he the one who was willing to help you elves calm down Divanchi?". "Yes he was, but he was also trying to end you and the vige¡­" Giron revealed. Sato was the only one shocked by this, the elves all looked away as if they were embarrassed by the fact Giron told him. "See, we dark elves are naturally born to destruction and deceit, it was always in our nature, although after making peace with the pure elves we became harder to tell apart, but our instinct was still there, the need to be predetors. All we needed was a little bit of negative thought and our instinct came back, it takes time to subdue them back, Ond went through the same thing, and was envious of your power, my apologies, I''ll make sure he doesn''t bother you again." Giron exined before bowing his head. Sato had his hand on the jaw throughout the whole exnation, "I see¡­" He uttered, "Okay then". Walking slowly toward Ond, he began pulling his shirt before tossing it to the ground, "Yo, Ond my dude, you wanted to fight me before...still wanna go?" He asked. "Lord Sato," Giron called out in disbelief, the rest of the elves had the same look on their faces. Divanchi and Yuri were still in their spot and didn''t utter a single word even when Sato offered to fight Ond. "Lord Sato, I understand you might be angry, but I beg of you to reconsider this." Diana begged from where she stood. "I am also opposed to this." Elena added her thoughts on the matter. Sato ignored them and still kept his eyes on Ond, "I''m willing to fight you right here if you just say the word." He expressed. Ond had a puzzled look on his face for a while, but once he felt he had an opportunity he grinned with excitement. "Sure why not." Ond responded. All the elves stood at the side, while Ond and Sato were positioned in the middle, Ond with a grin voiced out. "I hope you''re ready!" With fire covering his wrist, he charged toward Sato and threw a punch only for Sato to block it with his palm. The fire was still burning on Ond''s hand but as soon as Sato iced his wrist, the fire went out immediately. Ond tried to pull his hand away from Sato''s grip but he wasn''t able to, without a second thought, Satonded a punch that sent him flying and crashing into one of the mud houses. Walking slowly toward Ond, Sato voiced out, "This can''t be all you''ve got, is it Ond?!" He yelled. "Shut up!" Ond whooshed out of the rubble and punched Sato in the face with his fire hand. Sato fell to the ground while Ond stood on top of him, and begannding a series of punches to his face. Swirling his legs around, Sato hooked his leg on Ond''s neck and brought him to the ground. Ond''s body bounced on the floor upon impact only for him to receive a heavy punch that pushed him back to the ground again. His ck pupils were nowhere to be seen after the punch, he felt like the whole world spinning with him in it. They kept on punching each other, over and over again for almost thirty minutes straight while the elves watched. Both had bruises all over their faces as they stood a few feet away from each other panting with their swollen faces. "Why¡­ why... won''t you go down." Ond chose his words as he struggled to bnce himself. "What? Is this¡­ the best you can do? I can do this all day." Sato replied with a forced smile. Silence took over for a while until they both charged toward one another screaming with every step. Once they were close enough, theynded a powerful punch to their faces that brought them to their backs on the ground. Sato gave out a weak chuckle, "Who knew you were strong." He uttered. ".... I can tell you were holding back." Ond cut in. "Yeah¡­ but you gotta admit, you feel much better right? You''d definitely feel more worthless if I just let you punch me till you''re satisfied, but I guess you can call this a fair fight,". Sato started hearing sniffing sounds and immediately turned his eyes to look at Ond, "A-Are you crying!?" He asked. Ond tried to hide the tears but he couldn''t, "I''m not crying! the sun''s just in my eyes!" He replied with his arm covering his eyws. Sato looked away, "Ehhh?" He muttered with a dead pan look. "You managed to change the vige so much, something I couldn''t do throughout the year you did in two weeks¡­"Ond expressed. "It''s not like I did it alone, I had the others helping me, where Ie from, I guess you can say I''m what you''d call an average guy, never good at anything, background character at it''s fullest. But ever since I arrived, knowing there are people relying on me, it''s a great feeling, and right now I want to change the elves for the better, with everything I could... I can''t do that without you guys...you included." Sato voiced out. After listening, Ond cleaned his tears, "How big is the change? I''m looking at Grandpa and he''s way to different" He asked. Sato smiled, "Hehe~, For example, what if I told you, I can guarantee you your own harem." He said. "For real?!" Ond yelled in excitement. "Definitely, you''d be a rizz master, top G!" Satoughed. "What''s a Rizz?" "Hmmm... simple term, a babe ma." "Even Giron can snag a babe" Satoughed again . Ondughed alongside him, "I-if is not too m-uch to ask then¡­ can I ¡­ be included in this?" He asked. "Of course, first things first¡­ do you want me to lead?" Sato asked. "I no longer have an objection." "Great, wee to Avalon, it''s not official yet but it will be, soon... probably" Sato uttered as he looked to the sky. "Thank you, my cheeks still hurt by the way." Ond uttered They bothughed at the sight of their swollen faces. <> Chapter 26 Rizaha For The Velkyries ?Two days passed since the fight between Ond and Sato happened, and since then the vige had been growing steadily with the help of everyone working together. They didn''t add any more Japanese-style buildings because the vige had no space enough to contain them. The elves weren''t builders but with the little knowledge the had from staying with the dwarfs after escaping the the Demon''s cluches, they were able to learn a few things. So instead, Sato made cement old style and built small self-contained buildings each but had to break the other mud houses for more space. And also used some wood to build a small stable where he kept the seven horses that he now had. Even the warehouse was demolished and reced with a Japanese-style bath house for the vige''s hygiene. They weren''t exactly perfect since the elves were not builders but they did the job and that was what Sato wanted. Sato stood in front of the Japanese bath house with a small smile on his face, "This can''t get any better." He muttered. "Master? Why exactly did you choose such a design, I would have expected you''d use the cement instead of wood like you did the others for more durability." Yuri said as she looked at the building. Sato hummed for a while as he thought of what to say, "I guess you could say I just prefer style to durability," He replied before walking toward the building, "Besides, I already altered the woods so it won''t go down as easy as you think,". "Alright master, sorry I doubted your greatness," Yuri said while she followed behind him. When Sato got to the door, he took a deep breath, "Ahhh!" He yelled before sliding the door open. Once the door was open, Sato was immediately stunned by the inside, they got everything right to thest letter. Even though he did use his Skill Record to share a bit of information, he never expected them to get it to that level. Sato walked in and began to observe the inside. There was a small rectangr mat in the center of the building, it had no color but it was attractive nheless. "Wow," Sato eximed as he walked deeper, there were three paths he could follow, one on his left, right, and one in front of him that had a VIP sign. The first thing he did was slide open the door to the VIP and saw a small hot spring there, he shouted in joy before entering. "It worked!" He yelled, going to his knees he ced his hand in the water to feel how warm it was, "Yep, this is definitely a hot spring,". Hina walked in and looked around for a bit, she had no idea what was going on but still chose to follow. "Lord Sato," Yuri called out. "Hmmm¡­ what''s up Yuri?" Sato responded as he kept ying with the water. "Are you sure this is a bathhouse?" She asked. "Of course, it is, take a bath in this and you''ll feel brand new, I promise." Sato said before standing to his feet and walking out the door. Once Sato left, Yuri stared at the water for a bit and ced her hand inside, her face turned red almost instantly from the sensation she felt. "Oh my, this is actually soothing." Yuri said as she removed her hand from the water, "I''d expect nothing less of my master,". She walked out of the Vip bathhouse and strolled outside to see Sato speaking with Giron. "Was it to your liking?" Giron asked. "Yes, I''m surprised you guys got the hot spring so well, although the building does look like it''s going to copse anytime." Sato responded. "Apologizes, we elves weren''t exactly good at building, but we did use the cold and warm magic fabrics you gave us in the water." Giron said. "Yeah, I checked, good job," Satoplimented him. He looked at the building for a while, ''Maybe I should consider hiring some builders.'' "I''ll be on my way then, we still have to get the transport you requested for." Giron said with his head bowed. "Sure," Sato said. With that, Giron whooshed away at full speed leaving a powerful breeze to blow after he left. As soon as Giron left, a dark shadow manifested from the ground before Ond appeared on his knees beside Sato. "Lord Sato, they are here." Ond reported... "It''s about time." Sato smiled before walking away with Ond and Yuri following behind him. ...¡­ Sato walked over to the entrance of the vige and met about 150 beast people lined up at the entrance. Carin and two other tiger beasts walked forward to meet Sato who had behind him most of the elves. "You must be, Lord Sato? My son told me about you, the appointments leader of the elves." The huge Tiger beast man with a scar on his eyes said. "Yes I am, and I assume he told you about the n as well?" Sato asserted. "Yes he did, I should introduce myself, I am the chief of the beast people, Rougard, it''s a pleasure doing business with you." Rougard introduced himself with his arms stretched out for a handshake. "Nice to meet you too" Sato shook him, "I should go straight to business¡­. Did you notice any vampires following you?" He asked. "I doubt we could tell even if they were¡­ they are Vampires after all." Rougard responded. ''It''s a good thing I sent Elena and Divanchi to guard them in the shadows, just in case.'' Sato muttered in his mind. "So, how do you n to amodate us? Surely you don''t think we can all fit in this small ce." Carin uttered. "Oh, I won''t be the one amodating you, my friend will be doing that, they are Valkyries so you can expect they''ll be weing." Sato smiled leaving the beastmen puzzled. .... *Rizaha, home of the Valkyries.* Benihime was sitting at her table, doing some paperwork when she heard a knock on her door. "Come in." She voiced out. I opened the door with a smile on her face, "Lady Hime, there''s someone here to see you." She said. Benihime and I went to the council room where most of the Valkyries were already seated. Benihime walked in and met Deka standing in the middle, "Who might you be?" She said before sitting on her small throne. "I came to give a message from my Lord, Sato Inugami, he was once a prisoner here," Deka reported. "Sato?" Benihime muttered and she immediately remembered the boy she kept imprisoned after he was found in the forest of witches. "Oh? So he''s doing well I presume." Benihime uttered as she looked at the exciting expression on I''s face, "What does the massage say, I''m very much interested,". Chapter 27 16 Golds Or A Duel ?<> Sato sat down on the ground with some weapons that he looted from the vampire''s wagons. He stared at them for a while with his hand on his jaw, "Hmmm¡­ maybe if I alter them to be lighter?" He thought out loud. <> Sato fell to the ground with a loud groan, "I''ll do thister, right now, I''m not feeling motivated at all." He uttered. "Lord Sato." Deka called out as he approached Sato, "My lord, you summoned me." He said with a stop. "Oh right!" Sato jumped up from the ground andnded on his feet before turning to Deke, "I need you to do a little something for me, it''s a solo mission by the way." He exined. "Solo?" "Yes, Solo," Sato continued, "See when I first arrived here, the Valkyries took me as their prisoner, they thought I was a devil and wanted to annihte me, worst 3 days of my life". "Lord Sato, are you positive they were Valkyries? Because if I got the story right, they are servants of the God Odin, what would one be looking for in the demon empire?". "Beats me." Sato replied, "Anyway, they stayed in a vige south of here, I say vige although it''s a very wide ce." He uttered. "Are you hoping to pay them a visit, lord Sato?" Deka asked. "No¡­. You''re paying them a visit,". ..... ''Lord Sato was right, valkyries are living outside the forest of witches, we never even noticed them.'' Deka said to himself. Clearing her throat, Benihime brought Deka out of his thoughts, "You are yet to deliver the message." She voiced out. "My apologies," Deka uttered, he reached out the roll of paper he was holding and waited for one of the valkyries to take it from his hand and give it to Benihime. Still sitting on her throne, Hina reached out for the paper and began reading it, after a few minutes she let out augh. Everyone''s eyes were on her, especially Deka who had expected something like that to happen. "For a once prisoner, he sure does know how to have high expectations for the people that locked him up." Benihime uttered with augh. Deka tried to hide the sudden anger that was building up inside, "Is something the matter?" He asked. "He expects me, you take in 150 beast men, does he think this is some kind of hostel?" Benihime asked sarcastically. "I''m sure the message covers the predicament the Beast men found themselves in. My lord is only doing this out of the kindness in his heart, Of course, he isn''t asking you to do it for free.," Deka asserted and stretched out a bag of money. "16 gold coins," Deka voiced out. The whole room gasped at the huge money Deka was holding so casually, even I who was standing beside Benihime was shocked. ''Where the hell did Sato get this much money from?!'' I yelled in her mind but the calm look on Benihime''s face brought her back to her senses. "I''m supposed to take this as a bribe?" Benihime frowned a bit at the sight. ''Okay, since money is out of the way, I have to use another means.'' Deka thought to himself, "Perhaps, is the money too small?" He asked. "You can tell you''re leader, I don''t n to do business with-" "How about a duel then¡­" Deka chimed in. Benihime''s eyes immediately lit up a bit, "Oh? You wish to battle?" She asked with a smirk. "I believe your pride won''t let you take money from a low-ss species like myself but how about a duel, if I win, you ept my Lord''s request." Deka expressed. And indeed he did look like a low-ss species since he had rags on rather than actual clothes. Benihime looked at him for a while, "And what if I win¡­ what could you possibly offer me?" She asked. "Nothing much, I''ll just leave the same money you rejected right here and leave unless you want something more?" Deka responded with no hesitation in his eyes. Benihime let out anotherugh, "Okay fine then, Hina¡­ if you don''t mind." She called out. Hine stood up from where she was seated and walked toward Benihime with her sword around her waist. "Lady Hime," Hina called out with her left hand ced on her left chest. "Take him up on his offer will you." Benihime said with a smile. ..... Hina and Deka stood in the middle of the Arena while the remaining valkyries all sat down around to watch the match. Hina drew out her sword, "Do you not have a weapon to wield, I can help with that." She voiced out. "There will be no need for that," Deka replied, a dark mist formed in his hand and his scythe appeared, leaving a small force of wind to spread. "Very well then¡­ Prepare yourself." Hina said before taking a fight stance with her sword raised to the level of her face. ''As long as I have Lord Sato''s blessings, taking her down should be a easy.'' Deka thought to himself before taking a stance too. ... Elena and Divanchi sat down on the trees to keep watch of intruders. They''ve been doing that ever since the Beast People''s departure. "Have you seen anything yet?" Divanchi asked. "No, Mdy, nothing." Elena responded. With a sigh Divanchi stood up, "We should head back, we don''t want to miss the whole departure because of this-" "Hold on mydy, I sense something¡­" Elena said before jumping down from the tree branch and Divanchi jumped right after. "One¡­no two!". Divanchi smiled, "Vampires, it''s about time." She whooshed into one of the bushes and came out with her hand around a vampire''s neck. He was wearing a dark cloak that covered his face but his red eyes could still be seen glowing. Chapter 28 A Valkyrie Vs An Elf ?nk! Deka kept using his scythe to deflect all of Hina''s sword attacks while moving around the arena with speed. Hina was increasing her speed with every swing she took, but she was also surprised to see that an elf was standing his ground against her. She was about to take another strike when Deka used his scythe to push her sword to the side. She was shocked at the action and looked to her right to see that Deka was sending a blow with his other hand that was wrapped up in red-like energy. Hina immediately let go of her sword and leaped back to evade the punch leaving her sword to fall to the ground. Although Deka''s punch didn''t hit, it still sent a wide force of the wind to spread around the arena. Once Hinanded on the ground, she looked at Deka for a while with a bit of surprise, "You are no ordinary elf are you?" She asked. Deka pulled back his fist and stood straight, "I''m afraid I am, just not the weak one you imagined." He replied. "Once thing''s for sure," Hina stretched out her hand and her sword flew to her position before she held it, "Now, I don''t have to hold back." She asserted. Taking another fighting stance, Hina positioned her sword to her face level and stood firm with four glowing swords hovering at her sides. "Please don''t, I want this to be a fair fight!" Deka yelled, he ran toward her before jumping to the sky with the scythe. Hina immediately blocked the scythe with her sword but the force still brought her to her knees. Deka was still on top, grunting as he added more strength to bring Hina down with his scythe sparking tiny lightenings. Hina struggled to get to her feet but she couldn''t out best his strength, so she took a different approach. She tilted her sword to the side a bit which made Deka lose his bnce and grip on the scythe. Deka immediately received a kick to the his ribs that sent him crashing to the ground, with multiplendings, he finally stopped andyed on the ground for a while. "Ahhh, she got me." Deka said before he slowly stood up to his knees, "Shit!" He panicked. Looking up he could see Hina building a huge amount of light beam at the tip of her sword which was aimed at him. Deka immediately stretched out his hand to call for his scythe and it came answering with speed. Once the scythe was in Deka''s hand, he ced it in front of him before Hina could send the light beam his way. Deka''s scythe was able to deflect the light with the small frontal barrier he put up, but that didn''t stop the light from cracking it. The energy destroyed the ground beside and behind him, Deka was the only thing in his surroundings not getting destroyed by the light. "Uhndy Hime, isn''t she taking this a little too far?" Akari uttered. She was sitting beside Benihime and I who were both captivated by the fight to even reply. When she got no response, Akari sighed and used her hand fan to cover the bottom half of her face before uttering, "0 points,". "Rx Akari, if I see things get out of hand, I''ll cancel the battle." Benihime revealed but her eyes were still fixed on the battle. Deka struggled to keep the barrier up, it was gradually cracking and the light was starting to pierce through it. "Say you give up, and I promise to cease my attack!" Hina yelled while she kept on pushing her light beam toward Deka. "Damn it, she''s strong." Deka muttered, he tightened the grip on the scythe and began to take slow steps forward. Some of the light was speeding past him as he slowly moved and split the beam in two, the other valkyries were surprised that Deka could still move. Hina herself had to switch the way she held her sword in order to add more force into the light beam. "I refuse to lose!" Deka yelled, a dark me rushed out of the scythe and began to push the light back. Both sides began pushing their attacks at each other, with raging screams from both sides who refused to give in to the other. Huge energy began to build in the center where the two different energies met causing the area to explode from the pressure. The whole arena was blown to smithereens and covered in dust making it hard for anyone to see who was still standing. Benihime had a smile on her face when the arena exploded, "Oh¡­ an elf standing toe to toe with Hina, that''s truly entertaining." She muttered. Even while the rest of the Valkyries ran to the arena to check up on them, Benihime and Akari remained seated. "Lady Hime," Akari called out, she moved closer to her and whispered, "Pure elves aren''t meant to be this powerful, they are only D-ranked races at best,". "I don''t know~, I''m looking at one right one," Benihime teased. "Lady Hime!" Akari yelled, trying to tell her to take this seriously, "If this is the doing of the Sato guy, then my prediction was right, we should be wary of him." She asserted. "I''ll give it some thoughtter." Benihime replied with a smile. Akari sighed, she knew Benihime was hardly listening to her, once a battle is at y, she always puts that first. I was in the smoke walking around with the rest of the valkyries as they tried to find out if Hina and Deka survived. "Hina! Hina!" I called out as she moved around in the dust, "It''s no use, I''m going to have to get rid of this dust." She muttered. I pulled out her sword, and with a roar, she stabbed her sword to the ground with so much power that all the dust in the area cleared from the wind it created. As soon as the dust cleared, they heard a loud feminine screaming from the left side of the arena. "Hina!" I yelled, she immediately sheathed her sword and ran toward the scream. When she got there, she met Deka and Hina almost naked, Deka had no clothes on and Hina was using her arms to cover her boobs since it was only her skirt that was still intact. Deka was oblivious to the fact that he was naked, he stood in front of Hina and aimed his Scythe at her while she was seated on the ground with a flustered look on her face. Chapter 29 Divanchi Wants The Vamps. ?Sato stood in the forest while he watched from afar, the beast people unloading their belongings into the Celi slime''s stomach. This was the same slime that Sato had an encounter with while he was locked up in the cell at Rizaha. The thought made the Beast people confused at first, but Sato had altered the Celi slime so much that it had an infinite amount of space in its belly. Not to speak of the fact that it was slowly forming into a human shape. "Hey, don''t rush, stay in line!" Jiro yelled as he pointed at the Alligator beast man. "What are you yapping about, I''m in the line." The alligator replied. "No¡­, you''ve separated from the line you dunts!" Jiro shouted again. The alligator looked around and noticed he was a bit out of the queue, "I apologize, my mistake." He said calmy. "You better be¡­ I was about to run some Jiro justice on you!" Jiroughed pridefully with his hand on his waist. The alligator grunted as he was starting to get pissed off at Jiro''s irritating behavior. Gambi, a female elf, walked over to the scene and pulled Jiro away, "What the hell are you thinking picking a fight with Lord Sato''s guest!" She yelled. Jiro folded his arms, "look, these people ain''t your typical monsters, they are beast people, as in, the same species that waged war on the god Ophiasis, niceness isn''t their thing." He responded with a smug look. Gambi couldn''t tell if he was just acting or actually stupid, with a sigh, she stood up straight. "You go take over the water resources, I''ll handle coordinating with the beast people." Gambi uttered. "You sure, you''re not really much of a fighter." Jiro said with a deadpan look on his face. "Just go!" She yelled. Sato smiled as he watched other elves work together to coordinate the Beast people, "I hope this works, I just yed a risky bet, kinda like sporty with a bit more risk." He muttered to himself. A dark mist showed up beside him and Ond appeared, "Lord Sato, the Beast people are done putting their stuffs in the slime¡­. And the horses are ready for departure." He reported. "Well, that was quick." Sato replied, "I hope they didn''t carry little stuff for the trip, they might be there a while." He said with a nervous smile. "No, My lord, I can assure you it was quite a lot, we were only fast thanks to the Latina''s guidance." Ond responded. "I see¡­ let''s go then." Sato and Ond walked over to where all the Beast people were gathered, and the leader, Roguard didn''t miss his chance after spotting Sato. "Lord Sato, I was starting to think you abandoned my people and ran away." Roguard voiced out with augh. "Lord Roguard, what could drive you to think this." Sato responded. "It''s simple really, sure you agreed to help us find a ce, and our agreement stands, but that said, you haven''t exactly told us where we are going." Roguard said, and this time with a serious voice. Sato stared at him for a while, "I guess it''s time I let you in on my n." He said with a serious look of his own. <> ''As expected, they are Vampires after all.'' Sato muttered to himself before looking at Lord Roguard. "How about we discuss this somewhere more privately?". ...¡­. Back in the forest, Divanchi and Elena were fighting with multiple vampires, four in total. Elena leaped back with her hand on her sword while she moved closer to Divanchi, "Mdy, they have good teamwork, taking them on is going to be difficult". Divanchi sighed, "You just watch and learn." She said with a crazy smile as fire enveloped her fists, "I''ve been itching for a fight!". Bkoom! Divanchi whooshed to the front, and the first punch she threw was blocked by a vampire who immediately felt the pain right after. The punch pushed him back, and he slid on the ground, once he was at a standstill, he looked at his arms and saw it was already battered. "You''re no ordinary species are you?" The vampire uttered with a cold voice. "How about you find out yourself!" Divanchi smiled again beforeunching herself toward the vampire. While she was charging toward him, the vampire removed his cloak and Divanchi could see his bright red eyes. As soon as she made eye contact with him, she found her position switched with the vampire''s, which led to her falling to the ground with her own weight. ''Wasn''t I just¡­.'' Divanchi uttered, she immediately stood to her feet and was ready to attack when she spotted the vampire standing a few feet away from her. Before she could move, the tree beside Divanchi suddenly switched position with the vampire and he was instantly at Divanchi''s side. The vampire didn''t waste any time, he sent a fast punch at Divanchi, but she blocked it with her palm. The punch did send her back a bit, but that only added to the adrenalin she was feeling. She could see na dodging the rest of the Vampires all on her own and was hoping she''d hold out a little longer. "You have the ability to change positions with anything at will?" Divanchi asked. "That''s for me to know, and for you to shut up." The vampire uttered. "Oh, you''re all about the fight¡­ exactly what I like!" Divanchi yelled and fire came rushing out of her mouth and straight at the vampire. He was shocked at how fast and huge the mes were, but his survival instinct also clinked in at the sight. The vampire immediately smashed his hand on the ground which caused the earth to erected and from a rocky wall to block the fire. That still wasn''t enough, the fire shattered the stones in an instant and went on to burn the vampire. The vampire didn''t scream, instead he just faded away like an illusion with no sound made. Divanchi didn''t pay attention to it since she''s been wanting to save Elena from the remaining vampires. Chapter 30 The Beast Peoples Departure ?Divanchi dashed toward Elena''s side before any of the vampires could get to her. "You managed to hold your own against four vampires, that''s impressive." Divanchiplimented. "Uh¡­ thank you Mdy." Elena uttered while she was still in her battle pose. "Now that that''s settled." Divanchi covered her entire body with mes before clenching both her fist, "it''s time to deliver some pain." She said with an excited smile on her face. "Why is a strong being such as yourself, defending on feeble creatures?" All the four vampires said together in unison. Elena and Divanchi looked at the vampire one by one, the way the Vampires all spoke together threw them off a bit. "Now I understand, you''re the same person." Divanchi imed. The Vampires started walking toward themselves till they formed into one being, "Congrattions, you figured it out." The vampire said as he flexed his red eyes and fangs. "So, you''re one person? That''s pretty disappointing." Divanchi uttered before putting out the mes on her body. "Why are you Vampires threatening the Beast people?" Elena asked. The vampire immediately sent a cold re at her, "You haven''t earned the right to speak to me, you D-ranked trash bag." He insulted. Elena had her eyes focused on the ground as the rage inside her began to build up from the insult. "Anyway, why not join us on our¡­." Before the vampire could finish speaking, Elena had already zoomed toward him with her body covered in lightning and her eyes producing the same energy. The vampire was shocked by the speed, he tried to move back but Elena was following every step of the way. Switching the way she held her sword to a backhand, Elena sliced the two hands of the vampire before seizing her advance. The sh from her de was so sharp that it cut down most of the nearby trees around clean. Elena stared at her de in shock as she looked at the damage the inflicted with just a single swing, "Did I do that?" She muttered to herself. The vampire''s blood began to spew from his severed arms, "Arrgh! My hands! You cut off my hand! Ahhhh!" He kept on crying. Elena looked at the vampire as she walked, her eyes were still filled with disbelief and was still surprised that she sliced the arms of an S-ss species. "Good job girl, you got him good." Divanchi said, walking toward Elena with a grin on her face. "Mdy, I swear I didn''t know I was even strong enough to move like that." Elena expressed. Divanchiughed, "Why do you feel the need to exin yourself? Strength is a good thing once you have something you''re fighting for." Divanchi hinted, before patting Elena on the head. A smile made its way to Elena''s lips as she stared at her de with a bit of pride from the fact that she brought a vampire to his knees. "Okay, smarty." Divanchi bent before raising the vampire''s head with his hair, "You''ll being with us." ....... Back in the vige, Sato came out of the building with Rougard after exining his n to him. When Sato got outside, he met Yuri speaking with Divanchi who had a vampire on her shoulder. "Took them long enough." Sato walked toward them leaving Rougard to tend to his people. When he got closer he met Deke standing with his two servants, Sato wasn''t quick to notice since this time, Deka was wearing actual clothes. "Deka?" Sato called out with a bit of doubt. "Lord Sato." Deka voiced and bowed his head a little, "I have returned from my journey,". "I can see that¡­" "Master!!!" Divanchi shouted before jumping and giving Sato a hug with her boobs rubbing against his face. ''Boobs! Boobs!'' Sato panicked in his mind. "Oh I missed you so much I could die!" Divanchi said while she kept snuggling him with her boobs. Out of nowhere, Yuri threw a small fast moving rock at Divanchi, the rock connected to her forehead and sent her falling to the ground. "Master, are you alright?" Yuri asked as she held his hand with a concerned look on her face. "W-what do you mean by¡­" "I could I''ve sworn I saw a bug right beside you just now, was I able to annihte it?" She asked with the same concerned look. "You little!" Divanchi yelled, standing from the ground and storming toward Yuri. "Why the hell did you stone me?!" Divanchi yelled. "Why whatever do you mean? I was just doing my job as my Master''s servant, which includes getting rid of bugs." Yuri replied with a warm smile. Divanchi lost it and pulled her face closer to Yuri with fire burning on her hand, "I''m going to rearrange your face." She threatened. Yuri still had a calm look on, but her body was oozing with dark energy, "I''ll certainly love to see you try." She responded. Sato just snuck out of there and walked over to Deka, leaving his two servants to yell at each other at the back. "So, how was it?" Sato asked. "It went well, they agreed to let them settle there till the whole vampire predicament dies down." Deka responded. "Damn you managed to convince her? Did she take the gold? bribe? or perhaps a battle?" Sato asked again with curiosity written all over him. "No, she refused the money, I had to duel one of her subordinates before she agreed to it." Deka replied. Sato smiled at the reply before patting Deka on the shoulder, "You did a good job, now let''s finish this transport, I''m tired." Sato walked over to the Beast people and told them that they were ready to take off. He informed them about where they were going and sent Deka to guide the way, with two horses and his Celi slime. Once Deka and the Beast people had left the vige, Sato immediately went to the warehouse to lie on his hay bed. "I''m so tired," Sato said as he stared at the ceiling. ''Perfect, I''ve managed to gain the trust of the Beast people and hopefully the Valkyries.'' He thought to himself. ''Seems like we all have amon enemy, the demons.'' ...¡­. [ City of Fiora, resisdance of the king.] A man wearing a ck military-like outfit with a military hat was sitting outside of a huge white Castle. There was a small open garden where he had always been going to have a drink or two. Rising the ss up, he stared at it as light from the sun reflected on the ss, "Nothing like pure wine from the Herzod Kingdom." He said with a smile. Ady dressed in a simr military attire walked in on him while he was drinking with her head bowed. "Your highness, I have some reports about the survey teams." The middle-aged woman uttered. The woman stopped when she heard the way the king was sipping his wine loudly. "Oh, please Rika don''t stop on my ount, carry on." The man said with a smile before reaching for the bottle of wine to fill his cup. Chapter 31 The City Of Narvek ?The city of Narvek is home to the three most dominant creatures, vampires, werewolves, and ghosts. And today was the day they were about to host a meeting like they always do, since the city was a home for three species, they came up with a government. Where each species will have a representative to be added to the council that rules over the whole city. d, one of the strongest for the vampire, was a part of the council, while the vampires under him were known as families possess zing red eyes. For the werewolves was Pimo, another strong candidate for the council, he also had his own pack where he was the Alpha. Andstly was the Ghost, who was represented by Gudan, an expert ghost who has won over his people with his intelligence and leadership. The ghosts have different shapes, some have humanoid shapes while others could take the shape of a cone, or sometimes shapeless. Adding to that, depending on the n these ghosts serve under, the color of the mes on their head differs. And as expected, some strong candidates were wanting to take the role of the leading council members at any cost. Every four years, each candidate that wants to be in the council goes through a battle royal tournament to decide the ruler. And this had been going on for years, and no one as been able to take the spot of the current council members, hence political corruption started to make its way in. News of leaders of packs and families dying began to spread around, causing panic and distrust amongst the other packs and families. So, the council decided to have a meeting after the news was starting to cause havoc amongst the people. Each representative sat at the round table with at most three bodyguards standing behind them. Gudang cleared his throat, "I''m d you all could make it, I want to believe you know why this meeting was put forth." He uttered. Gudang had a humanoid shape and wore a white Japanese outfit with his arm resting on the band as he spoke. "Yeah, some asshole thought it would be funny to kill one of my most profit-making werewolves," Pimo yelled before mming his hand on the table. "Control yourself Pimo, don''t act so vulgar on the table." d uttered in a calm voice. Pimo grunted, "Perhaps you know something that I don''t? Cause if you don''t then don''t tell me to shut up! Well? Do you?!" He asked aggressively. "Even if I did, what? You think I''d tell you? I came up with most of the ideas, joining cities together, the trade market, even security." d expressed calmly. "What point are you trying to make, d?" Gudang asked with a bit of tension. d sighed, "I''m saying you all are useless on the council, honestly, the only thing you do is gain money of the people." He asserted. "Why you little!" Pimo yelled in anger. d just casually stood up from his chair and dusted the suit he was wearing. The suit was an official way of dressing for members of the council anytime a meeting was being held. "If a member of my family is involved in this, I can assure you that I will see to it they get punished,". After uttering those words, d walked out of the room when the remaining three Vampires followed behind him. The rest of the council just sat there confused and angered at the boldness d put up before he stood up from his chair and walked out on them. "Brother, are you sure it was a good choice to walk away like that?" Sieg asked, walking behind d while looking around to make sure no one was lurking around. "Rx, if pushes to shove we have a political war." d replied before stepping into his white stylishly designed carriage with Seig following after him. They made their way back to their district, the Red district, it was a town home to different vampires, ghosts, and a few werewolves. And d was the leader of that district andmonly called a Duke because he was also part of the council ruling over the remaining towns and viges. d arrived at his huge mansion, located in the Red district, one of the vampires opened the gate to the vastnd before d''s carriage rode in. The whole ce was so huge, even if there were 15 more mansions built in the area, they''d still be enough space to fight a war. A huge fountain with four white angelic statues surrounded it with water pouring from their mouths which added to the design. All around were maids, each one focusing on a particr task, the wide field that was roaming with horses and servants and the quiet surrounding was something any rich man would dream of having. But d was no man, he was the leader of all Vampires, he was stronger, faster, and smarter than the rest. d got down from his carriage and looked out the window to the left side of the mansion and smiled. He walked toward the door but paused before turning the norb, "Sieg!" He called out. "Yes, sire." Seig responded. "I need you to go to the Kilo district and deliver a message to Gigz." d voiced out. "What would you like me to convey to him?" Seig asked. "Tell him I want to see him tomorrow morning, and not a second past noon." d ordered. "Understood Sire I''ll do so." Sieg responded with his head bowed, he turned to the vampire beside him, "Get me a horse, I''m moving out,". Once d saw that Sieg was moving out, he smiled and opened the door to his mansion. As soon as he opened the door, he tilted his head to the side to dodge the lightning fast shoe that was charging his way. The shoe shattered the door into pieces leaving nothing behind d but rubles of the broken door. d sighed and looked up the long stairs that were covered in a red shining rug, he could see his daughter, Elza standing at the top of the stairs with an angry expression. Elza was panting as she stood at the top with one heel on her leg. She had a long red beautiful dress on, with a red flower resting at the side of her hair. "Father!" She yelled, "What the devil were you thinking setting up an engagement with Gidz''s?!". Chapter 32 Will It Begin? A Political War? ?It was a beautiful morning in Nervek city, and Elza, the daughter of d, was still fast asleep in bed. The sounds of maids mummering to themselves as they worked were echoed around the whole estate. The mansion was filled with working house help, and this was a normal morning routine, it was always busy 247. Knock knock! Elza immediately ced the pillow on her face when she heard someone knocking on her door, sleeping is one of the things she loves taking part in. "Miss Elza, it''s time for breakfast." A masculine voice came from the other side of the door alongside continuous banging of the door. Elza sat upright on the bed when she could no longer sleep from the noise, her hair was scattered around her face from the careless way she slept. Elza yawned as she stretched her body, "It''s morning already." She uttered. Resting beside her, was a brown drawer and on top of it was a small purple ss te with tiny magic crystals around its edges. She rested her hand on the te and the door to her room instantly made a click sound, indicating it was unlocked. A man with long ck hair and red eyes walked into the room with a food tray in his hand as he moved closer to Elza. He wore a butler ck outfit that added to his masculine charm, his handsome-looking face was hard to look past, he was the exact replica of a rizz master. "Good morning, Mdy, I hope you slept well." The Butler asked. He ced the food tray on the bed before walking over to the window to open the curtain for light to brighten the room. Elza looked at the food and noticed therge number of vegetables that was on her te, "Sebastian?" She called out with a straight face. "Yes, Mdy." Sebastian answered. "Why are there so many veggies in my food? Even after making it clear countless times that I hate veggies." Elza voiced out, trying to hold in the need to yell. Sebastian looked at her for a while and smiled, "Your brother asked me to do this, I just merely did as he asked." He responded. "Damn that Christian," Elza grunted, she sighed and picked up the fork and knife before she started eating. Sebastian cleaned the room and was about to head out when he remembered something, "Oh Mdy, I forgot to inform you." He hinted. "Hmm, is that so? Well get on with it then, I want to freshen up." Elza uttered. She got down from the bed and headed to the huge standing mirror in her room. She was still in her nightdress but her beauty remained the same. Sebastian smiled again, "Sir d told me to inform you that Lord Gigz will being to visit today with his son." He reported and walked out of the room. As soon as she heard the news, Elza froze up as she looked at herself in the mirror, her eyes widened in shock from what she heard. . . . .. ... At the balcony in d''s mansion, Gigz the leader of the ck bulls vampire family was seated at the small table. He was a noble of a small town in Nervek, his family was known for securing the city with utmost security from intruders and the like. His appearance sometimes deceives people, he was fat and not masculine in any way, but the ultimate skill he holds is powerful enough to rival d. "Lord Gigz, it''s a pleasure to meet you, sorry for the wait." d voiced out as he walked into the balcony with two maids following behind him. "Duke, you sure took your time, I was starting to think you wanted me to wait on purpose." Gigzughed. "Come now, I am as humble as I am kind." d said and sat down on the chair with a calm look on his face. He immediately noticed the ck huge looking man dressed in a uniform standing beside Gigz. "Ohh, are you wondering who he is? Yeah, he joined my family yesterday, found him at the Ykoin vigepletely buried in dirt, so I took him in." Gigz exined. "I see, isn''t this the fourth time this week you''ve done this?" d asked. "... The world is a scary ce, Duke, the least I can do is save those who can be saved, don''t you agree." Gigz smiled before grabbing the wine on the table and gulping it down. d smiled, "I''m sure you know why I called you here." He said with his hand resting on the chair arm rest. Gigz''s eyes suddenly held so much seriousness, "So it''s true? I did hear rumors about it, but I just thought they were .... rumors,". "I can assure you, they are not, someone is trying to start a political war and if this person seeds, it could lead to dispute amongst our races." d hinted. "A few weeks ago, three dead vampires were found in a workshop at Central garden, their hearts and eyespletely gouged out, and this wasn''t the only ce, V2 square, sound pill, Haz round, all these ces had dead vampire reports,". Gigz was shocked, he never knew it was that bad, to begin with, he leaned forward and whispered to d, "Do you think it was the other werewolves doing this?" He asked. d sighed, "I thought that too, but then I saw this." He brought out a small handkerchief and opened it up from Gigz to see. Gigz looked closer and saw a medium-sized metal inside, it had blue glowing writings on it. "It''s a Meta rock."Gigz voiced out. "Exactly, I can''t say for certain that the werewolves or ghosts aren''t involved in this, but I do know one thing. This was found not once but three times at the scene of the crime, and I only know one family capable of making metals like this with writings." d mentioned as he rested his back on the chair. Gidz''s eyes widened as soon as he figured it out, "You mean¡­ the Hikiku family?" He asked with shock written all over his face. ..... A/N The future chaps will involve the vampires for a bit, do bare with it as I want to exin the dispute going on in Nervek. Chapter 33 Milady We Are Under Attack. ?"Exactly, the Hakiku family are the only ones with the unique skill to forge weapons like this." d stated. Gigz paused and sighed before resting his back on the chair, "So what now? What do you think they are after?" He asked. d folded the handkerchief back and gave one of the maids to take it back inside before responding. "I don''t know, it''s safe to say, their goal reaches far more than just having fun,". "Well knowing this, I could help strengthen securities around the town just to be on the safe side." Gigz offered. "That would be most appreciated." d thanked. They suddenly heard the footsteps and neighs of horses moving toward the mansion, Gigz stood up and went to check. With a smile on his face, he turned and looked at d, "My son has arrived, shall we go, Duke d," He uttered with a smile. Luke, the first son of Gigz, got down from the carriage with a woman wearing a white uniform standing beside him. She had blue ponytail hair and green eyes, with a white uniform that wa perfectly fitted on her body. Luke got down from the carriage and took the mansion in, "It hasn''t changed a bit over the years." He muttered. He and his assistant walked towards the door and standing at the entrance was Gigz who was patiently waiting for him. "Father." Luke uttered, he walked up to Gidz and gave him a quick hug before pulling away. His eyes were roaming about before he faced his father back, "Father? Where is she? I don''t see her anywhere." He asked curiously. Gigzughed, "Don''t be so impatient my boy, she''s waiting for you inside,e on." He said and walked into the mansion. Taking a deep breath and setting his clothes, Luke walked in after his father, the inside caught his eyes as he found himself looking around. "This way, my son." Gigz led. "Alright." Luke responded. Following his father, he walked straight to the dining room where d and his two children, Erza and Christian were seated. As soon as he spotted Erza, a smile hit his lips, he was staring at her so hard that he didn''t hear when his father was calling for him. "Luke!" Gigz yelled. "Yes! Father?" Luke immediately snapped out of it and replied to his father. "I sure hope you haven''t forgotten the Duke of this town, Duke d the war Lord?" Gigz asked. Luke smiled in response to the question, "Of course not, it is an honor to stand before you." He said. "The honor is all mine, do have your seat." d said calmly. Gigz and Luke sat down on the chair and they began dining, after they were done and the maids were bringing in dessert, d asked a question. "Luke¡­ are you prepared for the engagement?" d asked. Erza chocked on her food from the surprise as she started coughing as soon as d asked the question. She picked up a ss of water and began gulping it down. Luke had a smile on his face when he heard the question, "Of course, I am your Dukeship" He replied. "Dukeship?" Christian muttered to himself as he tried to hold down hisughter. "Great, exactly what I needed to hear, the engagement will be held in two days¡­" "What!" Erza interrupted d as she yelled, standing up from her chair and mming her hands on the dining table. "Father? This is not right. Do I not get a say in this?" Erza yelled. Luke stood up from this chair too, "Erza? Are you perhaps opposed to our engagement?" He asked with a bit of sadness in his voice. Erza looked to the side, "I need to use the restroom." She uttered and ran up the stairs to her room. Gidz and Luke were both shocked, looking at d to see if he could exin what was going on. d just grabbed his wine, "She''s probably going through puberty." He uttered before sipping his wine. ...... Erza ran into her room and mmed the door before falling t on her bed, "God I hate this house!" She yelled. She slowly lifted her head from the bed to look outside the window to see a bird pecking on the ss. Erza stood up and opened the window, but the bird just ended up flying away, she groaned and rested her head on the window. "Engagement? I''m pretty sure I can take him one on one, I don''t wanna marry someone weaker than me." She muttered to herself. She then noticed that Luke and his father were boarding their Carriers to leave for their home. "No wait!" Erza shouted. She ran out of the room and down the stairs till she got downstairs, but she was already toote. d, Gigz, and Luke had already gone, Erza sighed and was about to go back inside when she spotted Sebastian watering the garden. A smile hit her face as she called out, "Sebastian!" She yelled, waving at him toe over. With Sebastian''s help, Erza took another carrier and rode after Gidz and her father to see if she could catch up. Sebastian was seated beside Erza in his usual Butler uniform, looking left and right continuously. "Are you okay Sebastian?" Erza asked when she noticed his movements. Sebastian sighed, "leaving the mansion was not a good idea Mdy, I don''t think your father would be happy about this." He said. Erza diverted her eyes with her hands tucked as she looked outside through the window, "it''s not like I''m going somewhere else, I''m just going to meet him." She said. The ce went awkwardly quiet for a while, until Erza uttered, "Sebastian what is that?" She asked. "Is that a Cyhyper?" She asked. "Cyhyper?" Sebastian moved closer to look and saw something like a wolf charging toward their Carrier. "Look out!" He yelled, pushing Erza''s face on the chair. The huge wolf mmed against the carrier and almost knocked it off bnce, but the rider was quick to increase the horse''s speed. Erza stood up from the chair, panting heavily from the way Sebastian held her face on the chair. "Sebastian¡­ were those?" She muttered. Sebastian grunted, "Damn it!", folding his hand sleeves up, "Mdy we are under attack, whatever you do, don''t move an inch from where you are." He said with a serious look on his face. Following the carrier from behind were giant wolves, numbered four, chasing down the carrier with incredible speed backing them up. Chapter 34 Erza In The Forest Of Witches. ?Sebastian moved toward the entrance of the carrier and peeked outside to see the giant wolves chasing them down. He pulled his hand back in and looked at Erza who was already peeping from the other side. "Mdy!" Sebastian shouted. Erza immediately pulled her head back in, "Werewolves¡­ those are werewolves." She uttered. "Yes Mdy, do note out of this carriage no matter what," Sebastian said with a serious look as he began pulling one of his right gloves. "You know very well I can''t do that!" Erza yelled, yanking up from the chair only to fall back down from the way the carrier was shaking. Sebastian sighed, "Please Mdy, if not for anything, atleast think about how your father would feel if something were to happen to you." He said calmly. Erza puffed her mouth and folded her arm with her back resting on the wall, "Fine, I won''t interfere." She reluctantly agreed. "Thank you." Sebastian voiced, with a stern look, he moved almost all his body outside the carrier while using his left hand to hold the carrier so he wouldn''t fall. Stretching out his right hand, he observed the four huge wolves charging toward the carrier. The brown wolf that was in front of the pack, suddenly sensed something dangerousing so it leaped out of the way. As soon as its legs left the ground, multiple ck metal-shaped spears erected from the ground and caught them off guard. Three of the wolves managed to evade the attacks but one wasn''t so lucky. The metal stabbed him in a lot of different ces. It fell to the ground, whinnying from the immense pain it was feeling before it slowly began to turn back into a male human. The other wolves could see the horrific way he looked, his insides were all over the floor and most of his body parts had separated. The brown wolf moved closer to its deadrade, "He can''t possibly heal from that¡­ he''s dead." It uttered. One of the wolves howled to the sky, which is a normal trait the Werewolves grew custom to when they are sad. "Hmmm¡­" The brown wolf grunted, "Let''s go!" It yelled. They began chasing down the carrier and this time they were moving twice the speed and Sebastian could tell. ''They''re really persistent.'' He thought to himself. He ced one of his legs on the moving ground after cing a metal te underneath. Sebastian did the same thing with his other leg, this allowed him to use the metal as a skating board while the carrier was speeding. "Be careful Sebastian." Erza voiced out, crawling on over to his side on the couch. "Move back Mdy, you are too close." Sebastian asserted. Erza sighed and moved back to the extreme end, "Are you happy now?" She asked sarcastically. "Yes." He replied before facing his attention back at the wolves. Erza rested her jaw on her hand as she stared out the window pouting, she could see lots of Deerhugs feeding as the carrier raced by. "What''s his deal? It''s not like I can''t defend myself if I need to." She muttered to herself. While she was looking outside the mirror, she noticed a human-shaped shadow running beside the carrier. She wasn''t sure what it was so she peeked outside to check, but as soon as her head went out the window the human chasing the carrier transformed into a huge ck wolf and grabbed her hand with its mouth. Screaming, Erza struggled to pull her hand from its mouth, "Let go off me!" She yelled. "Damn it, I said let go!" Erza voiced out agressively , and a symbol suddenly appeared on her left eye causing the wolf to get sluggish. But it didn''t let go, using thest of its strength, the werewolf pulled Erza out of the carrier and sent her flying a far distance before it copsed on the ground. Erza screamed, her body was speeding through the air as if she were flying, she could see the whole ground in a bird eye view as she went falling into the forests. "Okay okay chill¡­ chill!" Erza yelled in her mind as she tried to call herself down. She took a deep breath and stretched out her hand below her. And a blue magic circle materialized in front of her hand before the wind blew out of it making hernd safely on the ground. Once she was on the ground, she gave out a reliving sigh as she began looking around to tell where she was. "Where am I?" Erza questioned. She had never left her father''s district before, this is the first time she had gotten to where she was. Erza began walking around for a bit, observing everything around her from the trees to the tinykes. Once she had filled her curiosity, she sat down beside thekes to rest, "A¡­ I''m really lost ain''t I?" She uttered. "Oh, that''s right!" Erza suddenly yelled, she stood up from the ground and took a deep breath. The same magic symbol appeared in her eyes again, it was red and had the symbol of a bird''s wings with nobody. Once the symbol appeared in her eyes, she smiled, "See, I knew I could use it¡­ now I just have to read where I am¡­ Analyze!" She voiced out. Her right eye glowed before multiple pieces of information appeared in her sight of vision instantly. ?Location: Forest of witches Total of 67980 trees, 424 herb nts, 600 updating fruits, and estimated home to 15000 monsters? "Forest of witches? I''ve never heard of that ce before." Erze said to herself, with a sigh, she turned her back to walk away only to hear a voice shouting. "Wow, wow wait.. wait don''t try¡­ ahhh!" Sato yelled as he fell from the Cliff andnded right in front of Erza. ''I know I can''t feel pain but I can tell I took some damage from that.'' Sato grunted. <> Sato''s body began to glow with his injuries closing up while heid on the floor. "Ahhh that feels better." Rising his head up, he noticed she couldn''t see anything, but he could feel his lip robbing into something soft and smooth. "What''s this?" Sato questioned, grabbing unto the egdes to see that a material was covering his head. Flipping open the material, he immediately noticed he had just flipped up Erza''s skirt and he could see a clear view of her panties. ''Panties!'' Sato panciked and immediately moved back after seeing the flustered expression on Erza''s face. "H¡­hey there" He uttered nervously, "¡­ I know this looks¡­ a little". "Ahhhhh! You pervert!" Erza shouted with a death stare, kicking Sato in the neck with a loud boom following right after as Satonded in theke. Chapter 35 Message From The Demon King Jira ?[Before Sato and Erza''s encounter] The vige of Avalon, which was given its name by Sato, was now growing into a town. Ever since Sato helped the beast people make a home at Rizaha, they have been sending all kinds of help. Like Beast warriors to help with the security, a Spider beast that helped the vige in sewing numerous clothing even for Sato and the rest of the elves. Even secretly linking Sato to a marchet, o, he resides in the kingdom of Tuke and is obsessed with the healing potion that Sato was producing. The once small vige now had slightly more beautiful homes, a variety of different crops, and a V stone that helps towns and viges make deals with higher businessmen. Sato was able to aplish all this in a span of one month, making his vige one of the biggest viges able to rival a town. Even though he had only elves and some beast people living in the vige, it was still growing at a rapid pace. One fine and early morning, when the sun was out and the breeze was calm, Sato, the Lord of the unnamed vige of Rizaha received a message from the King. Elena stood in front of Sato and handed the letter to him. She wore a ck coat that covered her entire body but left a little opening to show her stomach. Standing beside Sato were Divanchi and Yuri, while Yuri was wearing a ck alluring kimono with a red flower on her hair, Divanchi was wearing tight ck pants, where one of the legs was short to her thighs like her high socks, a red twoyer belt dangling around her waist which was added with a short ck jacket crop top that was zipped halfway to cover the lower part of her breast andplemented with a white long coat that fell behind her. Zeno, wearing a ck military style outfit with a red scarf around his neck, took the paper from Elena and began to open it. "When did thise in?" He asked as he slowly removed the magic seal from the paper which brought out a holographic image of a message. Elena replied by saying, "Just today, Rishio told me a demon from the Demon capital came to deliver it,". "I see," Sato muttered. Divanchi moved closer to Zeno, "What does the message say... Come on, I''m curious." She uttered excitedly, rubbing her breast against his right arm carelessly. Sato sighed, hiding his flustered face while he strongly focused on the information in front of him. ? Dik hun, Jira cok ik puro ernk vung Hain riah jimoj quinoa fim fik Gaino Finano suonnti wink shiji ? The message came out like this to Yuri and Elena who tried to read it. But, both Sato and Divanxhi both have a magical sense which basically helps them interpret any and allnguages. ? I am the king of Fiora Kingdom, Demon lord Jira. I want to give a warning, your vige has not been registered under my Kingdom to be given the authority of a name or a ce. Report to the Demon capital before the bed of the first week or I will consider this a crime and it wille with consequences ? Sato read out loud, he folded the paper back and handed it over to Elena before looking at the far end of the vige. "So Master, what are you going to do?" Divanchi asked. "We have been doing a lot of tradingtely, it''s only normal the king would notice." Yuri added. Sato faced Yuri, "Yuri, I need you to help me search the area and see if it''s possible any demons are still lurking around." He requested. "Are you afraid that they are spying?" Yuri asked. "Yes I am," Sato responded, "I have no doubt in my mind, something must have piqued his interest, the message was more of a threat than information." He said. Yuri smiled, "As you wish then, I''ll get on with it." She uttered and instantly disappeared out of sight. Once she was gone, Zeno turned to Elena, "The squad building the bridge over the river, tell them to put it on hold." He ordered. Elena was a bit concerned by the thought, she wanted to leave but turned back to ask, "Lord Sato, what about the people who worked day in and night building it to where it has gotten to?" She asked. Sato smiled back in response, "Rx it''s only on hold for now, if I''m right then the Demon king was probably drawn in by the rapid growth of our little vige, so we need to stop some things for now." He exined calmly while patting her head. With a beet-red face, Elena bowed her head, "I''ll be on my way then my Lord." She said before speeding away. With a sigh, Sato turned to Divanchi who already had an extremely excited look on her face as she awaited her tasks. ''Why is she so excited?''. Sato thought to himself with an awkward chuckle, "Uhm. Divanc-" . "Hai!" Divanchi responded before he could even finish calling her name. Sato sighed again, "Please help supervise the junior hunters, hunting DeerHugs is still quite exhausting." He requested. "Of course¡­ I''ll be back before you can even finish the word Dragon." Davinci smiled as she walked away. "She''s way too lively." Looking at the sun, Sato uttered, ''Helix, how far is the Demon capital from here?''. <> ''Two days uhn? I guess that could work, but with all these vampires roaming abouttely it might prove to be a problemter''. <>. ''What are they up to though, I know they wanted the beast people but now that they are in hiding, are they trying to get other races involved to start some kind of war?'' Sato muttered to himself. <> ''No, I don''t need that, I''ll ask directly from the source.'' Sato said. Looking at his palm, a white mask with the drawing of a grim reaper appeared in his hand. "Helix." He called out, cing the mask on his face as he and slowly levitated from the ground, "Pinpoint the viges, I''d like to pay them a visit". <> Chapter 36 The Invasion Of The Village Kion ?"Please let me go!" The cat girl cried out as the vampire pushed her out of the hut with brute force. "Shut your mouth!" The vampire yelled, pping the cat girl on the face which made her fall to the ground with tears rolling down her cheeks. The small vige was called Kion, and was home to a small group of Cat people but they were suddenly invaded by vampires and had no way to defend themselves. The vampires broke into their homes and took most of the Cat men by force and locked them up in the wagon while surrounding the females at a spot for execution and very. Sato, who was hovering above the vige, witnessed everything and the only thing he could feel was disgust. No one was able to sense his presence because of the magic cloak he ced around himself. Looking down at the way the vampires were bringing the woman out of their homes and tossing them to the ground was slowly starting to piss him off. ''Helix, can you tell how the cats are doing?'' Sato asked. <> "I see." Sato muttered, "Attacking other viges is not something I can overlook, if Duke d is involved I''m going to have to confront him at some point". "Although, I don''t think I have the power to question what he does, but still, if my n is to seed I''ll need as much help as I can get, and I''m not stopping over some freaking vampires,". Satonded right in front of the cat girls, he grabbed one of the vampires and crushed his fist before pushing him away. As soon as the rest of the vampires heard his cry they all gathered around the scene to see Sato standing in between them and the Cat girls "Ahhhh! That son of a bitch broke my hand." The vampire yelled, crawling away from Sato with his butt. ''Shit, I tried to hold back as much as possible.'' Sato thought to himself as he stared at the vampire in his face mask. Looking behind him, he could see how the cat girls were shaking in fear from the trauma they were feeling. Sato slowly looked at them, "Are you okay?" He asked. They didn''t respond, instead, they moved closer to one another with so much fear written on their faces. Sighing, Sato switched his attention back to the vampire, ''There''s no way they can answer my questions in this state¡­ Helix, find where the vampires are keeping the male cats.'' He asserted. <> "Oi! Quit your whining and get up, you''re a vampire, aren''t you? Geez, they always gotta team me up with the losers." A huge vampire with a gaint axe in his hands walked forward with a smirk on his face. In his other hand was a male cat being dragged on the floor by the vampire, Sato held his frustration in and kept his cool. "Who are you? Your entrance was quite amusing¡­not many people can crush a vampire''s wrist like it''s nothing." The vampire said with a grin. "I''m just a traveler, I saw a bunch of people in trouble and I''m simply here to help them out of it." Sato replied, making sure the mask he was wearing was firm on his face. Looking around, he could see that behind the buildings and trees the vampires were trying to surround him but he didn''t pay attention to it. The huge vampire threw the male cat on the ground, "You stopped your traveling just to save these pathetic creatures¡­ now that''s just a waste of time,". ''This dude is really pissing me off.'' Sato said to himself, "What are vampires doing out here? Shouldn''t you guys be at Tamron with your duke?" He asked. The vampire immediately red at him, "You son of a b¡­". "Sir Phen, the cats ran away from their chamber!" A young vampire yelled as he ran toward Phen. Phen, who had beenmunicating with Sato, looked back to see one of his vampires panting, "What''s wrong?" He asked. "Sir, they escaped, all of them. One of the males started acting strange so we opened the prison¡­but then¡­ they all run away,". The male cat and the cat girls couldn''t help but give a reliving smile when they heard the news. <> ''I see, they are probably hiding from the vampires chasing them.'' Sato thought to himself. Meanwhile, Zhen had issued most of the vampires to head into the forest and search for their escaped prisoners. Once his men were gone, leaving only 3 of his vampires to stay behind, Zhen looked at Sato with a bit of anger on his face. "Is this your doing?" Zhen asked Sato. Sato didn''t give a response, which gave Zhen the idea that Sato was trying to act cocky with him. He scoffed before turning his back, "Make sure you rip him apart." Zhen ordered his vampires before walking away. The three vampires began closing in on Sato, who still had a calmposure even with the three vampires walking toward him. ''Hmmm, killing them is an option, but there''s so much I want to ask¡­ thest vampire we caught died before we even got a chance to ask any questions. Safe to say vampire''s loyaltyes first.'' Sato muttered in his mind. "Alright then, if that''s the case," Sato said with a smile. He stretched his hand to the side causing a rush of dark mist toe out from it. Once the mist stopped. A slightly human-shaped slime appeared, it had a green and blue mix of color all over. Sato patted the head of the slime, "Protect then okay?". "Fuuu!" The slime responded. "Thanks, fuu." Sato said before he began approaching the vampires with no fear written on his face. "Now¡­. How do I fight you without killing you in the process¡­ seriously¡­ this is bing a huge pain in the butt". ...... A/N Sorry for thete update, I had a few issues holding me back. Chapter 37 Invasion Of The Village Kion II ?One of the Vampires whooshed toward Sato with a longsword in his hands. The vampire struck his sword at Sato but was surprised when Sato vanished away from his sight and appeared behind him. With a smile, Sato struck the back of the vampire with the side of his hand which rendered the vampire unconscious. The remaining two vampires immediately stopped their advance after seeing one of their own falls fast to Sato. "He''s fast." One of the vampires said, turning to look at his partner in disbelief. Sato dusted his palm and began to approach them, "Just you two uhn, let''s get this over with." He uttered. ? He noticed one of the Cat boys at the corner, shaking in fear as he watched Sato fight the vampires. "Dude!" Sato called out to the Catboy. The Catboy immediately responded with a squeak, moving closer to the building behind him. "Listen, you should lead your females somewhere safe, don''t worry I won''t let the Vampires through, just go cowarding won''t fix anything ." Sato gave his word. Scoffing, the vampire stretched out his hand aimed at Sato, "Don''t get cocky!" He yelled. A spiraling fireball appeared in front of his hands, he flicked his finger, and the fireballs charged toward Sato. Sato sighed, "At Least try to put up a fight." He stretched his arm and a rush of ck mes charged out of his hand andpletely covered the fireballs. The vampire that cast the fireballs fell to the ground in fear when the ck mes almost burnt him whole. Seeing this, the Catboy stood to his feet with a bit more confidence and sprinted over to where the females were. One by one he took them to their feet with the help of Sato''s Celi slime who helped escort them away from the vige. "D¡­Do you realize who you are messing with?!" The vampire yelled, "We are from the Hikaku family¡­The third strongest family in all of Tamron,". "Oh? Is that so?" Sato uttered with a foreshadowed expression on his face as he slowly walked toward them. "See normally, I hate violence and I try to avoid it as much as possible but." A long range of magic energy spread out of Sato''s body that caused everything in his path to blow away. "Even I know when jerks need to be punished". "S... Stay back!" The Vampires panicked, throwing different fire spells at Sato that just ended up vanishing in thin air. Sato was almost close to the Vampires when another Vampire showed up from under the earth. It sunk up and grabbed Sato''s leg before pulling Sato''s legs into the ground all the way to his stomach with the vampire went up, leaving Sato stuck have way in the ground. The vampire immediately took to his heels as soon as he got to the surface. "Come on, let''s scram!" He yelled, jumping very high to cover more distance. The remaining Vampires followed without hesitation, even forgetting about the Cat people and just fleeing for their lives. Sato sighed, "I thought Vampires were supposed to be strong, these guys are just cowards." He uttered. Using his skill , Sato dematerialized his body into dust and once he was out of the hole he materialized back into human form. <> ''For real?!'' Sato yelled in his mind with a drop of sweat expression on his face before he sighed. He looked behind him to see that the Cat people were not behind him anymore, "I guess they escaped." He said with a smile. "Helix, update on the whereabouts of the Vampires and Male cats that escaped from their cells." <<....Request confirmed¡­..>> <> "I see. Welp, I can catch up." Sato uttered. A massive amount of wind began to gather up around his feet. With a big boom, Sato whooshed to the front leaving the ground crushed from how fast he moved. He was running so fast, the trees he passed were blowout by the force that followed his speed. In a matter of minutes, Sato caught up to the vampires and began attacking them at full speed without stopping his running. The vampire were confused, they didn''t know what was dropping theirrades unconscious on the ground. Sato kept taking them out as he continued his advance, he took out every vampire he came across leaving only Phen, who blocked Sato''s punch with his hand but the force still sent him flying. With a smile on Sato''s face, he continued running till he spotted the Male Cats trying to climb a small hill. "Nice, I caught up to them." Sato muttered to himself. He wanted to make a quick stop when a squirrel blocked his path. He tried to make a sharp turn but just ended up smacking his foot on a tree which made him lose his bnce. He tumbled past the Cat people and straight down the cliff, screaming his lungs out from how fast he was falling. "Brother, did you see that?" One of the male cats asked, he was holding a stick for defense against the vampires. "Yes, I did." The male cat with white cat ears and a white tail uttered, he looked to be the oldest among all of them. Sighing, the red male cat added, "Look I say we talk another path, we are still in the forest of witches, the Vampires are here we should avoid the forest". Everyone looked at him with a bit of confusion and fear written on their faces. The Cat tribe has always been secretive about their existence, they hardly leave their Vige much less the forest of witches. Grunting, the white cat picked one of the youngest male and carried him getting ready to ce him on the cliff so they can continue thier advance. "You should really think about this?" The red cat tried to convince them to take another route. "We''ve gone this far already, turning back cam proof to be..." Pahhh! The White cat suddenly stopped when he heard a loud sounde from where Sato fell, he paused for a while looking at all the faces of the cats. He sighed and carried the small kids and ced him back on the ground, "Come on, let''s find another ce". Chapter 38 The Vampress And Lordship ?[sh back end] Sato sat down on a small rock with his body soaked from top to bottom. He had a deadpan look on his face as he stared at Erza. "Why are you looking at me like that?" Erza asserted , with her arms tucked as she stood in front of Sato staring down at him. Sighing Sato looked back at her, "I get that I saw your panties and all, but let''s be honest, it wasn''t something worth getting angry for¡­ if anything you should be apologizing, you should be thanking me for lo-". "Speak any longer and I''ll roast you alive where you sit." Erza threatened, her eyes glowing red with the wing symbol, shing as she put out a sadistic expression. Sato sighed again, a hot steam left his body which caused his dress to dry off almost instantly. <> ''Yeah, I figured that out already.'' Sato muttered to himself. He stood up from the rock he was sitting on and turned his back on Erza. "Hey, I still have some questions to ask you!" Erza yelled. "You''re a vampire aren''t you?" Sato hinted, slowly facing her with a smirk, "Now, I wonder how you ended up on this side of the kingdom". With an irritated expression, Erza clenched her fist, "Do you have any idea who I am?" She asserted. "No, I don''t, and frankly, I don''t wanna-" "I am the daughter of the Vampire lord of the Trinity, Duke d¡­" "d? You''re his daughter?" Sato asked with a bit of shock in his tone. "Oh?" Erza muttered with a teasing grin, "Is that fear I sense? Well it''s expected, my father is the vampire lord after all". "Shut up for a second!" Sato yelled, grabbing Erza''s arm and pulling her close with force which left her surprised. "Tell me, does your father have anything to do with the recent vampire attacks happening in the witch''s forest?" Sato asked with a serious look on his face. His expression left Erza stunned for a while before she came back to her senses. "Get off me!" She yelled. Erza pulled her arm away from Sato''s grip, "What the hell is wrong with you? What do you mean by vampire attacks?" She voiced out. "So you don''t know about it then." Sato said, looking at the groove for a while before he turned his back on Erza again. "Sorry for the way I held you." Sato apologized, getting ready to leap back up to the cliff so he could find the cats. "Wait." Erza uttered, "Pl¡­Please wait." She uttered again with her cheeks a bit red in embarrassment. Sato paused, looking at Erza who had her eyes swaying around as she rubbed her arm as if shy of what she was about to say. She kept looking at Sato and the ground until she finally had the courage to tell out what she wanted to say. "I don''t know my way around here, please take me back to Tamron!" Erza yelled. "Eh?" Sato gave out a weird expression. "I know it''s too much to ask after I¡­ Uhm¡­". "Kicked me in the face?" "Y¡­Yeah, that." "Uhm?" Sato tilted his head to the side with a puzzled expression as he stared at Erza. Erza grabbed dress, squeezing it tightly as she stared at the ground flustered. "I¡­ uhmm..". Satoughed, "Hey, it''s not funny!" Erza shouted. "I''m sorry, I know I shouldn''t beughing, but how hard is it for ady to ask for help and just apologize?" Sato said, with a tear in his eye afterughing so hard. "What?! You apologize too then, you did look¡­look up my skirt!" Feeling more flustered, she yelled facing the sky as she tried to hide her face. "You''re right." Sato walked toward her, he grabbed her hand, "I''m sorry, was that okay?" He asked. "Yeah¡­ I guess so". "Great, now step back." "Uhn." All of a sudden, Sato pulled her toward him, as a ball of water began to cover them from his feet up like an egg. Erza was shocked yet again, that was until she heard the howling of multiple wolves charging toward their position. "Are those?." Erza said, falling on the floor of water from the previous pull. She immediately stood to her feet, looking around to see that she was in a cocoon of water. "Where am I?" Erza asked as she slowly stood to her feet, looking around to see how beautiful the inside of the water cocoon was. Gboom! The water cocoon began to vibrate like something was smashing against it continuously. "Looks like they are after you." Sato said with a smile, "Hold on". He grabbed Erza on the waist and pulled her close. Erza was flustered as her hands rested on Sato''s chest with her face close to his. "Shall we." Sato muttered. The cocoon burst open with sharp water waves following right after. All the werewolves moved back to avoid getting killed by the waves. Once the water was down, Satonded on the ground with his arms still wrapped around Erza''s waist. "Well well well, what do we have here?" One of the wolves uttered, walking slowly to the left with its eyes fixed on Sato. "Who are you and what do you want?" Erza asserted. The wolf transformed into a man, wearing a ck fury coat with a high hat on his head and a one-eyed high ss. "Erza, the daughter of d the Vampire lord, you''vee quite far away from home." The man said with a smirk. "Who the hell are you?" Erza asked again. Sato just stood there watching as the other wolves tried to surround him without letting them know. "Here''s an offer,e with me and he doesn''t get hurt." The man said. "He? What do you mean by, he?" Erza voiced out, getting angry at the way the man was staring at her. The man tapped his finger and a dark smoke gushed out from underneath his feet which materialized into Sebastian, Erza''s butler. Feeling enraged after seeing her butler badly wounded on the ground, Erza pulled away from Sato and stormed toward the man with her eyes glowing. "How dare you?!" She yelled, the groove erupting inva as earthquakes began to build up and the sky turned darker. Chapter 39 20 Minutes Remaining, The Shadow Wolf Poison. ?The man looked around him to see the earth cracking up and bursting with Larva all around him. Even the other wolves had begun moving away from Sato and Erza since they didn''t want to be burnt by therva. With his finger positioning his sses, the man uttered, "So, you possess the eye too, I see,". "Give him back to me." Erza voiced out, her hair dancing in the wind as the destruction around her began to intensify. "You must have the idea that you have the upper hand here, but here''s the thing, the only reason I haven''t killed you yet¡­ is because I still need you alive!" The man yelled. A huge rush of ck smoke showed up behind him and formed into multiple dark-looking shadow wolves that immediately charged at Erza. Erza pointed her finger at them and began shooting out fast-moving icicles, but they proved useless. The wolves turned into smoke and merged back together, once they had gotten close to Erza, they leaped to the sky in unison. Forming into a huge shadow wolf, it was still in mid-air and was about to pounce on Erza. Erza fired as many icicles as she could muster but no physical attack was affecting it, this left her in a state of panic. The wolf was about to pounce on Erza when out of nowhere, a huge dark mist covered it up which caused it to fall to the ground right in front of her. The wolf swarmed around, trying to escape the mist. it turned into dust and splitted into multiple wolves but it still couldn''t escaped the dark mist. The dark wolf howled in pain before its whole body began to fade into the mist with no sign of regeneration. After a few minutes of fighting, the wolf waspletely devoured by the mist. The dark mist returned to Sato''s hand after it had finished with the wolf. As soon as she whole dark mist had returned to his hand, Sato closed his fist with his eyes focused on Erza, ''That was close''. Erza and the man had stunned looks on their faces as they looked at Sato who still had a casual look on his face. ''Did he just¡­ destroy all my hounds with a single attack?... Who the hell is this guy?'' The man thought to himself as he stared at Sato. "Are you okay?" Sato asked Erza before standing beside her. "How did you do that?" Erza raised a question, lifting Sato''s hand and examining it to see where the mist came from. "W..what are you doing?" Sato stammered. "Be honest with me¡­ what are you? there''s no way a mare human to do something like that." Erza said with a serious look on her face. Sato didn''t reply, he was still trying to fight the embarrassment he was feeling from the way Erza was holding his hand close to her chest. He could see a clear view of her cleavage and her beautiful face that was pulled close to his. "Ah¡­emmm," Sato mumbled. He then suddenly sensed somethinging from underneath where they stood. "Jump!" Sato yelled, he grabbed Erza''s hand and leaped to the sky only to encounter a vampire that suddenly turned up out of nowhere behind him. The vampire kicked Sato in the arm which pushed him back and caused him to let go of Erza''s hand. She fell to the ground with a shadow wolf charging from the ground and biting her arm. Grunting, Erza ced her other hand on the wolf''s head and a bolt of straight lightning fell from the sky andnded on the wolf causing it to shatter. Once the wolf was gone, Erza fell to the ground, t on her stomach and she slowly started falling unconscious. Green glowing streaks started showing on her arm and were slowly spreading to her shoulder, the streaks themselves were beating in ordance with her heartbeat. Satonded and slid on the ground with his eyes still set on Erza. <> ''Heart poison?'' Sato asked. <> ''You''re telling me she was poisoned?'' <> <> ''I see, I let my guard down, that''s on me.'' Sato muttered to himself, standing to her feet to see a vampire standing in front of him and also surrounded by wolves. <<18 mins>> "Hey Traveller, I''ve seen the power you possess, it''s quite impressive¡­ how about you join me," Phen uttered, cing his giant axe on his shoulder with a smug look on his face. "Why are you here? You should be rounding up the Cat people." The wolfman said, using his hand to straighten his hat. ''I guess I have no choice, my mask isn''t with, pretty sure the vampire knows my face already.'' Sato said to himself, watching as Phen and the werewolfmunicated. "I was a bit distracted, you see." Phen replied, "A bug ruined the n and the Cats escaped, call it fate but you know, can''t be helped." "The deal was, we take out the Duke''s daughter and you gather more pawns, how could you fail such a simple task." The wolf man said, looking down at the vampire. "No fret, there''s another Vige just south of here, I believe it belongs to some mermaids, I''ll raid that to make up for the failure." Phen replied with a smirk. <<15 mins>> "Hey!" Sato voiced out, catching the attention of both the vampire and wolf man. They both switched their attention to him as soon as Sato spoke. "Does the traveler have something to say? Killing you is still on my list if only you''ll be patient." Phen teased. "Sorry boys, but here''s the thing, I don''t have time to waste, so answer me this, who is behind this little master n of yours?" Sato asked with a foreshadowed expression. The wolfmanughed, "You wanna who''s behind what n? Wow, you''re stupid." He insulted. "Is that a no then?" Sato asked silently. "Okay, you''re getting too cocky." Phen said, mming his axe on the groove and walking slowly toward Sato. Sighing, Sato sent a re at them, causing a wide range of magic energy to whoosh out of his body. The heavy wind blew all around the area, pushing all the wolves and the vampire back. Sato raised his right arm to the sky, and a huge dark me tornado began to form on his hand with his eyes glowing green. ............. A/N If you enjoyed the story so far, please be show your support bymenting or power stone. I''d really appreciate it. Chapter 40 What Are You? ?Phen and the rest moved back a bit after seeing the huge ck swirling mes that were dancing on Sato''s palm. With a grin, Phen tightened the grip on his axe while staring at the ck mes, "I knew you were no normal human, hehe you''re a monster!" He yelled in excitement. "You blood-sucking idiot, this is no time to be having fun, he''s going to kill us all if we don''t make a run for it." The wolfman uttered. He transformed into a wolf and began running alongside the rest of his pack, leaving Erza on the ground weakened and unconscious. Although she was weak, she could still see Sato when she tilted her head a bit to look behind her. She could see a male, with green glowing eyes, standing with a force of ck mes whooshing out of his hands and to the sky. ''You¡­what are yiu.'' Erza muttered, resting her head back on the ground while still fighting the pain she was feeling in her left hand. <> ''Perfect¡­ begin.'' Sato said to himself, striking the swirling mes down on the masses of werewolves and vampires that were in front of him. The mes ripped the earth apart, and every enemy it came in contact with. Phen tried blocking the mes with this axe, but the force which the dark mes were using to swirl caused Phen''s upper body to rip off from his lower half and die. Erza witnessed everything, watching as the mes tore every wolf apart with its force. For some reason she wasn''t affected by it, the mes were just passing right through her with no harm done. But she couldn''t help but feel restless, seeing people get ripped to shreds right in front of her. After a few more minutes, the poison in her body started to kick in and she fell unconscious. ...... [sh back] It was a cold and dark night in d''s mansion. d and his kid Christen who was only 9 years old at the time were seated outside looking at the night sky. "Father, I wanna know how to fight." Christen said with his foot scattering the sand as he wore a gloomy look on. "You want to fight?" d asked, he hax an open white colored robe on and a blue flip-flop. Both he and his son were seated at the passageway where no one would dare to pass since it was d''s quiet ce. "Yes, I wanna know how to fight just like you, and do the eye thingy¡­ so I don''t get bullied anymore, I wanna be just as strong as Damian." Christen responded with the same sad expression. After hearing what Christen said, d burst intoughter. "Hey! I''m serious here¡­ I really wanna be strong!" Christen yelled. "Of course you do, and that''s a good thing." d said, standing to his feet and cing his hand on Christen''s head, "Wanting power is not a bad thing son, but remember¡­ use your strength to help and give to others not take away for selfish agendas, that is where your true strength lies". "I understand." Christen replied with a nod, "So does that mean you''ll teach me how to use the eye?" He asked with a smile. "I doubt you are able to use the¡­". "Duke d! Please, your attention is needed, it''s the young mistress!" A feminine voice yelled from behind the door, panting as if she had been running for hours. d and Christen immediately followed the maid to Erza''s room. Multiple maids gathered in front of her room, fear written all over their faces as they looked inside. "What''s going on here?" d asked. As soon as they heard d''s voice, all the maids moved away from the entrance to create a path for him to pass. Not wasting any time, d and his son walked into the room and what they saw left thempletely frozen in shock. d immediately covered Christen''s eyes with his right hand so he wouldn''t catch sight of the horror that was in the room. Two maids were lying dead on the ground, with their heads blown off from the shoulder and their guts ripped open with their insides scattered on the floor. "I see, so this was your doing," d said, looking to the right to see small Erza tucked in the corner. She was shaking in fear with tears dropping from her red glowing eyes as she stared at the gore that was in front of her. Her white dress was soaked in blood and her face had the same pattern, but no one could dismiss the face of trauma that was written on her face. d shut his eyes and took a deep breath, Baam! He immediately opened his eyes back, this time it was glowing red with the symbol of a ram. He gazed at Erza for a while before she fell unconscious In the pool of blood, with tears still lingering around her eyes. ...... [End of shback] Erza slowly opened her eyes, and the first thing she saw was the wooden ceiling that was embellished with different colors ofmps. ''What¡­happened?'' She muttered to herself. "Ahhh, I see you''re awake." Hearing his voice, Erza slowly turned to see Sato, with his head resting on his arms while he stared at her with a smile. As soon as she spotted him, Erza jolted up from the bed and wanted to grab hold of Sato''s neck only to have a sword aimed at her from the back. "Please control yourself." Elena said, standing behind Erza on the bed with her short de. Erza''s fingers were almost close to Sato''s neck but he didn''t show any sign of fear. "Where am I?" Erza asked in a cold tone. "That''s a funny way to thank your helper." Sato uttered, he stood to his feet and walked over to the small desk at the side of the room. The room wasn''t that big, it had only one bed and a couple of pieces of equipment resting at the corners. Erza remembered when Sato destroyed all the wolves that were after her. "It was you. You were the one that killed them." She said. Sato paused with his back still turned. "What are you? You killed them all with just one attack." Erza muttered, "I''ve never seen anything like it". Sato didn''t look back, he was still paused and didn''t utter a word. <>. Chapter 41 The Bulter Meet Up. ?<>. ''Shut up, Helix!'' Sato shouted, ''Hold up,e to think of it, I didn''t feel anything when I killed them¡­ but I did kill living breathing people,''. "Oi!" Erza shouted. Sato sighed, ''Maybe I''m overthinking this, they were the enemy, right Helix?'' He asked. <> ''Well, I get that''. <> ''Okay, I get it''. Sato suddenly felt someone tap his shoulder. He instinctively turned and saw Yuri standing behind him with her face drawn close to his. "Yuri?" He muttered. "Are you alright master? You were spaced out for a while." Yuri said, using her hand to rub Sato''s head. Sato paused, looking at how she was smiling wholeheartedly while patting his head. "W..What are you doing?" Sato asked. Yuri immediately removed her hand and moved back with a sparkling look on her face, "So? Do you feel better now? I read it in one of master''s memories that you enjoyed head Pats¡­ hehe." She said smugly, with her middle rubbing under her nose. "I see." Sato said with a straight face on the outside but on the inside, ''What the hell?! When did you show her that part of my memories¡­Helix? Helix?!''. Sato kept calling out but he got no response from her. He sighed, ''Well, I guess I''ll discuss thatter, for now¡­ I should deal with her case.'' Sato muttered before walking over to Erza. He sat down on the chair with Yuri standing behind him while Erzay on the bed with Elena standing on the opposite side. "What was your question again?" Sato inquired of Erza. She first grunted in response to his question, "Where am I?" Erza asked. "Hmmm¡­ you''re in my vige Avalon." Sato responded, "Now before you say anything, no it has not been recorded by the king so the name isn''t official". Erza tilted her head to the side with a confused expression on her face, "So you just decided this ce to be Avalon on your own, isn''t that rather dumb?" She asked. ''I feel like she''s trying to mess with me.'' Sato said to himself with a wierd smile on his face before replying, "Well no, it just seemed like the most appropriate name". Erza paused for a while, "I''d like to speak to the one in charge." She said. "I just told you, this is my vige," Sato responded. Erza paused again, she looked at both na and Yuri''s faces to see if there was a chance Sato was lying. "It appears you are telling the truth." "Of course I am!" Sato shouted with a hint of frustration, "Geez, keep up already". Not long after, Deka''s yelling was heard outside the building. "Listen here, keep calm, or I''ll be forced to attack!". "Shut up and show me where the Lady is this instant." "The hell is your problem, you blood-sucking weirdo, let go of me". "What''s all the noise about?" Sato uttered, standing up from the chair and walking outside with Yuri walking behind him. "That voice¡­ sounds just like Sebastian," Erza said, she immediately removed the nket covering her legs and was about to stand up till Elena aimed her sword. "Bold of you to aim that at me a second time" Erza voiced, her leg halfway on the ground as she looked at Elena. "You have a deadly aura, I can tell¡­" Elena pulled her sword back, "As long as you promise you aren''t a threat, then we are good,". ... Sato walked out of the building to see elves gathering in a circle. ''The hell is going on there.'' Sato said to himself, he walked over to them and was quick to notice Sebastian in the middle. "Deka, what is the problem here?" Sato voiced out. Everyone''s eyes immediately fell on him, "lord Sato." They called out in unison before clearing a path for him to pass. "Lord Sato, d you showed up¡­ the guest you brought in is causing quite a bit of trouble." Deka reported with his scythe behind him. "So you''re the one in charge here!" Sebastian yelled, he had his left arm around Jiro''s neck and his other arm holding a pointy metal. "Yes, I am." Sato responded. Sebastian grunted, "Interesting,". He threw Jiro to the ground and charged toward Sato in the blink of an eye. A wild wind blew as soon as his foot left the ground. Sebastian was so close to punching Sato but Yuri suddenly appeared in front of him and held the punch with her hand. Sebastian was forced to cease his advance when his hand started rotting. "What?" He muttered. He could feel his blood drying up the longer Yuri held his hand, looking up at her, Sebastian could see the horror deep inside her glowing eyes. He felt to his knees and tried using his other hand to punch her but she held it and added the same rotting effect leaving Sebestain defenseless. "Yuri, that''s enough." Sato ordered. "Master, you are way too kind. This Margot deserves a painful death for trying to attack you." Sato sighed, "Yuri!" He called out with a bit of assertiveness. She immediately let go of Sebastian''s hand, leaving him to fall to the ground, panting as his dried-up hand started healing itself. Yuri turned to look at Sato, "Master? are you angry at me? I''m sorry" She sobbed. " I''m not angry, but you don''t have to kill him, remember he''s still our guest," Sato uttered, walking over to Sebastian. As soon as Sato walked past her, Yuri sent a re at Sebastian. "Sorry about that, she can be protective." Sato apologized, giving Sebastian a hand on his feet. "Sebastian." Erza yelled from the entrance. Spotting her, Sebastian ran towards Erza and bowed his head when he got close, "Are you hurt Mdy?" He asked. "I should be asking you that, I''m d to see you survived." Erza said with a smile on her face. "I''m just as surprised, I just woke up and found myself here¡­ one of the little helpers told me you were here and I just had to confirm, I initially thought you were being kept prisoner here." He expressed. "Same thing happened to me." Erza uttered, looking at Sato who had a smile on his face and was twinkling his fingers at her. Chapter 42 A Vampires Hunger ?Sato, Erza, and Sebastian sat down inside Sato''s office. While Sato sat down on the small pillow that was on the ground, Erza and Sebastian knelt in front of him. Deka and Grion stood guard outside the office while Divanchi and Yuri stood behind Sato. Diana walked in with a tray of drinks in her hand and served both Sato and his guest. Once she was done with that, she walked toward Sato and knelt down beside him before moving her lips closer to her ear. "Lord Sato, the beast man is here to buy the corn fromst week," Diana whispered. ''Damn, I totally forgot about that.'' Sato said to himself, "Give it to him, but only the 20 corns, don''t take any more than that." He whispered back. "As you wish." Said Daina, she stood up and bowed to Erza again before walking out. Once she was gone, Sato cleared his throat to draw both Erza and Sebastian''s attention. "So, where were we?" He voiced out. Erza took a deep breath and forcefully pushed Sebastian''s head to the ground before bowing her head too. "I feel we should apologize," Erza said calmly. "Mdy!" Sebastian voiced. "Despite the fact that you saved us in dire need, we still treated you badly. I might be the daughter of the duke but even I know the limits to pass. I''ll take any punishment you see fit, regarding my ignorance." She asserted. "No!" Sebastian yelled and stood up from the ground, he ced his hand on his chest as he stared down at Sato, "If you should punish anyone it should be me, I''m sorry but hurting her is out of the option." He uttered. "Sebastian, what the hell are you doing?!" Erza yelled. Sato immediately burst intoughter. Erza and Sebastian both looked at him with puzzled expressions on their faces. "What''s so funny?" Erza asked. Slowly calming himself down, Sato voiced "I never said I was going to punish you, rx, I''m not that tough, to begin with." He expressed. "You''re letting us go?" Sebastian raised a question. "Yes but, I request you tell me who attacked you and why." Sato said with a small smirk on his face. After hearing what Sato said, Erza and Sebastian sat down on the ground and instantly had a serious looks on their faces. "The werewolves." Sebastian voiced. Divanchi gasped silently before looking at Sato''s face to see that he was concentrating on what Sebastian was saying. ''I should probably keep it to myself for now.'' She said. "I cannot say much about the matter but I''m certain we were attacked by wolves." Sebastian exined. "If that''s the case, why was a vampire working alongside the werewolves?" Sato asked. "A vampire?" Sebastian questioned confusingly. He turned to look at Erza but she gave him back a calm look. "He''s telling the truth. A particr vampire was there, he had a huge weapon with him." Erza reported. "Do you know his name?" Sebastian asked aggressively, going on all fours to move closer to her. "I don''t know, I was poisoned halfway through the time, I can''t even tell you what he looks like." Erza voiced out. "Phen". Erza and Sebastian turned to look at Sato after they heard his voice. "Phen was the name of the vampire." Sato said calmly, "I''m certain of that". Sebastian''s eyes widened in shock before he went back to sitting, ''Are the Hakiku family turning against Duke d?'' He questioned in his mind. He stood up from the ground, "This is an important message that I need to tell the master, I''d appreciate it if you would let us depart immediately." Sebastian voiced out with an impatient tone. "Sure¡­ but on the condition that Ie with you?" Sato uttered with a grin. "You want to follow us to Tamron?" Erza asked. "Well, you need an escort out of the forest of Witches, not like you know your way around here, do you?" Sato asked. "I guess not." Sebastian responded. "Then it settled then." Grunting, Sato stood up from the ground, "We''ll head to Tamron tomorrow morning". Yuri immediately grabbed his hands and pulled them close to her chest, "I want toe along." She said with a pleading look. "Hey no fair, I want to be on the escort too." Divanchi inserted. Sato sighed, "I need one of you to go help search for the Cat people I wanted to rescue a while back instead.". They both moved back, neither one of them wanting to take up that request. "Anyone who goes on that mission gets to see the movies I have stored up in my memories." Sato negotiated. Divanchi instantly dropped to her knees with a cry, "How can you be so cruel?¡­ leaving me to choose between my master and the movies I enjoy." Divanchi sobbed dramatically. "3¡­2¡­1¡­" "Fine, I''ll do it!" Davanchi yelled instantly. "Awesome," Sato smiled, "So yuri, we hitting Tamron tomorrow". He informed. "As you wish" Yuri said with a look of triumph on her face as she red at Divanchi. Once he was done with them, he turned to look at Sebastian, "Are you cool with that?" He asked. "I don''t mind, what about you Midy?" Sebastian asked, turning to see Erza panting while facing the ground. "Mdy?." Sebastian called out again. He moved closer to her and ced his hand on her shoulder, "Midy? Are you okay?". Erza groaned, grabbing Sebastian''s hand and flinging him out of the office in the blink of an eye. ''Oh shit!'' Sato voiced in his mind, looking at how Erza''s eyes were glowing red and she was panting heavily. "Oi! You okay?" Divanchi asked. <> ''O right, you did mention that before.'' Sato said, a knife materialized in his hand as he walked slowly to Erza. He bent before slitting his wrist in front of Erza with no hesitation, forcing her to fight herself as she watched his blood drip to the ground. "Master." Yuri muttered. "Hey, you can have my blood if you want¡­" Erza immediately pushed Sato to the ground, grabbed his wrist, and began sucking his blood as hard as she could. Painting with every gulp she took, Satoid on his back with his hand on her hand as she sucked. Her entire body rubbing against Sato, as she moaned from the pleasure she was feeling. Erza wrapped her leg around Sato''s leg, using her left hand to rub his chest and stomach as she continued drinking his blood. Sebastian entered the office and found Erzaying on Sato, sucking his blood as her body began to glow. He was shocked, "No way¡­" Sebastian muttered. "Ahhhh, why is her body glowing like that?" Sato asked with a bit of panic. Erza soon fell asleep on his chest, smiling with pleasure while still holding Sato''s hand. "Sebastian? The hell is going on?" Sato asked again. ...... Author''s note I would really appreciate yourment and support of this novel with your power stones. Your activements would motivate me to write more chapters. Chapter 43 Sex With A Soul Mate! <> ?<> Sato, who was still sleeping, turned to the left after hearing the buzzing sound in his head. <> He immediately opened his eyes, Sato didn''t utter a word, instead, he sat upright and forced his eyes on the door. He was quick to notice the small ray of light shining from the edges. ''Ahhhh, another day.'' Sato muttered to himself with a demotivating look on his face. ''Helix, report'' <> Sato yawned, ''Thanks again Helix, I should probably first inform Giron about the delivery''. Resting his hand, Sato got ready to get down from the bed when he suddenly noticed his hand was pressing against something soft. Sato slowly turned to look, stunned before he even saw what he pressed. His eyes widened in shock when he found Erza sleeping next to him naked with only a nket covering her. His hand covered a hand full of Erza''s left breast. Sato sqweezed it and immediately got a moan out of Erza. ''Ahhh I see¡­'' Sato said with a faint smile, ''My virginity got the better of me, and I¡­ I¡­ oh God I can''t even say it!'' He sobbed, removing his hand her boob. "Hmmm¡­" Erza silently moaned before opening her eyes. The first thing she saw was Sato with a weird expression on his face. "H..Hey, good morning." Sato greeted. Erza sat up straight, her eyes still closing from sleep, once she looked at her leg and saw that she was naked her face immediately turned red from the embarrassment. She slowly looked at Sato with her face sweating bullets, "Did we?." Erza asked. Sato took a deep breath before answering her question, "We did¡­ and I know.. well". Before he could finish his sentence, Erza grabbed his hand and flipped him on the bed before sitting on his gut and moving her face close to his. "The mark," Erza said, using her hand to turn Sato''s face to the side so she could clearly see the tattoo on his neck. "What are you?". "What are the chances¡­ I was lucky enough to find an actual match." Erza said with a smile. "Match? What do you mean by match?" Smiling, Erza moved her lips closer to Sato''s while using her fingers to dig into his hair. Feeling each other''s breath, Erza bit Sato''s lower lips before going in for the kiss. She smooched with little moans following every lip touch. After a while, she stopped and searched Sato''s eyes, "Hey, I need you to do a favor for me." She said. "Depends¡­ I mean I still have to¡­" "Let''s get engaged." Erza voiced, sending a serious look Sato''s way that left him speechless the instant she spoke. ...¡­. [shback] Sebastian stood at the entrance with a shocked expression on his face as he stared at Erza who was busy licking Sato''s face subconsciously. "Master! What are you doing?!" Yuri eximed, slowly moving closer. "I''m not doing anything, I swear!" Sato responded, pushing Erza away, "What the! Get o..off~". "Hey, don''t just stand there, get her off me, she''s surprisingly strong." Sato yelled while looking at Sebastian. Divanchi had an enthusiastic look on her face, watching Sato fight the pleasure he was feeling while Erza licked him. "Don''t worry, I''ll help you." Yuri said. "No!" Sebastian suddenly voiced out, "I won''t allow anyone to interrupt Mdy''s mating". "Mating? You''re not making any sense here my dude." Sato conveyed. <> ''Are you telling me¡­I''m her soulmate?'' Sato put forward a question. <> ''So now I''m supposed to,...'' <> ''A virgin like me¡­ gotta say this is too much to take in at once.'' Sato said, taking a deep breath before looking at Divanchi. "Divanchi, get Yuri out of here." He ordered. Divanchi''s face turned red, poking her fingers against each other, "Does that mean you want to¡­ have¡­ sex with her and don''t want Yuri to find out?" She asked. "No¡­ well yes.. just get her out." Divanchi inhaled, "Is this NTR?!" She yelled. "Get her out!" Giggling, Divanchi sprinted over to Yuri who was getting ready to smash Sebastian''s teeth in. "Hey Yuri, we should go." Divanchi said she held Yuri''s hand and started tugging her outside. "What are you doing? You go alone, why do I have to go when you?! Release me this instant!" Yuri yelled, desperately trying to free herself from Divanchi''s strong grip. "Divanchi!" Yuri yelled, "Master! Don''t you dare make a move on her! Or I swear I''ll!". Divanchi pulled her out before she could finish her sentence. Sato sighed, ''Well, now she''s gone.'' He muttered to himself. "Leader of the elves," Sebastian called out. Sato looked at him. "Take care of Mdy¡­ I''m leaving her in your care, anyone destined to be with her can''t be a bad person. So I''m counting on you." Sebastian said before walking out and closing the door. ''Easy to say, when you''re not a virgin having sex with a freaking vampire for the first time.'' Sato sighed, grabbing Erza by the arm and gently cing her on the ground. He could already see how heavily she was breathing with her eyes closed and her face beet red. ''Okay,'' Sato gulped down his saliva, ''Here I go.'' Sato touched her skin to take off her cloth but it immediately came with a loud moan from Erza. He pulled his hand back, ''What the hell! I didn''t even do anything,'' Sato panicked. Erza suddenly opened her eyes and saw Sato above her with a serious expression on his face as he was slowly moving his hands closer to her breast. She grabbed Sato''s hand and pressed it against her breast with a sexy moan leaving Sato embarrassed. "Please¡­Sato~... I can''t endure it much longer." Erza uttered. ''Sure sure¡­no pressure.'' Sato said, ''Here I go¡­ again''. Chapter 44 Lost It To A Female Vampire << R 18>> ?With his hands resting on her breasts, Sato began to fondle them softly while using his lips to kiss her neck. Erza gave out a silent moans, her fingers digging dip into his hair as she locked her legs around his back. Sato pushed back a bit, searching Erza''s eyes. He could feel her warm breath as she breathed in and out with beet-red cheeks. "You''re surprisingly calm." Sato uttered. "No fair...~ teasing me when you know I''m weak~". He immediately pulled off his top, revealing his muscr chest before tossing his shirt to the ground. Wasting no time, he ripped Erza''s dress, leaving her boobs to bounce from the impact. Erza smiled before locking her arms around Sato''s neck and pulling him close for a kiss. They kept smooching while Sato rubbed both her boobs simultaneously. After a while of feeling each other, Sato slowly moved his hand close to her virgina. He pushed two of his fingers inside, which immediately caused Erza to let out a moan while biting her lower lips. "Ahhh~ Sato". Her legs danced on the sheet, as Sato kept moving his fingers inside her Virginia which was starting to drive Erza crazy. Her lower back lifted from the bed, while her toes still danced as her precum dripped from the middle of her thighs. She pushed him close again and whispered, "M-More~". As much as she enjoyed how slow Sato was taking it, there was a limit to how much she could go with. Shaking her head, Erza pulled Sato by the chest as she looked into his eyes, "I¡­ I want your cock in me". Hearing this, Sato couldn''t help but give out a small chuckle, "You''re so impatient". Sato gently ced his already erected ''Little brother'' inside Erza''s flower once he noticed she was already at the peak of pleasure. Pushing his manhood inside her second lips, Erza moaned, ''It.. it went in~'' She said, looking down to see Sato''s manhood halfway inside her hole. With a grunt, Sato thrust his hips causing his whole thing to enterpletely. ''Ahhh~, It''s huge!~'' Erza moaned, grabbing the bed sheet with her fingers as her eyes rolled up while she opened her mouth with trails of saliva sticking around the opening. Sato grabbed her waist and began pushing his hips back and forth, his manhood kept smashing against Erza''s opening. Her joy juice sshed with every thrust that Sato made. "Sato~" Erza called out. " ''I''m not done yet." Sato uttered. He forcefully pulled Erza from her bed with her arms before turning her butt directly to his erect dick before pushing her on all fours. He shoved his dick in with a groan, Sato smashed with all his might leaning Erzapletely overwhelmed by the lust she was feeling. ...¡­.. Sato immediately snapped back to his senses, staring at Erza who was on top of him with. bit of a puzzled look on his face. ''I for real¡­ lost my virginity to a female vampire.'' Sato said to himself while looking at Erza. "Hey? Are you listening to me?" Erza asked. "Sure." Sato replied. "Sure?" "Getting engaged to a vampire, the daughter of Duke d no less, I''d be a fool to pass on such an offer." Sato replied. "So that''s how it is." Erza muttered, She stood up from Sato and stood on the ground still naked from the previous night. Although Sato was curious as to why she asked him to get engaged out of the blue, he didn''t think asking at the precise time would be right. So he also stood up from the bed also, his clothes immediately materialized around his body as he approached the door. Before opening the door, Sato turned to Erza, "You should get ready, we are moving out to your town this morning as promised." He informed. Erza looked at him, her eyes immediately wandering to the tattoo on Sato''s neck which was formed after she sucked his blood. She turned her face away, "Sure, whatever". That response left Sato frozen shocked, ''Is she angry with me?'' He asked himself. With a smile he uttered, "Not to worry, I promise to get you home with no harm." Sato said before walking out the door. As soon as he got outside, he met Sebastian and Yuri standing outside the door with thier eyes fixed on him. "What are you guys¡­" "How was it?" Sebastian asked curiously, moving closer to Sato, "Were you able to satisfy Midy?". "Master?" Yuri sobbed, "Don''t tell me you slept with that blood sucker¡­ I was supposed to be your first". "Do not insult Mdy by calling her a blood sucker, you witch." Sebastian insulted. "Seems you have a death wish, I''ll dly grant that, fitting for a pitiful creature such as yourself." Yuri responded with dark mana leaking from her body. Sebastian also had dark metal slowly erecting from the ground around him as they both stared at each other aggressively. Sato sighed, ''Helix, track down Giron, would you?¡­'' He requested. <> Sato could suddenly sense where Giron was after Helix''s intervention with his skill [Magic sense]. Once he was able to sense who he was looking for, he began walking away and heard toward Giron. Yuri was quick to notice when Sato left and immediately changed her focus away from Sebastian. "Master?! Don''t leave me with this Idiot!" Yuri yelled before running after Sato. "Seriously¡­ she''s just a witch that causes trouble everywhere." Sebastian said to himself. He looked at the room where Erza was and sighed, ''Mdy was lucky enough to find the person she was fated to be with¡­ and he happens to be the lord of this tiny vige. I''m sure Duke d would be proud.. that said¡­ there might be no time to celebrate, if the Hakiku family are involved with the ambush against Mdy then it''s certain.'' Sebastian thought to himself, clenching his fist as he stared at it, ''We most definitely have a spy in our family''. Click. Sebastian looked up as soon as he heard the door open, his eyes widened in amazement when he saw Erza walk out of the room in a yukata that was left for her. "Mdy" Sebestain muttered. "Are you ready Sebastian?" She asked, "Father must be worried and he has to know we have a betrayal in out mist". ....... A/N I apologise if this chapter is not to your liking, I smut is not really my thing but I''m improving. Thank you for reading. Chapter 45 Arrival, Tamrons Guests. ?[Red District, ruling district of Lord Gigz] "Yes¡­ I understand¡­ I''ll send as many men as I can to look for her." Gigz said, with the telephone close to his ear. His son, Luke, was watching from behind with his personal maid helping him massage his back while he rested his back on the chair. "Not to worry, d, your daughter will be found, I promise you that." Gigz responded, "I''ll let you know if I hear anything". Gigz ced the telephone back on its unit before sighing, "It''s always one problem after the another. To think just the other day we were talking about the engagement". "Father? Is something the problem?" Luke asked, he waved his hands which led to his maid leaving him and walking away. Luke stood up from the chair and walked over to his father who still had a worried look on his face. "You look worried father, I hope all is well?" Luke asked again. "There seems to be a problem with the d''s Family¡­ his daughter was kidnapped recently." Gigz exposed. "What?!" Luke yelled dramatically, walking toward his father and grabbing his arms, "What do you mean she was kidnapped?". "Exactly what I said, son." Gigz responded, forcefully pulling his arm out of his son''s grip. "Although I never told Duke his daughter was kidnapped, all I said was I''d find her. I feel bad but I did the right thing by not letting him know." Gigz continued, ''I know how deadly he can be''. "Who¡­ who was behind this?" Luke asked with an angry foreshadowed look on his face as he stood in one ce. "That is of no concern to you¡­" "Father!" Luke yelled frustratedly, a wide range of fire spread from his feet and burnt everything around him. "Calm down you Idiot, your outburst is not needed." Gigz uttered. The fire around them immediately died down, "Father." Luke said calmly, "I don''t think you understand¡­ I love her, if anything were to happen to her¡­". "Rx, you speak like you don''t know your father, she will be found and I know exactly where to start looking for her". .........¡­.. "Where is she?!" d yelled, grabbing one of the butlers by the shirt as he frowned in anger. Almost every worker that saw that sight was shivering in their knees. d getting angry was a rare sight and always very scary once he does let loose. "S..Sir, we have no idea where¡­" Before the vampire butler couldplete his reply, d used the back of his palm to p him. He went flying halfway across the mansion andnded not too far from the door exit. "You will find my daughter and bring her back at all cost, Do you understand me?!" d shouted in anger. "Y-Yes my lord." The butler replied instantly, bowing his head before running out of the room in fear. d walked over to the couch and sat down, resting his chin on his fist as he began tapping his feet on the ground impatiently. ''It''s been two days already, where the hell did you go?!'' d thought to himself. Rethinking possibilities that could have led to her leaving the vicinity. He initially thought she ran away because she didn''t want to get married to Gigz''s son. But he never knew Erza to be the kind not to speak her mind when she doesn''t like something. While he was in his state of thought, Christian walked into the room, dressed in a red robe and blue pajamas. "I heard Erza is missing, I find that hard to believe considering she never leaves the mansion," Christian uttered as he approached his father. "Hmmm¡­ I tried to keep it from you, but I guess things don''t slip from you easily." d said with a weak smile. "As much as I''d like to take thatpliment, I had to hear that from an outsider¡­ the news isn''t as hidden as you might have thought." Christian revealed. d''s eyes immediately glowed as he stared at Christian, "Are you saying we have a bug?" He asked. "I can''t say for sure, but I know something is going on and we have no idea what." Christian replied. "We have a bug?" d asked again. This time Christian could feel the anger brewing up inside his father''s tone, although his face appeared calm he was slowly starting to feel afraid. "Father¡­ I understand you are upset, and so am I, I have my men looking into it. I promise I''ll get to the bottom." Christian stated. "Do not let me down, Christian." d said. "Of course father." Christian said before walking toward the door. Making the conversation short was the best option for d and he made sure he had the right choice. With each step he took, he could feel the gravity getting heavier as his legs sunk into the ground. Christian peeped back to look at d and was surprised when he noticed the ground behind him had beenpletely imploded with d still sitting on his throne. ''First time I''ve seen father so worked up¡­ I must admit'' Christian said with an excited smile on his face, "It''s very thrilling." He walked out of the room. Christian walked out of the mansion to meet a red wagon packed in front of the house with a female elf sitting in the driver''s seat. ''I didn''t know my father had a guest today.'' Christian said to himself as he walked towards the carriage. The door to the carriage suddenly opened, with Erza''s feet stepping out of the carriage before she fully showed her face. Christian was shocked when he saw her, although this reaction wasn''t for long. His shocked expression was quick to turn into fear when a certain aura immediately leaked out of the carriage. ''What...What the hell is that?'' Christian said to himself. He carefully observed as Sato and Yuri stepped out of the Carriage and stood behind Erza. Christian could sense Sato''s aura, toxic and deadly that he couldn''t help but move back a few feet. ''The hell is that?'' He questioned. With a sigh, Sato rubbed his shoulder, "Damn, that was a long journey." He said. "Master, you never mentioned we wereing to such a ce." Yuri added. "I didn''t? My bad." Sato said, his eyes suddenly locked with Christain, ''Well, now, let''s get this over with''. Chapter 46 The Serpent And The Dragon ?Christian had his eyes fixed on Sato the whole time, he could feel his throat being squeezed from the intense aura he was feeling from Sato''s body. ''This man, he''s not normal in the least.'' Christian said to himself, ''What is my sister doing with a guy like this?! Is he some kind of King bandit? Shit!!,''. His eyes carelessly wandered over to Yuri whose aura was more intense, ''There''s another one?'' He questioned with fear. "Brother? Are you okay?" Erza asked. Christian was quick to snap back to reality, he looked at Erza intensely, "Where have you been?" He questioned. Even though he was speaking to his sister, he couldn''t help but look at Sato every now and then because of how wary he was. "It''s a long story." Erza replied, "But I need to speak to father first". "And them?" Christian asked, looking at Sato and Yuri who were still looking around the area, amazed at how huge it was. "Oh, see." Erza uttered with a smile, "He''s my soon to be husband." She responded. Stunned by the response, Christian immediately pulled Erza closer to him, "Please excuse us." He said to Sato before dragging Erza inside the mansion. "Brother, geez calm. down.. what''s gotten into you?!" Erza shouted as she got dragged in. Sato and Yuri just stood there watching and didn''t utter a word. "Soo?.... What just happened?" Sato asked himself while giving off a deadpan look. "Master?" Yuri called out. "Hmm?" "Are you serious about marrying that bloodsucker?" Yuri asked, her hand ced in front of her as she looked to be ground with a bit of sadness written on her face. Sato was quiet for a while, he turned his attention to Yuri and stood in front of her, "Do you trust me?" He asked. They both looked into each other''s eyes for a while before Yuri responded. "Of course, I do Master, with everything I have". Sato smiled, cing his hand on her head, "Then trust me,". "Hai!" Yuri replied with a smile. Meanwhile, inside d''s mansion...¡­ Christian grabbed Erza''s hand and pushed her in with force. "What the hell are you thinking?!" He yelled. "I should be asking you that, idiot¡­ we left visitors outside, is that any way to treat our guests in d''s family?" Erza uttered. "You little?!" Christian yelled with frustration, "What exactly did you mean by ''Your future husband''?" He asked mockingly. "What do you want me to exin, he''s my future husband, I made that very clear." Erza responded. "What do you think you''re doing?!" Christian panicked, moving closer to her, "Do you realize how worried father is, we all thought you were kidnapped¡­ but you were busy doing what¡­. A HUSBAND''!". "Don''t jump to conclusions, I was ambushed, but I was saved by the man you are letting stand outside in the sun." Erza replied with courage backing her every word. Christain sighed after a while, "You were supposed to get engaged to Luke¡­ Gigz''s son¡­". "Things changed, I found my fated one." Erza chimed in. "Fated one?...." ..... ... "Did you hit your head when you got kidnapped?....". "Shut up!". "Fated one my ass! How can your fated one be a mob boss, a strong one nheless, no vampire has found a fated one in over 500 years at this point, it might as well just be a myth". Christian asserted. "For God''s sake, Erza, were you blind¡­ look at that dude and the intense auraing from him.. there''s no way he can have that kind of power and still be good!" Erza didn''t utter a word until Christian was done ranting his mind out to the point where he was starting to lose his breath. "Eh? Mob boss?" Erza uttered with a poker face. "Don''t tell me you can''t sense his evil intentions?" Christian asked. "There is no evil intent brother, you have the ability to sense things more than most people, you are just overthinking this." Erza put forth a calm look. "Father, how do you think father would react to this?" Christian asked. "How do you think I''d react¡­ tell me". d said, walking slowly down the stairs he looked at Christian but wasn''t able to get a look at Erza since her back was facing him. "Father¡­" Christain muttered, "Well you see¡­ the thing is¡­.". "It''s good to see you, father." Erza voiced out, immediately turning to look at d who responded with a surprised expression. "Erza." d called out before walking toward her, "Where have you been, and where is Sebastian?" He asked. "I know you have a lot of questions, and I''ll definitely answer them, but first I want you to meet someone." Erza hinted. ..... Sato and Yuri were still standing outside the mansion with Elena sitting in the driver''s seat. She was starting to have an impatient look on her face. Squeezing her fist, Elena turned to Sato. "Lord Sato, I''m sorry if I''m speaking out of ce, but making you stand out here in the sun is very disrespectful." Elena asserted. Sato had his back resting on the carriage with his arms tucked, "I see what you mean." He replied. ''What the hell are they doing inside?'' Sato thought to himself. "I agree with her Master, this is no way to treat you." Yuri added, staring at the mansion with hate, "if you wish, I''ll bring this whole ce to its knees." She asserted. "Go right ahead." Sato responded with a tiring groan as he looked at the sky. He suddenly sensed a huge energy pop out of nowhere. When Sato looked down to look he saw Yuri heading toward the mansion with six dark orbs orbiting behind her. Sato immediately yelled, "No, wait I''m joking,". Yuri stopped her advance and looked at Sato, "An, bummer." She said with a sad tone. Sato sighed, ''Remind me not to make a joke about killing with Yuri again.'' He said in his mind. <> <> The door to the mansion suddenly opened, and the whole d family began walking toward Sato. With d being in the front and Christian and Erza standing behind him. The intense aura that was bouncing back and forth between d and Sato¡­ like a serpent approaching a dragon. Chapter 47 A Yandere Vampire?! ?The sound of ss cups hitting each other echoed throughout the kitchen as the maids were setting the tes on the dining table. While that was going on, Sato, Erza, and d sitted in the outside setup room that was designed for guests. There were multiple of patios positioned horizontally in the garden, filled with different colorful flowers and trees. Sebastian, Elena, and Yuri were also seated on one of these Patios. They were keeping an eye on Sato and Erza from afar while trying their best to listen in on the conversation. "Damn it, I can''t hear anything!" Yuri pouted before resting her head on the table, giving in to the stress she was feeling. "Unfortunately, I can''t either." Sebastian added while tapping his finger on the table, "I''m deeply concerned¡­ what if the Master does something". Yuri stared at him for a while, ignoring hisment before changing her focus to Sato, "I could''ve just stayed in your shadow." She muttered to herself. Elena didn''t add to anything, instead, she had her eyes scanning the whole ce at all times, making sure she caught glimpse of everything with her eye Skill. She noticed the maids all had their eyes on Sato and some Vampires were moving into the other side of the garden inrge numbers. "Hey, Yuri?" Elena called out. "Hmm?" Yuri responded, looking at Elena with her head still on the table. Once Yuri locked eyes with Elena, she was able to understand why Elena called her name. ''Oh?'' Yuri uttered, she looked to her left and noticed the vampire''s movement also. All the Vampires were dressed in white uniforms and red belts around their waists, and from what Elena and Yuri observed, they were all moving to a particr location. It didn''t take long for Yuri to also pick up on this, and she knew exactly what the next step would be. With a sigh, Yuri stood up from her chair and walked right in front of Sebastian, blocking his view. "Can I help you with something¡­ witch?" Sebastian asked assertively. "Witch? Ouch,that''s a mean thing to say to a guest." Yuri uttered, with her right middle finger ced on the tip of her lips. "Look I don''t have time for your ¡­." "I need to use the bathroom." Yuri voiced out. Sebastian went quiet for a while before sighing, "Fine, I''ll show you where the restroom is." He uttered, standing from the chair and walking toward the mansion. With a smile on her face, Yuri ran behind Sebastian, "You, know, maybe you''re not such a bad guy after all". "Shut up¡­ Witch". As soon as Sebastian and Yuri walked inside the mansion, Elena stood up from the chair. She had her eyes on Sato before she got ready to make her advance, "I won''t fail this." Elena uttered. She pulled the ck cloth that was wrapped around her neck and covered her nose with it before running straight into the garden. Sato, who was seated far away from there on the other Patio with d, could tell what both Yuri and Elena were up to. Seated on the two-seater couch with Erza beside him, Sato zoomed his eye focus to the garden and could also see the Vampires. ''I see they''ve picked up on it, I''m impressed.'' Sato said to himself with a smile as he watched Elena run. <> ''Nice, vampires are tricky¡­. I''d hate to lose any one of my people.'' Sato expressed. <> "Sato Inugami, am I right?" d questioned, he sat down on his single-seater gantly as he faced Sato. "You are correct." Sato responded, ''Wait¡­ I don''t think I told him my name''. "From what my daughter told me, you saved her from her kidnappers¡­ I must thank you for that." d voiced. "That said, there was something she mentioned that really came as a shock to me¡­ She ims you are her fated one, a vampire getting a fated one hasn''t bee heard in years, so you can imagine my surprise." d put forth with a straight expression. ''Depending on how I answer, my n might either fail or move up to the next stage.'' Sato thought to himself while looking at Erza. With a deep breath, he replied, "I believe so, but, I do feel honored to be her ''fated one'' and would love to be engaged to her". d hummed in response to what Sato said, "Are you aware of the vampire''s tradition? Erza is sooto get engaged to someone before, if you hopetake his ce¡­ I believe you know what must be done?" He asked. Sato went silent, looking at d and Erza who both had their eyes on him in anticipation of his answer. "I believe to take his ce, I have to battle him in a test of strength," Sato hinted, "If that''s the case... then I''d dly do so". "Even though you haven''t met him before?" Vald asked. "That wouldn''t change anything." Sato replied. "You sure are a brave one, or maybe you''re just stupid." d uttered before bursting intoughter. "Very well then." d said before standing up from the couch, "The battle will hold tomorrow, I hope you are prepared". "Wait, that''s it?" Sato asked with a puzzled expression on his face, "You don''t need my introduction or anything?". d smiled, "I''ll see you tomorrow¡­ Sato Inugami." He uttered before walking away. As soon as d left the Patio, Erza dropped to the ground on all four with a reliving smile leaving her mouth. "Are you okay?" Sato asked. A wierd smile made its way to Erza''s face as she looked at Sato while still on the ground. "That went smoother than expected." Erza uttered, "Ahhh, I''m d that''s over". ¡­. ... "Do you hate the person you are currently engaged to?" Sato asked. "Hate?". "I mean, you were quick to ask me to get engaged to you just because you saw this tattoo with me¡­. I don''t think one falls in love that quick¡­.". "But Vampires do," Erza chimed in, "The moment we take in our fated one''s blood is like being addicted to your favorite thing". "Addicted uhn?" Sato said, resting his head on the couch more as he looked to the sky. "Yes." Erza voiced, standing up from the chair and immediately grabbing Sato by the throat before sitting on hisp. "Why so violent." Sato uttered calmly. "Look at me." Erza said, pulling her face closer to Sato''s, "I''m yours, I need you to understand that, so¡­ don''t even think about doing anything with any other woman besides me, you understand don''t you?" She asked with a smile. "Cross my heart." Sato responded, ''Yandere vampire? Interesting. Chapter 48 Are They A Cult? Spy On The Vamps ?"Here you go, sir." The female maid said, dressed in a french maid outfit, she turned the knob opening the door to the extravagant room. Sato stood at the entrance,pletely astonished at the sight. Even in his is world, Sato had never seen one room as big as the whole of a house. He looked at the maid, "Did you call this a room?" Sato asked. "Was I mistaken? Midy told me to get you a room." The maid responded, "Oh my, did I misunderstand? I''m such an idiot, Idiot me." She began panicking with both of her palms resting on her cheeks as she moved her head left and right. "No no,I did the mistake, not you." Sato put forth, trying to calm her down. "Oh? Then please do make yourself at home." The maid uttered with a smile before walking away. Sato sighed, looking at the maid as she walked away. ''Being a Duke must be freaking amazing.'' Sato thought to himself, staring inside the room. With a gulp of his saliva, he took a step into the room and the whole ce immediately lit up. <> ''Information?'' Sato questioned, ''You mean, you can learn a person''s personal information just from that?''. <> Sigh¡­.. ''So, d is keeping an eye on me now.'' <> ''Wouldn''t hurt to be a bit wary, if you notice a slight change, inform me immediately''. <> "Great, now". Sato walked into the room, the further he went the more the room began to respond to him. The curtains spread open, the bed had light shown from under, and fairy like glowing insects were swarming the ceiling adding more life to the ce. "No joke, d must be swimming in cash." <> "Uhm?" <> Sato immediately gave out a foreshadowed look, "You are getting cocky aren''t you?". <> "Ahhhh, Of course, you don''t." Sato uttered, looking at the bed, ''Let''s hope Elena and Yuri learn something''. ......¡­.. Yuri walked out of the small bathroom that was ced at the back of the main garden near the mansion. She first looked around her, making sure that no one was around her and spying. ''Lord Sato?!'' Yuri called out. [Yuri, I told you to only contact me via telepathy when it''s important]. Sato replied. ''But it is important.'' Yuri pouted, walking in the garden while being wary of her surroundings. ["Sigh", Very well, be quick, I was in the middle of something] ''Something?'' [You don''t have to concern yourself with that]. Yuri stopped walking and stood still for a while, ''Alright then, I''ll go straight to the point, Elena spotted some vampires moving into a particr ce, she''s currently tailing them as we speak''. [I know about that already] ''Y¡­You do?'' Yuri asked with a flustered expression. [Yes, while we are on that note, I want you to go with her.] ''I thought I was supposed to keep an eye on the garden?''. [Things have changed, I can tell Elena is going to need a back up] "Master?" [...] "Both Elena and i have no idea why we are spying on the Vampires." Yuri said with a calm tone before she continued, "Do you consider the vampires our enemy?". [Quite the opposite, I need them to be on our good side¡­ are you worried about something?] "No, I trust you wholeheartedly," Yuri uttered, suddenly three vampires show up in front of her walking out of the bushes. She sighed, ''I''ll let you know once there¡­ okay tnx''. Once the telepathic connection between her and Sato had been disconnected, Yuri faced the Vampires that were approaching her. "You shouldn''t be here." The female vampire voiced out. She had long red hair and wore a white military outfit with a sword in her right hand while two other female vampires stood behind her. "You are?" Yuri asked. "2nd toon leader the nightHawks, Jessica Veldezi." The female vampire introduced herself before pulling her sword out. "I''m going to ask you to leave this ce, it''s confidential." Jessica asserted. "One, two, three¡­ there are only three of you, I''m pretty disappointed, you should havee with alot more." Yuri muttered with an excited smile on her face. A dark mist started building up from her feet and before long the whole ce had changed its atmosphere. The ce was covered in dark mist all the way to the Vampires''s position. The vampires were immediately put to alert when they looked up at Yuri and saw the monstrous smile that was on her face. "Ladies, be on alert." Jessica said, leaning her upper body down a bit while stretching her sword to the side with red lightning covering it. Yuri ced her right hand on her chest while using her other hand to dig her hair from the front. "Ahhhh~, it''s been a while since I had a battle¡­ please~, allow me¡­.to Escort you to the afterlife!" Yuri yelled beforeunching herself forward. Meanwhile¡­.. Elena hid behind a huge rock that rested on the right side of the garden. In the middle of this garden were about 50 different vampires, all dressed in the same uniform and standing in a well-positioned manner. ''Is this some kind of cult?'' Elena uttered to herself. She slowly changed her view and began to spy from the left side of the tree. While the vampires were waiting in line, an individual dressed in an all-ck cloak suddenly showed up with a pop of smoke. The individual stood in front of the vampire crowd with his face still covered. "How are you, my brothers?" The individual masculine tone voiced out. The vampires just stood still, paying full attention to whatever the person was about to put out. "Shall we begin.. the dawn of the Demonic eye of Salvaton!". Chapter 49 A Ghost In A Vampires Mist ?The man in the ck cloak spread his arms separately as he stared down at the gathered vampires while he stood on a rock. "Let me introduce myself, I believe most of you don''t know who I am¡­ my name is Gudan, the leading member of the council, representative of the Ghost race". The man introduced, "You are honoured to have me stand in your presence". The whole crowd gasped in shock, moving away from the man while cing their hands on their weapons. Elena who was still hiding and spying on them was also shocked when she heard what the man said. ''A ghost? What is a ghost doing with the vampires?'' She questioned. One of the vampires in the crowd walked forward with his sword aimed at the cloaked man from afar. He had red hair with a gx haircut that wasplimented with a smooth and long pathing at the side. Standing brave he uttered, "You''ve got some nerveing here with no backup, reveal your face". The man in the cloak sighed in disappointment, dropping his hand as he looked at the vampire. "After I came up with the perfect introduction¡­ geez, tough crowd." The man said, pulling the cloak and revealing his face. Although he had a neck, but his head wasn''t connected to it, instead it was hovering above it. His right eye had a long scar that started from the right side of his forehead, over his closed right eye, and all the way to his lower cheeks. There was no hair on his head, instead was reced with a blue me that kept burning upward to a certain limit. Everyone could see this and was immediately alerted. Vampires and Ghost never get along, in fact, the Ghost race hardly gets along with any other race, because of thier mentality to exist in the shadows and obsession over power. "You are part of the council? What is a member of the council of three doing here?" The vampire asked before pulling his sword down. "You are quite the talkative aren''t you?" Gudan asserted. He suddenly tapped his finger and multiple ghosts with different shapes and colors started appearing around the vampires. "What the hell?!" "There are ghosts everywhere!" "Stay on guard, the hell." All the vampires took a defensive stance, getting ready to strike if the ghost were to make any sudden moves. "Rx bloodsuckers, hissssssss if anything, hissssss, you should be inviting us." One of the ghosts who appeared in a serpent form with spider legs uttered. "Shut up!" A short vampire yelled, charging straight at the crowd with mes covering his fist. Before he could get close to the ghosts, a small shadow portal appeared on the ground right before a vampire dressed in a red military outfit sunk out of it. The man held the vampire''s fist with one hand which immediately put out the fire and stopped the short vampire in his track. "C¡­Commander Slevin." The short vampire stammered as he stared at the dressed-in red vampire. "Stand down." Selvin said while staring at the short vampire with his eyes glowing. The vampire immediately stepped back and bowed his head, "I apologize, Commander!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. Out of nowhere, Gudan burst intoughter, "Very good, Very good." He voiced out, "Come to me, Selvin". "Yes, sire." Selvin responded, taking one step after the other toward Gudan. The vampires were surprised, Commander Selvin was one of the most fearsome vampires under Lord Gidz. Seeing him in a state where he is listening to every word a ghost says was out of character and the Vampires could tell. "That is Commender Selvin right?" A female vampire whispered to her teammate. "I think so, I don''t think you are the only ones with questions about this." The teammate responded. Another vampire whispered, "Commander Selvin summoned us ¡­ is he nning on us ambushing the Ghosts?". "Shit, this is getting confusing¡­ we''re sitting ducks if we keep standing around like this". Gudan noticed the way the Vampires were whispering to themselves while giving him death stares. "Ahhhh, that''s what I''m talking about¡­ those stares, truly exciting." Gudan said with a grin on his face, "But time to get things rolling". Selvin stood behind Gudan, not uttering a single word instead standing still as a statue. Gudan stretched out his hands toward the vampires and they immediately pulled out their weapons to defend themselves. "Tim hok, volnanmani!" Gudan voiced and a huge magic circle immediately appeared in the sky with three female mermaids falling from it. Theynded on the ground, with their tails pping on the ground continuously as they struggled to move. ''A mermaid?'' Elena muttered to herself, ''I thought they only resided in the Human empire?''. The mermaids were right in front of Gudan, who was looking down at them with a grin on his face. "Nice seeing you again, I need you to do one more thing for me." Gudan said to the mermaids. "P-Please let us go¡­ Y-you promised to free use after we helped you take control of the other beast.. please don''t¡­.". "How dare you defy me?!" Gudan yelled, whopping the red-haired mermaid with his ghost whip. "Maria!" The two other mermaids cried out in unison. The red-haired mermaid whipped,ying on the ground with her chest while her sister covered her to defend against Gudan. "Sorry, please don''t take that to heart, Maria didn''t mean it." Shuna, the blue-haired mermaid expressed while using her body as a shield to defend her sister. "Great, now do what I asked you to." Gudan said with a smile. "What is wrong with you guys?!" A male vampire yelled, "Are you really just going to stand around and let a vampire do as her pleases in the red district?". "Oh?" Gudan muttered after noticing the vampire. "What are you trying to imply? Are you stupid or something? He is a council member¡­ you''d be stupid to raise your hands to a council member." A huge vampire uttered. "Yeah, of course, I know that¡­ then we let Duke d know a council member is here!, even Commander Selvin is acting differ...". Before he could utter another word, a fast-moving tentacle that was glowing blue whooshed out of Gundan''s finger and straight into the vampire''s chest. His heart stuck at the end of the tentacle, leaving the rest of the vampires speechless at the sight. "Damn you talk too much," Gudan said with a sigh, "I don''t think you understand your predicament yet". Suddenly, right in the middle of the vampire crowd, a huge burst of blue energy emerged out of a single vampire who had his eyes on Gudan. "You¡­ You bastard!" The vampire yelled beforeunching himself toward Gundan while forcing his way through the ghost army. Chapter 50 A Ghost In A Vampires Mist II ?The Vampire dashed to the front and straight toward Gudan. Gudan still had a calm expression while watching the Vampires move closer to him. He even went as far as stopping any of his men from interfering. "You''ll pay for that!" The vampire yelled, taking a huge swing of his sword that was embedded with his magic energy at Gudan. Gudan held the sword with his hand that was covered with his Ghost essence, with little to no effort as he smiled. He stared deep into the vampire''s eyes as he uttered, "I will use you as a lesson to the others¡­ fear, very tricky but effective.". Gudan immediatelynded a very powerful and fast punch to the vampire''s face which was apanied by a loud thunderous sound. Before the vampire could lift off from the force of the punch, Gudan grabbed his cor and pulled him back beforending another punch. Gudan kept this up for a while, punching and pulling back all over again. After he got bored, he mmed the vampire to the ground and smashed his head to the ground with his foot. "Come on, where''s that spark you got before¡­ uhnn?" Gudan teased while stomping the vampire''s head to the ground continuously. The vampire''s face began to swell up with every stomp he received. The rest of the vampires watching were frozen in fear. They watched as Gudan tortured their fellow Vampire until he didn''t move again and just passed out on the ground. "Ahhhh, I thought he was goingst longer than that¡­ oh well." Gudan said before standing up from his knees. His face was covered with blood alongside his fists that werepletely bruised up from all the punches. ...¡­. ........ "Run! We don''t stand a chance against a council member!" A female vampire panicked in the crowd. As soon as his voice was heard, the remaining female Vampires joined in and tried to escape from the scene. But then they noticed something. They couldn''t move from where they stood, it was like something was holding them to the ground and something was. Every vampire that looked to the ground when confused as to how they couldn''t move saw the same thing, green streaks on the ground thatworked all the way from Gudan''s feet and straight into theirs. "What is this?" "I..I can''t move". All the Vampires panicked while the Ghost Soldiersughed at them. Gudan ignored the vampires cries and faced the three mermaids that were stillying on the ground, shivering in fear as they hugged one another. Gudan walked toward them and bent down, using his tongue to clean the blood on his lips before he uttered. "Sorry about that, didn''t mean to show you all... the pain and blood." Gudan said with a smile on his face, "That said, you can carry on with the spell¡­ hmmm, chop chop.". "Please¡­ let us go, we promise not to¡­" Before the mermaid could finish what she wanted to say, Gudan pulled her by the hair and shoved his hand in her mouth. "Maria!" The other mermaid cried out, wanting to reach out to her sister. Gudan kicked the other mermaid before he forced Maria''s head to the ground, reaching deep for her throat which caused her to guck while struggling to free herself from Gudan''s hand. "Come on now, I''m not feeling very patient today, so give me an answer." Gudan said with a straight face while still forcing his hand down Maria''s throat. The mermaid immediately calmed down, holding each other''s hands as they stared at Maira who was balling her eyes out. "We''ll do it." The green-haired mermaid, Xenxia replied. "Wonderful." Gudan said with a smile, "You didn''t have to waste my time so much though". "We''ve epted to activate the spell, so please let our sister go." Xenxia requested. "Hmmm...I don''t feel like it¡­ no wait, how about this." Gudan said, he carried the mermaid by the neck and lifted her up. "Every second that passes, I''ll tighten my grip on her neck." Gudan uttered which was immediately followed by the protest of the mermaids. "If you can activate the spell before your sister dies, then win for you, am I right?" Gudan proimed. "But¡­" "Time''s ticking," Gudan said, tightening his grip on Maria''s neck for them to see. Maria''s feet were dangling in the air, with saliva drooling from her lips while she was having her neck choked by Gudan. Her sisters held thier hands and looked to be sky as they got ready to activate their magic spell in other to save their sister. With a deep breath, the mermaid began singing. "Dark sleeping ocean! The ocean begat us and you shall abide. Your mind belongs¡­ your mind belongs¡­ your life belongs". The beautiful angelic singing voices of the mermaids resonated throughout the garden and beyond. Every vampire soldier that heard the song began to fall to their knees after feeling light headed by the voice. na was not affected by the song, but she could tell the song was causing some kind of effect. One by one, the vampire soilders were slowly standing to their feet with thier eyespletely foggy ck and dead. "The spell has been done¡­" Xenxia said. "Very good," Gudan replied, "I''m one step closer to my goal". "We done everything you''ve asked, so please let us go." Shuna pleded. Gudan gave out a grin in response to what Shuna said, he stared at Maria and began sqweezing the life out of her. "You are of no use to me anymore, your service is no longer needed." Gudan expressed with a smile. "Please don''t do this¡­ Maria!" Shuna cried, crawling with her tail and body on the ground as she struggled to move closer to Gudan. Gudan beganughing miniacally with his hands still around Maria''s neck. "Don''t worry, once I''m done with this.. I''ll do the same to the rest of you." Gudan uttered with a smile, "You can be pai¡­". sh! Out of nowhere, Gudan''s hand flew away from it''s joint after a fast lightening sh served his hand. With his hand gone, Maria fell to the ground, coughing heavily while rubbing her neck to ease the pain she was feeling. Gudan, with a shocked/confused look on his face, stared at him arm on the ground and immediately frowned his face. "How¡­ dare you?!" Gudan yelled furiously while looking at Elena who stood in front of Maria. Chapter 51 Elena, Captured Or Held. ?Warning, R18 "Are you okay?" Elena asked the mermaids, while her back was turned to them in a a battle stance with her eyes set on Gudan. "W..Who are you?" Shuna raised a question, feeling grateful that someone came to their rescue even though she doesn''t know who Elena was. Elena nced around her first to see that the Ghost men were encircling her position before she answered, "Can you move?" She asked. "Move?" Shuna mumbled. "No, we can''t, our tails weren''t exactly meant fornd." Maria chimed in, her hand still on her neck as she tried to alleviate the pain. "So no movement then." Elena said to herself, ''This might have been a mistake, I couldn''t bear watching them get hurt and ended up ruining the n for lord Sato¡­ damn it''. The ghost army slowly obstructed every angle that Elena could think to escape. "An elf?" Gudan uttered, "You are no ordinary elf, are you? Where are you from?" He asked, gazing at Elena intensively. "...." na stood quietly and chose to be cautious to any risk that was about toe. "Ahhh, pity," Gudan voiced out, he snapped his finger and his severed hand immediately popped back out with a green gooey substance forming at the cutting. Elena was stunned, she sped her short sword tighter, lowering her back a bit while her eyes gleamed. "Not only did you cut off my hands, but also interrupted the fun I was having¡­.." Gudan said but was interrupted. "You call taking the life of another fun?" Elena voiced out. Gudan first scowled his face, "This aura you have around you." He uttered, looking at the red pouring magic energy on Elena''s body and sword. "I''m having a very uneasy feeling about you¡­" Gundan paused, "Do well not to stress me.". A sharp moving ghost like vine boosted out from the ground in front of Gundan and straight at Elena. Elena was quick to her feet, she used her sword to branch out the vine in two causing the remaining vine to fall to the ground. A few more immediately followed right after, charging straight at Elena at full speed while still multiplying in mid-air. "Shit!" Elena uttered, she extended her hand toward the mermaids and a blue barrier quickly coated them, leaving Elena to protect for herself against the falling vines. Elena took to her feet and began moving around, evading every attack as she could while still making sure she cut down every vine. A giant vine suddenly fell down to her position and Elena guarded herself with her sword, slicing it in half before it could do any damage to her. Panting, na took a fighting stance again while looking at Gudan who had his eyes set on her. "You managed to evade all my attacks¡­. that''s good." Gundanplimented, "What''s your name elf? You have potential". "I have no reason to tell you my name." Elene responded. "... I see." Gundan muttered, "Well if that''s the case then¡­". ? From both sides, Two Ghosts hurled themselves toward Elena. One had a square shape and was small while the other took the form of an old Japanese warrior. Elena saw the ghostsing and romped to the sky only to meet another ghost behind her. The ghost had his hand form into a de and shed at Elena. Elena immediately blocked it and pushed herself to the left after booting the ghost in the face. Before her feet could touch the ground, Elena spotted another ghost aiming an arrow at her left. "Damn it." Elena voiced, she maneuvered her body in mid-air and was able to put up a wall barrier to block the arrow''s path. Once the arrow left the bow, a blue magic ball formed at the tip of the arrow before it gradually began to disperse. Baam! The arrow dashed in at full speed, shattering the barrier into pieces. Elena, who was still shocked by it, hastily defended herself with her short sword. Although she was able to use her sword to draw away the arrow away from her and into the garden, the force still propelled her back and sent her crashing to the ground. Grunting from the pain, Elena tried to stand up when ghost hands showed up from the ground and grabbed her. "What the hell?!" Elena uttered, the ghost''s hands yanked her back to the ground and retained her there. Elena struggled to free herself but it was to no avail, she couldn''t move a single musle from where she was. ''Damn it, I really fucked up this time.'' Elena muttered to herself. p! p! p! Gudan pped his hands as he walked toward Elena with a smile on his face. "You''re pretty tough." Gudan said, "Why not join me¡­ I can make ¡­". "I refuse, I already have a lord I serve and you don''t hold a candle to his might." Elena proimed. "Is that so?" Gudan uttered. A ghost unawares ran to Gudan''s side and whispered in his ear. "Looks like our guests are here, tell them to wait." Gudan ordered. The ghost bowed his head, "Right away Sire." He said before running. Gudan fronted Elena and sighed, "You don''t want to serve under me?" He asked. "You can go to hell." Elena replied, her body stiff from the multiple hands holding her to the ground. "Such a waste¡­ guess I have no other choice," Gudan said. All of a sudden, he reached for Elena''s dress and tore it off with a pull. Her boobs bounced from the impact but were covered with a white dressing that packed her boobs. Elena''s face was beet red but she tried to hide the embarrassment she was feeling, "Damn you." She eximed. "You''re gifted..hmmm¡­ your master is a lucky man." Gudan let out while looking at Elena''s chest lustfully. He ascended on top of her and began ying with her hair while his men watched him. Gudan grabbed Elena''s cheeks and searched her eyes before licking her neck with a smile. Elena made an effort to fight but there was nothing she could do, the sticky feeling of Gudan''s slobber touching her neck was starting to break her. Once Gudan had licked to his pridefulness, he skimmed Elena in the eyes and uttered, "This is going to be fun." He grinned, leaving Elena scared as she looked at him. Chapter 52 The Helpless Became The Helped. ?Gudan thrust his leg in between Elena''s leg, while using his hand to massage her stomach and lick the side of her neck. Elena groaned, struggling to liberate herself but it was no use, all her strength was being absorbed by the ghost hands. "Stay away from me you freak." Elena announced, frowning her face as she stared at Gudan. Gudan grinned in response to her outburst, "That face you''re making¡­ it''s making me want you even more." Gudan uttered with a smile. No matter how hard he tries to hide it, Gudan has always been a huge pervert obsessed with the female species. He takes the first chance he gets to rape, molest and kidnapp any of his enemies that happen to be female. And Elena was just unfortunate to have crossed path with him. His eyes poked every nuke and cranny of Elena''s body, Gudan was so excited that a dick print revealed it''s self in his pants. Elena could feel it, rubbing against her crutch, no matter how much she wanted to fight it, there was nothing she could do. Gudan was in total control while he dry humped na, pushing back and forth as his dick print rubbed against the middle of Elena''s legs. "Ahh~ Ahh~, this is what I''m talking about~" Gudan, moaned and grunted while caressing against Elena. He could clearly see the sad look on Elena''s face as she closed her eyes and tried to fight the tears. "Come on, I don''t want to be the only one enjoying this." Gudan uttered, cing his hand on Elena''s breast. The touch made Elena sqweek in shock, she opened her eyes to see Gudan''s hand on her boobs. She immediately red at Gudan, turning left and right continuously to get Gudan''s hand off her chest. "Get off me?!" Elena yelled. But Gudan disregarded the protest and kept squeezing her boobs while she rubbing against her. "Ahh~ ahh~ ahhh~." Gudan moaned sexually. Elena forced her face to the side, as a small trial of tears poured from her eyes. ''I¡­ I''m sorry Lord Sato.'' Elena muttered, her eyes almost turning lifeless as she looked in front. "Almost~, almost.. ahhhhh I''m cuming." Gudan excliamed, immediately tugging his dick out and cing close to Elena''s face before releasing a huge cum shot. His nut sshed all over Elena''s face and chest, leaving herpletely stunned as her eyes became lifeless. Gudan panted with his head resting on Elena''s chest. "Something about your body¡­ feels different." Gudan whispered into her ear. Elena didn''t answer back, her eyes had gone frigid almost like she no longer had any life in her. ''Lord Sato.'' Elena cried out in her mind, looking to sky before tears dipped from her eyes. Gudan noticed this and began cracking up, "You crying¡­ just turns me on even more.~". With his erected dick still out of his pants, he caught up with for Elena''s skirt and was slowly pulling it down with a a deviate smile on his face. "No, no! Get off me! Ahhhh get off me!" Elena cried out, struggling to stand up as Gudan pulled her skirt down. "Scream.. hahahaha, scream!¡­" Gudan shouted. ''Lord Sato!'' [Elena!] A huge tornado unexpectedly showed up in the middle of the garden, causing the tress and flowers to pull from their roots. Even some vampires and ghost who couldn''t stand thier ground were fouled up by the force of wind. All those destruction drew Gudan''s attention, he ceased his attempt to pull Elena''s skirt down and concentrated on the huge tornado a few feet away from him. "Hey, asshole, stand up." Gudan halted when he took notice of a voice behind him, let quickly darted back and saw Divanchi standing behind him. She held an unconscious ghost on her hand with fire surrounding her standing. No one could get close to her because of the intense mes around her. "Ahhh, and I was just starting to get to the fun part." Gudan sighed, standing to his feet and glimpsing around him. He could see many of both his men and vampires scattered on the ground, unconscious and some dead. "Another powerful woman.. today must be my lucky day." Gudan voiced out with a smile. "You must be the man master sent me to." Divanchi uttered, she caught a glimpse of Elenaying on the ground with cum covered all over her face. "You scum, how dare you do that to my adherent¡­ You''re dead." Divanchi voiced with grin on her face and fire swarming around her feet. "What''s your name girl? You might end up just like her and it''s going to be more fun when I cum with your name in my mo¡­". Baaam! Divanchiunched herself to the front andnded a strong punch at Gundan. Gudan blocked it, causing a an enormous wave of pressure to crushed the earth beneath them as Divanchi kept her punch locked in. "You''re a powerful one." Gudan uttered. "You haven''t seen nothing yet." Divanchi voiced out, using the fact that Gudan was holding her fist to pull him closer to her beforending a headbutt to his jaw. Gudan was propelled back with the force and before he could poise himself, Divanchi punched him in the gut which sent him passing muster half way across the garden with his body covered in mes. The ghost who all saw this, began running when Divanchi faced them. The vampires who were under the influence of the mermaid mind control all fell to the ground unconscious. Divanchi immediately ran to Elena''s side, ripping the ghost hands away from her body. "Elena, say something!" Divanchi shouted, cing her hand on Elena''s cheeks to feel her temperature. As soon as Elena was free, she jumped on Divanchi with a big hug as she began balling her eyes out. "I was¡­so scared.mdy." Elena sobbed. "There, there¡­ you''re alright now." Divanchi consoled, patting Elena''s head gently as she smiled. Looking around, she could see so many vampires on the ground ,each having blood pouring from her nose. ''Master¡­ what the hell are you up to?'' Divanchi said to herself. Gudan who was on the floor with fire burning both his body and the flowers beganughing. "I wonder whetr these woman came from, so sweet." Gudan said with a loudugh. A shadow suddenly covered his face. "Uhn?" He looked up and saw a man dressed in a dark fury coat and a golden head band on his forehead. "Ahhhh, Puma, I see you came to watch my fight." Gudan voiced out. "You insolent fool, do you understand the mess you''ve caused me because you couldn''t hold your freaking lobildo in?!" Puma yelled, with a beast growl following right after has his eyes glowed. Chapter 53 Yuri Overboard Deaths ?Baam! Boom! 2nd toon leader of the Nighthawks, Jessica Veldezi, hurdled out of the flowers and dropped anchor in a spot that was free with no flowers or furniture. She stood up to her feet and took a look at the sword to see that it had already been chipped. "She''s strong." Jessica uttered. Unexpectedly, the severed head of her subordinates flew from the garden and rolled right in front of her with blood spewing out of it. Jessica was still unfazed by this, she kept her calm with her eyes focused in front of her. Step Step Step! Jessica could hear the sound of footsteps racing toward her, alongside heavy panting and whines. "Here shees." Jessica voiced out, putting up her sword and getting ready to attack, "As soon as she shows her face¡­ I''ll¡­". "Jessica! Jessica!" A cry came from the bushes before a female vampire in a white military outfit sprinted out of the flowers with tears running down her face. Jessica was stunned but didn''t have enough time to act. As soon as she spotted her friend Yuri followed right after. Yuri had a wild smile on her face as she charged toward the vampire. The vampire was trying to run as fast as she could while Jessica observed with fear as soon as she saw Yuri. sh! The Vampire''s head fell to the ground after Yuri slivered it off with her magic-formed de. Jessica instantly leaped back, startled as she tried to grasp that two of her friends were killed by the same person. "Rachel¡­ Uno," Jessica called out silently. "I guess it''s just you remaining," Yuri said with a grin, blood squirted all over her face. Yuri began walking toward Jessica slowly, kicking the head of the vampire away as she moved. ''What kind of monster is she?! Themander¡­ I doubt themander knows about this¡­ I should inform him.'' Jessica thought to herself while staring at Yuri. Once Yuri got to a point she stopped, "Now," She grinned, "I shall escort you to the afterlife!" She shouted. Launching herself forward with a huge strike of her de following right after. Jessica tried to block it with her sword, but Yuri''s de sliced it in two before doing the same for Jessica''s arm. ''Shit!'' Jessica eximed, using her leg to push her body away from Yuri and gain some distance. A blue light glowed on her right hand before she ced it on her severed arm which caused it to grow back. The blood in her severed left arm, hastily formed into a new arm before hardening Itself to form skin. "Regeneration? Neet." Yuri hinted right after her magic de vanished. "Who are you working for?!" Jessica asked from afar. Yuri suspended her advance, darting at Jessica for a while before screaming. "DAMN IT! Master is going to be so mad, I was supposed to interrogate them not kill¡­ ahhhh what should I do? I cut off their head so I doubt they''ll grow back." Yuri panicked with her knees on the ground. ''What is she doing?'' Jessica questions with a confused expression on her face. "Hold on¡­ Yeah, that''s it." Yuri voiced out before staring at Jessica intensively. With a loud boom, Yuri dashed toward Jessica and shoved her to the ground with her on top. Jessica couldn''t fight the strength Yuri was using to hold her to the ground. "Hey, listen." Yuri asserted with a serious look on her face. Jessica was frightened but still held a calm expression. "I need you to do something for me¡­.if you refuse well¡­ I won''t hesitate to kill you the same way I did to your friends." Yuri threatened with a death stare. ... Sato was seated in his room,ying on the bed with his eyes focused on the ceiling. <> <> "Thanks, Helix." Sato uttered, looking to the side to see a ck bird staring at him from outside the window. <> Sato closed his eyes, "I''m not..." He replied, "To be honest¡­ I''m furious¡­ Elena almost got raped¡­". <> "... Regardless it''s my n, they don''t even know what it is and still help," Sato uttered and sat upright on the bed, "If I fail this mission¡­". "You won''t fail." Divanchi vocalized before appearing inside the room with a a wheel of mes around her while she held sleeping Elena in her arms. Sato looked up and saw Divanchi staring down at him with a profound look on her face. "I won''t allow my master to have such negative thoughts, if you fail, we all fail¡­ so you can''t fail." Divanche Eximed, "With great responsibilityes great strength". Sato cracked up in response to what Divanchi said, Divanchi was flustered looking around as if people were looking at her. "Master¡­ it''s rude tough." Divanchi said, looking at the ground with her face beet red. "Sorry sorry." Sato voiced as he slowly calmed himself, "But you got the saying wrong". "Ehhhh? I did? I''m sure I saw it in the spider movie I watched in your memories yesterday." Divanchi responded. "Yes, it''s with great poweres great responsibility, not the other way around." Sato corrected. During their conversation, Elena abruptly opened her eyes and the first person she saw was Sato. "Lord Sato." Elena mumbled. "Oh, you''re awake, d to see you''re unharmed." Sato hinted with a smile. Coming to realization, Elena immediately pushed herself away from Divanchi and went to her knees with her head bowed in front of Sato. "I sincerely apologize Lord Sato. I went against your order¡­. I''m sorry." Elena sobbed with her fist clenched. Sato sighed and stood up from the bed, "Stand up." He voiced out. ''He sounds mad, is he angry? I made lord Sato angry.'' Elena panicked, she slowly stood up and nced at Sato. "Are you okay?" Sato asked. "I didn''t mean to, I''m sorry it won''t happen again I just couldn''t bear to see those¡­" Elena paused after realizing what Sato asked, "Am I fine?". "Well yes." Sato responded before cing his hand on Elena''s head, "I know a lot of people who have faced rape and have been traumatized ever since¡­ I''m sorry I sent you to a ce like that without backup, if anything were to happen¡­". "No lord Sato, it wasn''t your fault. I was the careless one, I should''ve just kept observing." Elena uttered with a sad look on her face. "There''s nothing wrong with wanting to help others, but still¡­ I''m d you are alright." Sato said with a smile as she patted Elena''s head. Elena looked to the ground with tears dropping from her eyes, ''Hmm." She shook her head with a smile. Chapter 54 We Move At Sun Set ?"Are you cool, or you want to head back?" Sato appealed, removing his hand from Elena''s head. "No!" Elena eximed, "I can still fight." She expressed it with passion. With a smile on his face, Sato sat on the bed with his legs crossed, "So, What were you able to find out." He asked. Elena directly spruced up her body to show her eagerness, "I don''t know exactly what to call them, but I guess terrorist." She implied. "Terrorist?". "Not exactly, although the leader is a ghost, from the council of five¡­ I think his name was." "Gudan¡­ ghost of theherworld." Sato chimed in before Elena could finish her words. Elena was surprised as to how Sato found out about it, "Do you know him, Lord Sato?" She asked. "Not exactly, let''s just say I have some history with him." Sato uttered, ''Scary how urate Helix can be sometimes¡­ she told me the name of the council member before I even thought to ask''. "Is that all?" Divanchi asked with her back rxing on the wall and her arms tucked. "No¡­ Gudan had three mermaids with him, I think he was using them to control the vampires dressed in white." Elene exposed. ''Dressed in white?'' Sato questioned. <> ''So if they are in white, and under d that means¡­'' <> Sato sighed, "Things just keep getting in the way of my n." He said aloud. "Lord Sato?" Elena questioned with a puzzled expression. Shaking his head, Sato smiled, "Don''t worry about me, where are the mermaids?" He asked. Elena wavered, "Mermaids?" She asked, unhurriedly looking at Divanchi. Sato was quick to grasp the situation, he sighed with his finger resting in between the bridge of his nose, " You didn''t bring any of them with you, did you?" He asked disappointedly. "My apologies." Elena voiced out with her eyes darting to the ground. While she was feeling sorry for herself, she noticed that there were light sparks on the ground where she stood. Elene immediately hopped back and not long after, a portal rose up from the ground with a razor sharp lightning encircling it. Jessica washed out of the portal andnded on the ground right in front of Sato who was just as speechless as Divanchi and Elena. A mermaid with blue hair flew out of the portal screaming her lungs out before she crashed on the ground. Yuri then strolled out of the portal, lugging two mermaids on her shoulder as she walked. "Put me down!" Xianxia shouted, jiggling so she coulde down. "Will you chill out¡­ damn." Yuri uttered before tossing both mermaids on the ground beside their sister. "That was stressfu as fuckl." Yuri muttered, caressing her shoulders so she could reduce the stress she was feeling. As soon as she spotted Sato, a huge smile hit her lips, "Master!" She called out,unching herself toward him. "d to see you are okay." Sato said, looking at the tied-up vampire on the floor, "Who are your friends?" He asked curiously. "Oh." Yuri instantly let go of Sato and stood to her feet, "I got carried away a bit." She uttered. "You''re always carried away." Davanchi added calmly. Yuri ignored herment with a smile as she faced Sato, "Master, she''s a member of a vampire I found, stopping me from entering the garden". "White uniform." Sato muttered to himself as she noticed the outfit the vampire was wearing. His eyes immediately hindered the three mermaids packed at the side of the room, hugging each other with fear written all over their faces. "What about the Mermaids?" Sato asked. "I just found them somewhere in the garden, I figured it would be a good idea to bring them along." Yuri alluded. "I see." Sato emitted before standing up from the bed and walking toward the mermaids. "Hi, my name is Sato¡­", As soon as Sato reached out to the mermaids they shifted back. Sato smiled, "It''s alright, I''m here to help you, but I can''t if you don''t tell me what happened." He uttered. The mermaids stared at themselves before one of them took the chance and spoke up. "My name is Xianxia, as you can tell I''m a mermaid." Xianxia introduced. "Xianxia, nice to meet you." Sato uttered with a smile and turned to look at the remaining two. After seeing their sister introduce herself, they both heeded and did the same, introducing themselves even though they were still skeptical. "So tell me, what are you mermaids doing in a ce like this?" Sato raised a question. The three mermaids looked at each other, feeling reluctant to answer the question. "You can trust me." Sato soothed. One of them, Shuna, took a deep breath before speaking, "The Duke has lost already, an army ising¡­ and it''s one the duke himself won''t seeing". Sato gave attention to her words, with a deep expression on his face as she sat on the floor right in front of Xianxia. ...¡­ Gudan sat down inside a small hut that was built somewhere in the Namvek district but far away from d''s mansion. Gudan gulped down a bottle of wine with a loud ''Ahhh!'' sound before mming the wooden cup on the ground. "Are you ready to talk now?" Puma asked, sitting crossed legged on a chair. "Rx Puma¡­ you should learn to have fun every once in a while." Gudan uttered with a smile. With a a grimace, Puma stood up from the chair, "I have known d for 66 years and I can tell you he didn''t just get the nickname,..... For nothing. He is a man you should fear, exactly why we need to act now before he catches on to our n." He voiced out. "What do you suggest then, smarty?" Gudan asked. ".... We attack at sunset, today." Puma voiced out with a straight face. Chapter 55 The Sea Goddess Evolved ?"It happened two weeks ago when my sister and I were on drynd putting out a show for our friends, it was a normal morning when out of nowhere, Ghosts from Nerverk showed up." Shuna hinted. Sitting on the ground while Sato stood in front of her with Yuri, Shuna, and Divanchi standing behind him. Shuna began again, "At first they offered to help build our little vige and make it better but when our Godmother refused they retaliated. Ghost warriors covered in ck cloaks attacked my people and ughtered every one of my friends. My sister and I were the only ones saved, brought in by the Gundan¡­ he promised to save our lives if we helped him out the beast in fur under his control". "Beast in fur?" Yuri questioned. "She means werewolves," Sato uttered, looking at Yuri and clenching his fist in frustration. Yuri could tell he was feeling angered, but the reason wasn''t clear enough for her to act upon it. The little information Shuna shared was not nearly enough for Sato to feel the way he does but yet, Yuri could tell his blood was starting to boil with rage. "The man, could you tell me why exactly he kept the three of you out of the massacre specifically? If he needed to take control of the werewolves then wouldn''t it have been better to have as much help as possible?" Sato asked. "It''s because we are Foids." Xanxia chimed in. ''Foids?''... <> ''I think I get the gist of it''. "He was only after our power¡­ he promised if we helped him, he would release us." Shuna exposed, showing Sato the ve cor around her neck. It was a metal cor with a small red gem in the middle, and each of them had the exact same thing. Sato walked toward the mermaids with a serious look on his face, "I can free you from this bondage." He uttered. The mermaids were baffled by what Sato said, no one has ever heard of someone breaking another person''s vemand. "Are you being serious?" Shuna asked curiously. "I am." Sato responded. Xanxia''s eyes widened in shock before she calmed down, "He''s telling the truth¡­" She voiced out. Luna instantly moved to the front and stared at Sato, "Please free us from this¡­ I don''t want this around my neck anymore." Sheined. With a smile, Sato stretched out his hand toward them, "For this to work, you''re going to have to take me as your leader wholeheartedly." Sato exined. Although they felt hesitant to y along at first, but when they saw how willing Sato wanted to help, they had no choice but to go through. After Sato recited his vow, he passed it on to the mermaids to repeat after him and they did so, to the veryst word. As soon as they all finished reciting their vows, the three mermaids slowly started gleaming as they hovered in the sky. Divanchi and the girls in the room all watched with amazement. <> <> The Mermaids suddenly were able to stand on two feet with their fish tails being reced by human legs. "Ahhhh!" Shuna yelled, "Sisters¡­ we have legs!" She excliamed. "Incredible," Shuna chuckled in disbelief, "We can actually walk onnd." She thought to herself. Her hand suddenly touched her neck and she was quick to notice the ve cor around her neck no longer there. "The cor¡­ it''s gone." Shuna said excitedly. "Does this mean we are free?" Luna asked, rubbing her neck with an overzealous smile on her face. "You¡­ saved us." Shuna hinted, "We are truly grateful." She thanked. Sato with a smile responded, "Don''t worry about it¡­ I just did what I could." He consoled. Xanxia smiled, "Thank you good sir!" She yelled. "Thank you!" Luna joined in. Yuri suddenly walked up to Sato, "Master, what do you n to do about the mind-controlled vampires?" She asked. "I guess I have to meet them in person first." Sato replied, "Xanxia¡­ is there anywhere to break the mind control you ce on the vampires?" He asked. "Yes, but it''s going to take about four hours," Xanxia responded. Before Sato could transfer another word, Shuna chimed in with a warning as she moved closer to Sato. "Good sir, you helped me and my sis so I feel the need to say this¡­ get as far away from the demon empire and Nervek as possible." She warned. "What do you mean?" Sato asked calmly. "While we were Lord Gudan''s ves, we overheard a bit of his n after we helped him take control of over a hundred werewolves and other species. This is not something that was done overnight, Gudan ns to destroy Nervek and take the eye of destruction from a man named d." Shuna exined. Sato was unfazed by her warning, "So he has an army of werewolves?" He asked. "Yes¡­." Shuna asserted. "She''s right." Divanchi added, "Although I didn''t get a good view I was sure I saw a couple of wolves moving in sync toward the garden". "Oh, you misunderstood¡­ If Gudan and whoever wants to start a war with numbers on their side then I''ll do mine with magic and strategy on my side". "Fight fire with light." Divanchi said with a smile, "If you need an army master, I could help gather up the beastmen in our Vige.". "And I could help with the witches¡­ as many as you want master." Yuri voiced out. "Oh¡­ I always seem to forget you became the leader of the witches." Sato uttered before walking over to the door. "What?!" Divanchi shouted, "When did this happen?" She asked. "Back at my first summon¡­ Does it bother you?" Yuri teased. Elena just stood behind, observing as Yuri and Divanchi began to argue with each other. Sato didn''t pay attention to any of it, instead, he had his ear on the door as he began listening to what was behind it. ..... A/N Sorry about today''s chapter and theteness, sses really getting to me... I promise to get better. Chapter 56 The Battle For The Worthy ?"Susssh!" Sato silenced, immediately putting a stop to the argument that was going on behind him. "Is something the matter?" Yuri asked, concerned as she wandered toward Sato. "You need to leave here this instant¡­ she''sing." Sato indicated, holding Yuri by the hand and pulling her towards the window. "She? Who is she?" Yuri questioned as she tried to understand why Sato was dragging her. After he got to the window, Sato made a an immediate stop and looked at Yuri, " I''ll exin it to youter, but right now I need you to leave and don''t let anyone see you." He uttered. "But¡­" Not hesitating, Sato hauled Yuri by the leg and threw her out the window which was followed by a scream. "Now." Sato looked at Divanchi, "Divanchi, I trust you know what to do?" He asked. With a smile, she replied, "You don''t have to worry about anything¡­ I got this." Divanchi grabbed the three mermaids and jumped out the window. Once Divanchi left, Sato faced Elena who was already heading toward the window. She took a step on the window and turned to Sato, "Lord Sato?" She called out. "Yeah?" Sato replied, looking at her, he could see the fear written on her face. ".... It''s nothing, don''t hesitate to call if you need my help." Elene said before leaping out of the window. Not long after, the door to Sato''s room opened and Erza walked in. She didn''t utter a word, but her eyes were sending the message. Erza was gradually looking around the room as she sauntered in. "Erza?... What are you¡­." "Was someone here?" Erza instantly asked with her eyes focused on Sato. ''Of course, she''s suspicious.'' Sato thought to himself before replying, "No, why would you think that?". "Is that so?" Erza asked. "Obviously." "You''re very sure". "Definitely" "No lies" "Cross my heart". ...¡­ ..... "I guess you have no reason to lie." Erza sat down on the bed with her legs crossed, "There were loud noisesing from the garden, so I thought you had something to do with it". "Was that why you came?". "Actually."... "Hm¡­" Erza stood up from the bed and immediately opened a new one with a smile, "Remember when you said, you are willing to fight for me?". "Yes, I doo¡­. Oh shit". .... Sato was standing in the open arena with multiple vampires seated on the chair to watch him battle Luke, Erza''s current fiance. Even Duke d was present alongside his son, Christian who on the other hand was feeling out of it. Duke and his children sat down on the higher chair, in the circr arena, giving them the advantage to watch the fight from a good view. Erza sat down beside d and was anxious even though she wasn''t the one in the arena, her feet were tapping the ground continuously as she bit her fingers. d picked up on it and spoke, "Why do you feel nervous? Are you perhaps uncertain about his victory?" He asked. "He can''t lose father, Sato is the strongest man I have ever seen, a victory is most definitely certain." Erza answered back. Although d was doubtful about how the battle would go, the energy he was feeling from Sato was starting to contradict his thoughts. "I have never seen you have this much faith in a man before." d voiced out. Erza was at hultz because even she couldn''t exin the way she was feeling. ''Do I have this much confidence in him because he is my fated?..Or¡­ is it because I''ve actually seen what he is capable of''. Meanwhile, Sato was baffled at how things turned the way they did in a short amount of time. The battle was supposed to be held the next day, but after Luke badged into the mansion, requesting that he fights Sato, d had no choice but to ept. Putting Sato in the current predicament he was in. "Hey, Human!" Luke yelled from afar, standing at the other side of the arena with a sword in his hand. ''How did ite to this?'' Sato uttered to himself, ''Well, I guess it''s not all bad¡­ just means my n can progress faster''. "Can you hear me, or are you just choosing to ignore me?!" Luke shouted with his sword pointed at Sato. With a deep breath, Sato voiced back, "Are you sure you want to do this?". Luke grinned, "I''m guessing you don''t know who I am¡­ I am the next candidate for a council member, Luke, the son of Lord Gigz, leader of the sect leader of the forever knights of Vampires" He introduced with pride backing his every word. ''People still do this shit?'' Sato muttered to himself. "Well¡­ are you not going to introduce yourself?" Luke questioned. "I don''t see a need for that¡­ because after this fight, I doubt you''d want to remember who I am." Sato asserted. He immediately took a fighting stance, while holding a a protracted ck sword with red glowing streaks on the body. Luke did the same, just like Sato, Luke wanted to get the brawl over with and prove to everyone that he is the only one worthy enough to marry Erza. "Prepare yourself, I Luke stand before you?!" Luke yelled before pitching himself to the front with a full sonic boom blowing off behind him as Sato watched. ...¡­. Just above the arena, Yuri and Divanchi were watching the whole fight from above. "How long are we supposed to stay here?" Yuri asked with her back kicking back on the floor as she yed with her magic mes. "Still the battle is over. You heard what the master said, among the crowd¡­ the enemy lies there." Divanchi said. With a grunt, Yuri stood up from the ground and bent while looking at the audience seated in the arena. "So, just get the enemy right?" Yuri uttered with a smile. Her eyes turned green and everything around him turned to colors, while some of the audience were colored red, some were ck. "Found them." Yuri said with a grin, she put up her hand to the sky and a small purple dark orb appeared at her fingertips, "I''ll end this now, the sooner¡­ the better". Chapter 57 You Strong, Or Weak? ?The dark orb slowly started rotating with the dark energy inside growing with every spin it made. Yuri already had her eyes on the enemy she felt she had spotted, all that she was waiting for was the right time to attack them. "Here we go." Yuri uttered with a smile. She was getting prepared to send her orb passing muster when suddenly, Davanchi held her hand while still looking down at the arena. "Hold on, something isn''t right." Divanchi uttered while holding Yuri''s hand. "What is it?" Yuri asked with a cold tone. "We shouldn''t make any sudden move," Davanchi advised, "If the master wanted us to attack, he would have told us earlier". "What''s your point?" Yuri raised another question, yanking her hand from Davanchi''s grip before destroying her orb. "Fine I get it, Still¡­ What do you think the master is nning? He could destroy the whole of the arena if he wanted to, why does he feel the need to hide his ability every time?". Davanchi focused her eyes on Sato, "I also asked myself the same question¡­ he does things that are sometimes questionable. His personality is one of them, sometimes he can be super serious and other times extremely yful, and most times kind even when it is not needed. I feel there is something he knows that he isn''t telling us, and if anything, I know for a fact it''s something he needs to be careful about, so the question is¡­ what is master hiding?". .... Baam! Satonded on the ground, back first as the ground imploded with Sato resting in the middle. He snorted while looking at the sky. "Is this all? Really? My so-called rival for Erza''s love is this weak?" Luke voiced out while walking toward Sato. He was holding a silver sword and a small oval shield as he moved toward Sato''s body. Sato stood up from the ground before taking a battle stance with his fist clenched and aimed. "Don''t get so cocky!" Sato raged, dashing straight at Luke at full speed before he threw his punch. Sato''s attack was immediately blocked by Luke with his shield, leaving Sato open to an attack. With an incredible speed, Luke used the underside of his sword to whack Sato in the stomach which instantly sent him to his knees. Sato held his stomach as he began coughing while one of his hands was resting on Luke''s leg. Luke sighed. "Erza!" He called out. "Why would you choose this pathetic human to be your husband?! Look at him¡­.he has no backbone!" Luke yelled with his eyes focused on Erza before he kicked Sato in the face. Sato fell to the ground with blood covering his whole face. Erza, who was watching, could barely hide the frustration she was holding inside her. Her fists had already broken the chair hand rest. "Do you really hate me that much?" Erza muttered to herself. "Come on, fight back." Luke shouted before smashing Sato''s head to the ground with his foot. Sato''s head spewed out blood from the impact as his head crushed the ground and the earth imploded on itself. With a smirk Luke uttered, "You''re doing a pretty good job so far." Luke said to Sato. ''If I could actually feel pain, I''m sure I''d be living in hell right now.'' Sato muttered to himself as heid on the ground. Luke suddenly tugged Sato up by grabbing his cor and pulling him close. Luke gently ced his lips near Sato''s ear and whispered. "You''re going good, take a look at her¡­" Sato nced at Erza and saw the nervous look on her face, his attention was quickly swayed when he caught a glimpse of the three vampire guards standing behind Erza with a grin on their faces. "If you do as I say, I can guarantee you I won''ty a finger on her." Luke continued. Sato responded with a chuckle, "You sure are feeling yourself aren''t you? Too bad this isn''t going to go the way you think." Sato muttered. "Seems you''ve forgotten, I''m the one doing the takings!" Luke suddenly yelled with a grimace. He booted Sato in the face which sent him flying halfway through the arena. <> "Is that so? Just a little more time" Sato said as he stood up from the ground. He cleaned the blood on his face and stood his ground as Luke charged toward him. ...¡­ [sh back] Sato walked out of his room with Yuri and Davanchi following behind him as they headed toward the arena. Right after Erza came to inform him about the fight that would hold, she left to take her seat in the area, awaiting Sato''s fight. Even though a part of him didn''t want to do it, Sato knew that he had to have a victory over Luke for his n to progress. While they were walking, Yuri voiced out, "Master, I understand that you want to go along with their stupid rules, but why do you have to fight for other people''s entertainment?" She asked. "This is not mynd, neither am I of an high status to go against the tradition they had set for themselves, I am but a visitor, I have no right to question them." Sato replied. "But¡­" "And besides, I chose to get engaged to Erza, so it''s pretty much a given at this point." Sato added. "Damn that blood sucking liar, I''m sure she''s getting her own fill of fun from this." Yuri muttered. Sigh* "Master, I agree with Yuri, this whole thing feels fishy." Divanchi uttered, "What if it had been nned?". ''I wouldn''t be surprised if that was the case.'' Sato said to himself, but before he could respond he met someone suddenly showing up in front of him. Luke was standing in front of him, with a female Vampire standing behind him. "You must be Sato Inugami,... A double name? I can already tell you are scum to the letter." Luke uttered while sending death threats at Sato. Sato was calm and didn''t react, instead he responded, "I don''t think I know who you are". "The name is Luke, son of the sect leader of the forever knight, Lord Gidz¡­" Luke introduced. ''Forever knights?'' Sato questioned. <> ''Oh I see.'' Sato said to himself, he looked Luke in the eye and asked, "So, do you need something?" He asked. "Yes actually¡­ I want you to drop out of the fight and go back to where you came from." Luke asserted with an angry look in his eyes. Chapter 58 205 Magic Detonators ?"You want me to drop out of the fight?" Sato recounted. "Precisely." Luke reacted, "And believe me, it would be in your best interest to do as I say." ''This must be Erza''s fiancee, ahhh, here we go again.'' Sato sighed before looking Luke in the eye. Sato then continued with a phnderer, "What made you think I''d ept your request¡­ I''m madly in love with Erza ~ ahhh~, her beautiful white skin and long blonde hair~. Ahhh~ enough to make me fall for her all over again¡­". "Why you little!" Luke shrieked, grabbing Sato''s cloth and pulling him close. Before he could utter any word, Yuri had already dashed to Luke''s side and geared toward her energy de at him while sending a death stare his way. "Release my master." Yuri affirmed coldly. Whoosh! The female vampire behind Luke showed up next to Yuri with a long sword aimed at Yuri''s head, which was instantly followed by Divanchi aiming a diminutive fireball at the female vampire. Even while all this was going on, Sato still held a smile as both he and Luke stared each other in the eye. "You might want to tell your guard to back down." Sato voiced out to Luke. ¡­. "Quite the subject you have there." Luke said, looking at Yuri who was just waiting for the right time to attack. "Rexi, back down." Luke instructed, releasing the sp he had on Sato''s cloth. His guard Rexi did the same and stood behind Luke. Sato immediately dressed well after Luke released him, "It''s obvious you want to tell me something, so get on with it." He uttered. "d you could tell, as I said before, I need you to drop out of the fight. I''ve worked too hard to just let some random jackass steal my spotlight" Luke denigrated. Yuri grunted, "Master, please let me kill him." She said while looking at Sato from the right side. "Rx," Sato uttered, he held Yuri''s hand which calmed her down almost instantly as her cheeks turned beet red. She didn''t enunciate anything after her hand made contact with Sato''s, instead, she desperately tried to act mature as the conversation continued. "I asked this before, but why exactly would I listen to a word you say?" Sato asked. Luke was quiet for a while before he suddenly called for his guard. Rexi came forward and brought out a small silver cube that had red glowing light emitting from the inside. She ced it on the ground, a few distances away from Sato. After it had been ced, Rexi clicked the red space in the middle and a hologram immediately popped out. Sato''s eyes widened in shock when he saw what the hologram was projecting. It was Elena and the mermaid chained to a wall with three huge men poking fun at them. "Are these yours?" Luke asked with a smirk on his face, "I couldn''t quite tell, I found them wandering around the garden, poor things". "Where are they?". "But, I''m not so evil that I''d let them die¡­ well that depends on if you do as I say¡­" "Where is she?!" Sato raged, dashing straight at Luke with a force of speed following his every moment. The ground imploded on itself from the immersing force that Sato let out, in less than a second, Sato emerged right in front of Luke. "How the¡­" Luke muttered in shock when he suddenly found Sato right in front of him with glowing eyes. Smash! Sato ced his palm over Luke''s face and smashed his head to the ground. The building thundered from the impact and the ground scattered from the force. Rexi''s pov, everything transpired in less than a minute, the only thing she could grasp was Sato darting from his position and crushing Luke''s head. She was shocked but didn''t let that stop her from protecting her master. "Sir Luke!" Rexi called out. Before she could move from her position, Yuri had already shown up behind Rexi and ced an energy knife on her neck from the back. "Calm down, kitty cat¡­ I won''t hesitate to slit your throat wide open." Yuri threatened Rexi with a smirk. "Where is she?" Sato asked, as he slowly removed his hand from Luke''s face so he could hear what he had to say. He was desperately trying to hold back the wrath he was feeling, so bad that his hand was oozing with his overflowing magic energy. Luke''s face had been wholly disfigured from the impact, his skull was smashed in which led to his eyes popping out. But even with this¡­ Luke still had a smile on his face, "Very good, I knew you were strong the second I saw you, hahaha." Lukeughed. Sato pulled Luke up and smashed him against the wall, with a trial of Luke''s blood following the movement. As soon as Luke''s back mmed into the wall, the wall crumbled leaving Luke hanging in mid-air outside the mansion with Sato''s hand being the only thing keeping him from falling. "Answer the goddamn question, I won''t think twice before burning you to a freaking cubab, where are they?." Sato asserted with anger as he held Luke''s cloth and his eyes glowing as aser beam was being built up in it. "Very well¡­ I''ll tell you." Luke muttered, his face slowly healing but enough that he could see Sato. "I have them in my hideout, but let me make this clear before you kill me. Right now, in this very Arena, there are precisely 205 magic detonators, and about 100 of them are ced right under Erza." Luke exposed with a smile. "You would kill your own people just so you would get engaged to Erza?" Sato raised a question with a frowned expression. "She''s the key to my goal¡­ but you don''t need to know that, do you¡­" "I could just kill you here and put an end to the whole thing." Sato hinted his eyes were glowing even brighter. "You could¡­ but I don''t think you''d wanna do that, every detonator has your magic essence embedded in them, if they were to go off, you will most definitely be the prime suspect, the whole town wille after you and you can best believe d will. So, be a good boy and do as I say¡­ oh and get this¡­. If I die.. the bombs go, Kaboom!" Luke hinted before giving off a loudugh. <> Sato sighed, ''And just when I thought things couldn''t get any tougher¡­ this shit happens.''. Chapter 59 You Are Just Pathetic ?Yuri and Davanchi were still watching the wholebat from on top of the arena, they observed as Sato was being lugged around by Luke. "What the hell is going on here?" Yuri muttered as she watched, feeling disturbed from the view. Among all of Sato''s subjects, Yuri had always been the one willing to go the extra mile to keep him safe and happy, so one could only imagine the irritation she could be feeling at the moment. "I''ll be honest, I never thought the Master would go through with it." Davanchi uttered, "Damn it". ¡­. ..... "That''s it¡­ I can''t watch this any longer." Yuri asserted. She was getting ready to leap down from the top when she suddenly heard Sato''s voice in her head. [Yuri! Don''t do anything stupid!] Yuri immediately halted, "Lord Sato?!" She called out, ''Why are you going through with this?'' She asked. [This ce exploding isn''t really a big deal, I can save everyone in this arena but can''t say the same for Elena, I don''t know where they are. But I''ve sent the shadow wolves to go search for her, so I need you to be a little bit patient, okay?] Yuri hoofed back and halted her advance, ''As you wish, but¡­ when this is over, I get the pleasure to rip this son of a bitch to pieces.'' She said with a foreshadowed look on her face. [Sure¡­.] "So, You and master using telepathy tomunicate?" Davanchi asked, sitting on the side roof of the arena with her back resting on the pole. "Yeah, sometimes." Yuri responded. Divanchi looked at her for a while before sighing, "Did he mention anything?" She asked. "Of course he did¡­ I get to have my fun with the bastard after the fight". ...... Back at the arena. Sato was kneeling on the ground with blood dripping from his face and mouth, panting heavily as Luke approached him. "This can''t be the best you can do, Can it?" Luke asked, raising Sato''s head with his hair as he stared, "You look pathetic." Luke whispered. Baam! Baam! Whabam! Luke kept throwing fast heavy punches at Sato''s face continuously without stopping as heughed. Erza stood up from the chair in anger but d held her hand before she could move away from where she was. "Father, he has proven his point, stop the battle." Erza voiced out. "Have you already lost all faith in your fated one?" d asked. "No, I haven''t,... but he lost all faith in me." Erza responded, looking at Sato who was lying in his own pool of blood. The crowd was booing at him and chanting Luke''s name heavily. <> ''No, don''t activate anything¡­''. Sato replied instantly. Boom! Luke touched down on top of Sato with an enormous power following right after which led to the ground imploding and creating a huge hole. <> ''Shut up!...'' Sato yelled before Luke grabbed his hair and smashed it on the ground before hurling him across the huge hole. Sato''s face went digging the ground from the impact, but even with all the injury on his face, he still didn''t feel any pain. This went on for some minutes and the crowd cheers immediately went quiet as they began feeling pity. <> ''What''s with you and¡­'' <> "No wait!" Sato shouted. <> Luke yanked Sato''s head from the ground and mmed him on the ground. "I must say, Sato, I am having the best time." Luke voiced out as he used his hand to stroke against Sato''s hair. "Look at you, the pain you must be feeling¡­ I can only imagine." Luke said with a smile on his face. All of a sudden, Sato''s eyes turned red before he snatched the hand that Luke was using to caress his face. Snap! Sato powdered Luke''s hand in an instant which led to Luke giving out an immediate cry. Luke pulled his hand away and moved back while using his other hand to carry his broken hand. "You son of a bitch you broke my hand!" Luke yelled, although his hand was healing but the pain was still just as troublesome. Sato stood up from the ground and didn''t waste any time flickering toward Luke. His face and every other injury on his body already healed and this alone gave Luke a run for his life. With a massive amount of strength, Sato punched Luke in the stomach and he went soaring straight into the wall of the arena. Luke was stered on the wall, and the position in which he was smashed was starting to copse on itself. A few secondster, Luke glided down from the wall andnded on the ground with his knee. "How the fuck is that possible?" Luke muttered to himself with his palm over his face as he stared at the ground in shock. "I was sure I did a lot of damage, how did he heal up so fast? That shouldn''t be possible." Luke uttered, he looked up and noticed he couldn''t find Sato. "W¡­Where is he?" Luke questioned. Whoosh!!! Out of nowhere, Sato showed up beside Luke andnded a heavy kick to his spine. Luke went flying only to meet Sato where he was about tond, before he could set anchor, Sato punched him in the chest. Luke spat out blood beforeunching into the sky andnding on the ground with a force so much that he went dip inside the ground. Yuri and Davanchi were surprised as they were watching Sato beat the living shit out of Levi. "Yuri." Davanchi called out. "I know, that isn''t Master in there." Yuri uttered, "Whatever that is¡­ isn''t my master". "Ahhhh!" Divanchi yelled as she began scratching her head crazily, "I''m so confused, I hate when I know nothing!". "I say we go in and put a stop to this." Yuri put forth. Davanchi could see the determination in Yuri''s eyes, one that meant she was willing to do anything at that point. "I wanna do that just as much as you, but right now, ¡­ It''s time we do our part of the mission and get Elena back." Davanchi said as she looked at the Shadow wolves standing at the other side of the arena. And right in the center was Ond who was standing with a double de in his hands and a red scarf over his neck. Chapter 60 Code Over Ride. ?Yuri jumped down from the arena and dropped anchor outside the arena where Ond and the shadow wolves were positioned.", "What are you doing here?" Yuri raised a question as she wandered toward Ond.", "Lady Yuri, good to see you, I''m fully aware of the situation and here to help." Ond voiced out with his head narrowly bowed and his left hand on the right side of his chest.", Boom!", Davanchi disembarked on the ground right beside Yuri.", "Did Lord Sato summon you?" Davanchi asked.", "Yes he did," Ond answered back, "Lord Sato appointed me the duty of leading the Shadow wolves, this was the only reason why I was able to locate where Elena was being held".", "You know where she is?" Yuri grabbed Ond''s arm and yanked him close as she shouted.", "A few meters south from here, right under the orcs'' trees is where Elena is being detained. I would have gotten her myself but she''s not the only one there." Ond informed", She positioned her hand on her left shoulder and began massaging it with a smile, "Alright then, we know where she is, let''s go barge the ce." Davanchi voiced out.", "I believe that''s the n." Ond uttered.", Yuri was subtle for a while, she was skimming at the ground before she focused on the arena that was reverberating with the noise of the audience cheering.", "I''m not going along with you, I''m staying right here." Yuri said, looking at Davanchi as she spoke.", "What do you¡­"", "If pushes to shove and master gets in trouble I want to be here to make sure I protect him." Yuri broke in before Davanchi could finish talking.", With a sigh, Davanchi began walking, "I agree with that, good luck." She said, waving her hands as she walked.", Ond and Davanchi pursued the Shadow wolves that were directing them to where Elena was being held captive.", Once they had gone, Yuri geared around and looked at the wide space that was in between her and the arena.", "Come out¡­ I know you''re hiding." Yuri voiced out as she concentrated her view on the huge tree beside the arena.", Rexi, Luke''s personal guard, came out of hiding and strolled out to the open, and approached Yuri.", "I know you, you are that soon to be deadman''s attendant." Yuri voiced out as she stared.", Rexi still kept a forthright expression, her hand resting on the bottom of the sword packed near her waist.", "I am not here to fight, I''m here to speak with you, a warrior to another warrior." Rexi uttered.", They both gaped at each other for a while, neither one of them uttering a single word since they were feeling wary of the situation.", Meanwhile¡­", Sato whooshed to the sky and came dipping down with multiple giant fireballs following behind him.", Luke was quick to warp a quick shield, which he set over his head to block the fireballs.", Like raining devastation, the ground went bursting in mes while some of themnded directly on Luke''s shield.", ''Damn it, what is going on here? Does this guy not care about what I''d do to his subject?'' Luke thought to himself as he strumbled to keep the shield up.", After a stretch, the roaring sound of fireballs declining to earth stopped and Luke was forced to put his shield down and check where Sato''s location was.", ncing up, Luke could see Sato hovering above him, Sato''s eyes were glowing red and he had dark mes shrouding both his fists.", "Have you lost it?!" Luke banged his shield on the ground, "What do you think you''re doing?! I have your¡­.".", Luke instantly paused before she could finish what he was saying, he looked around and saw that the audience was still seated and couldn''t risk exposing his n out in the open.", "Complete destruction of the threat!" Sato voiced out and stretched out his hand toward Luke.", [Helix!]", Sato desperately tried to call out to his system, but ever since his body was taken over by Helix, Sato had been struggling to speak since he lost control of his body.", And he suddenly managed to do that after he focused all this magic energy on a particr point in his body.", Helix, who had taken control of Sato''s body, was focused on obliterating Sato before she could let go of his body.", [Helix, give me back control of my body this instant!]", Sato yelled but Helix didn''t respond to his protest.", With Sato''s hand still stretched, a gathering of light energy began to form in front of Sato.", It was spherical and was spinning in a manner that generated more energy. The audience was all shocked when they saw it.", [This is! Is she nning to blow this whole ce¡­ no Helix! There are innocent lives here.]", "What''s this asshole doing now?!" Luke muttered to himself with his sheild ced in front of him.", He nced to the side and noticed the anticipation in Erza''s eyes as she was observing Sato.", "Damn you, you''re stealing all my moments!" Luke yelled, cing the shield down and materializing a long spear with his other hand.", Luke benched his back and threw the spear at Sato with all his might. As the spear revved, it began engrossing itself in yellow lightning that was adding to its speed.", [Shit, Helix!]", Before the spear could cause any damage to Sato''s body, a fast moving beam of light directly from the light orb, shot out and charged straight at the spear.", As soon as they made touch, the spear corroded into dust and the light beam proceeded with its eleration.", It was going straight for Luke and he could tell. Luke rashly seated his shield in front of him at thest second but even that wasn''t enough.", The light beam went through the shield and past Luke''s heart in the blink of an eye.", The shield fell from Luke''s hand and everyone could see the stunted expression he had on. His chest had a huge hole in it where his blood was spewing from.", "What¡­the.." Luke muttered before he fell to the footing with his chest on the ground as heid in his pool of blood.", Gigz screamed from the vip area of the arena, "Luke! How dare you kill me son you bastard!" Gigz yelled in anger.", [Dammit].", prea of the arena, "Luke! How dare you kill me son you bastard!" Gigz yelled in anger.", [Dammit].", .........", A/N", Sorry for the drop quality, I''ve been really busy so please give me some time.", Chapter 61 Gigz On The Loose. ?[Dammit Helix!] Sato eximed, right in front of him stood guards that came scurrying out of the gates and swathing his position. "Target eliminated, taskpleted," Helix uttered before giving Sato back possession of his body. Sato touched down on the ground with both his feet before putting up his hands as the guards pulled closer and aimed their magic. ''Ahhhh, this is going to be a big problem.'' Sato thought to himself, watching as Gidz raced to Luke''s side. "Son! Son! Speak to me!" Gigz cried out, turning his son over to see the huge hollow in his chest. "What the hell have you done?" Gigz raged as he gaped at Sato. "I didn''t mean to¡­, I never meant for him to¡­". Before Sato could finish, one of the guards whacked him in the face with a covered sword. Although the punch didn''t leave a dent on Sato''s body, he still felt the need to act as though it did. Sato fell to the ground with his hand on his cheeks, looking up at the guard, while the guard looked down at him. "Cease your attack." d yelled from the vip spot where he was sitting. The guard instantly moved away from where Sato was, leaving a clear path for d to see Sato. "Erza," d called out with his eyes still focused on Sato. "Father, I know what you are about to say, but¡­" "This was never meant to be a fight to the death, it was meant to be a test of strength, he killed one of our own, that can''t go unpunished.". "Not on purpose!" Erza yelled, "Father¡­ don''t force me to take his side, cause I will." She said with a a profound expression on her face. d stared at Erza for a while before releasing a heavy sigh, "I knew you''d say that¡­ Sebastian." He summoned. Sebastian abruptly appeared behind Erza, "I''m sorry Mdy." He uttered. Erza tried to use her mes to escape but it was to no avail, Sebastian was quick to ce his finger on the back of Erza''s neck which immediately left her paralyzed on the ground. "Seb...as...tian'' Erza choice her word as sheid crippled on the ground. "Thank you, Sebastian, do look after her for me." d let out calmly before focusing back at the arena. He could see Gigz desperately trying to heal his son, Luke being dead was already causing Gigz his mental state. "Gigz!" Vald shouted, "I would understand if you''d want to kill him for what he did. But they have to remember you are the head of Nervetk security¡­ do not take matters into your own hands.". "I know that. But¡­. that said, I can''t let him go after what he did." Gigz uttered, standing up from beside Luke and walking toward Sato. The guards all opened a path to let Gigz pass. Sato was a bit confused about the whole thing but he got the information about what he needed to do. He nned to try and defend as much as he can without attacking so he wouldn''t be able to cause any more harm that would jeopardize his mission. So Sato stood up from the ground with his guard up, "Could you hear me out before you¡­". Varrrum! Out of nowhere, a red barrier coated both Sato and Gigz, it was so red that no other color could be seen. And not only that, but as soon as the barrier covered Sato, he immediately noticed he wasn''t able to move a muscle from where he stood. ''What the hell is going on?!'' Sato yelled in his mind as he tried to keep calm. <> ''So you mean I can''t move?'' Sato questioned as he struggled, ''No countermeasures also?''. <<.....Analyzing¡­.>> "You insolent cockroach." Gigz voiced out which immediately forced Sato to pay attention to him. "You will regret what you did to you my son, I''ll make you pay." Gigz said, his fingers had multiple rings, and amongst those rings was a red one that glowed when Gigz clenched his fist. Boom! Gigz dashed to the front and went stampeding straight at Sato. Sato panicked as he desperately tried to move himself away from danger. ''Shit shit shit¡­ I''m gonna die!''. .... Outside the arena. "Go on, I''m listening, my master is waiting for me." Yuri voiced out with her eyes on Rexi. "I''m well aware that your master is nning to get married to thedy.". "Yeah, so?" Yuri questioned. "It holds tomorrow if I recall, but¡­ they might not get the chance to if everyone ends up dead before that." Rexi said with a serious look. Yuri didn''t bother asking because she knew there had to be more for Rexi to exin so all she had to do was wait and listen. "Today, my teammates and I were out surveilling the area when he suddenly came across arge deserted field. We heard some voices and we tailed, that was when we saw the huge army standing just outside of the red district. At first, we thought it was themander issuing a secret training for the soldiers, but then we noticed that amongst the army were both vampires, ghosts, and werewolves." Rexi exined. "I think I know where you are going with this, you believe the three races are working together to ambush your master, am I right?" Yuri asked. "I believe the three races are working together to ambush the Duke and start a new system in Nerverk." Rexi corrected. "How do you know that? And why exactly should I trust you?" Yuri asked. "I overheard them talking about their n to take control over the town and some relics. And if you don''t believe me, you will in a couple of hours because they n to start their raid this evening¡­ today" Rexi informed. "Of course they are¡­ dammit." Yuri muttered, focusing her eyes on the sky, "I guess I have no choice but to tell the master." She muttered to herself. And just as Rexi said, only a few distance s away from the mansion, about 3000+ men from different races were marching toward d''s mansion. Chapter 62 The Son Who Killed While Dead ?At thest second, Sato positioned both his hands in front of him and instantly barricaded the punch before it could make contact with his face. After blocking it, Sato utilized the force of the attack to his advantage and flew out of the red space before disembarking on the ground. ''That was close.'' Sato thought to himself while gazing at the red barrier space. "You figured out my power in a short amount of time¡­ I mustmend your skill". Gigz voiced out before walking out of the barrier. Sato sighed internally, ''How many seconds is the time interval Helix?'' Sato asked. <> ''Wait, so back there..'' Sato thought to himself as he came to realize, ''Before he punched me, he put up another barrier?''. <> ''Barrier magic? Who knew that was even a thing.'' Sato said before standing firm as he stared at Gigz. "Did you lose your voice, or do you just don''t know how to answer my question?" Gigz said with all the rings on his finger glowing. "No, I heard you, I just didn''t see the need to reply. I didn''t think you''d wanna speak to your son''s killer." Sato voiced out. Gigz immediately scowled after hearing what Sato said, "How dare you mock my son''s death?!" He steamed. mming his hand on the ground, which caused an enormous force of Lava to explode from the ground. It was constructed into a huge wave that rose about 25ft in the air before it began to tumble on Sato''s position. "It''s like this man just finds fault in everything I say!" Sato eximed, he took a huge leap back before yelling, "Predator!". A huge force of dark thick dust wooshed out of his hand and filled in all of the Lava in a matter of minutes while Sato was still in mid-air. Once the Lava had all been devoured, Satonded on the ground and locked his fist which caused the dark mist to fade away. <> "Nice." Sato muttered, looking at his hand asva began gushing from his hand and dripping on the ground. Gigz and the audience watching, all had stunted expressions on their faces when they saw Sato swallow a 25ft Lava in one go. "A¡­Are you a disaster-level monster?" Gigz asked with a bit of dread in his tone. d also noticed this and couldn''t help but smile, "Looks like the kids know a few tricks." He said. "Can we stop this now?" Sato yelled while looking at d, "My business is with you!". d just stared and didn''t utter a word. "Don''t ignore me!" Gigz yelled as charged straight at Sato. Sato pointed his hand at Gigz and out of nowhere,va rose from the ground with a huge pressure backing it up. Theva instantly halted Gigz in his tracks, coercing him to move back as he observed the rise of theva. "He stole my skill." Gigz muttered to himself. His eyes swayed from theva and shifted to the hole that was unfurling up in the middle of theva. Sato walked out of the hole and theva went back into the ground. "I''m truly sorry about what happened to your son, and I never meant to ¡­ kill him¡­ but right now there''s something serious heading here, and taking care of that could save many more lives." Sato consoled as he tried to convince Gigz. Gigz was quiet for a while, cracking his brain on whether he should take Sato''s offer or not. He was still feeling a lot of sorrow about his son''s death and standing in front of him was the killer but yet¡­ he didn''t feel attacking him was the right thing to do. "Law 213 of the white order, death caused by ident, the guilty person shall be imprisoned for 2 months and charged with a fee of 300 silver coins." Gigz recited with eyes nearly close to tears. With a warm smile, Sato replied, "I''ll dly ept my punishment.". Gigz looked away and walked toward his son who wasying on the ground a few feet from where Sato was. He went to his knees and grabbed Luke''s hand before setting it on his forehead, "I tried to take revenge for your death¡­ you didn''t deserve this. Just a few more months and you would have been married to the Duke''s daughter and even been appointed second inmand of the forever knights¡­ I''m sorry you never had the chance to fulfill your dreams." Gigz sobbed. Sato, who was watching Gigz talk to his son, shifted his attention away from there toward d. d stared down for a while and slowly walked away from the scene and back into his mansion. Even those who came to watch the battle between Sato and Luke were already confused but they still chose to stay. Sato gave out a small smile, "looks like he''s already aware of what is going on." He muttered to himself before closing his eyes. While his eyes were closed, Sato suddenly sensed a massive wave of magic energy and immediately opened his eyes. "Get away from him!" Sato yelled at Gigz. Luke''s hand suddenly moved and grabbed Gigz''s neck. "Son?" Gigz called out puzzledly Before anyone could react, Gigz had already beenpletely dried up to the extent that only his bone was visible. There was nothing in Gigz''s body and this resulted in his bones dismantling and scattering on the ground. With both his blood and organs falling alongside the Gigz''z bone. The whole ce went quiet for a while before a female audience screamed. "Ahhhhhhhhh! " Chapter 63 Its Not Love... Its An Obsession ?The entirety of the crowd burst into fear and madness as the popce ran out of the stadium with their hearts on their feet. The nearby guards started to enclose the area, although they were terrified but that didn''t stop them from securing the area. d, who was already presiding into his mansion, also felt the deadly aura that was circting from the arena. He halted his advance and turned back to check what could be resulting in such a toxic aura but his movement was stopped. Individuals clothed in ck cloaks leaped down from the ceiling and surrounded d''s position. Amongst the men, came a a distinct person that left d stunned, one of his closestmanders, strode to the front before removing the hood from his face. "Selvin." d called out, his face was filled with surprise since he could already read the room and tell it an a trap. "Duke d¡­ your time to die.. is now." Selvin said before pulling out a long de and aiming it at d. The remaining men who were outfitted the same, yanked out their weapons and aimed them at d. d nced around before sighing at the circumstances, "This exins the bad feeling I''ve been getting all day, so this is what it hase to, my own people rebelling against me¡­ very well." He muttered. "Prepare yourself!" Slevin yelled and charged straight at d. ...... Right in Erza''s room, Erza wasying on the bed, with both her hands and legsshed with a magic glowing rope while Sebastian stood at the entrance to guard the door. "Sebastian!" Erza yelled as she struggled to free herself from the ropes. "Sebastian!" Erza yelled again. Sebastian, who was standing near the door, slowly veered around his head and looked at Erza, "Yes Mdy?". "Release me at once!" She pressed furiously. "I''m sorry Mdy, I can''t do that." Sebastian replied. The room began to shudder as the ground started puzzling out underneath Sebastian''s legs and the wall did the same. "Calm down Mdy, control yourself." Sebastian said, resting his back on the door with his hand tucked. Erza''s eyes were gleaming red with the insignia of an eagle dancing in her eyes. She stared at Sebastian before she uttered, "Sato is still at the arena, facing judgment for something he didn''t do on purpose¡­ I''m the only one he has who can defend him". "And what makes you so sure about that?" Sebastian asked. "What?" "I have served many masters before you, opposed a lot of enemies, and seen arge number of substantial lords. But no one hase close to the feeling I got when I set my eyes on the Lord of elves for the first time." Sebastian expressed. "He is no typical monster, he is something else, his aura, expression, power¡­ everything about him gives nothing but absolute stupor¡­ on the outside, he seems weak, caring and gullible but on the inside, I am very sure he''s a force to be reckoned with¡­". While he was saying all this, he noticed Erza''s face was turning red and she was covering up her expression. "A¡­Are you blushing?" Sebastian asked with a deadpan watch on his face. "N¡­.No,.o..of course not." Erza stammered, glimpsing the other way so Sebastian wouldn''t be able to see her face. With a sigh, Sebastian uttered, "You must really be in love with that man". Erza stood still for a while and slowly fronted Sebastian, "Is it love? I feel really embarrassed when I think of him, I feel scornful when I see him aplish something and get exceptionally jealous when I see him with another person¡­ Sebastian, this is love¡­ I''m obsessed~" She replied with her eyes shrank and cheeks beet red. Sebastian was surprised since that was the first time he had ever seen Erza act the way she did. But he didn''t want to speak more on that topic, so he sighed and faced the door while turning his back on Erza. "Regardless of what decision you make, I''ll always be by your side to lend a helping hand¡­ that is my job after all." Sebastian voiced out. "If you truly mean that, then untie me from this hell rope so I can go save my fiancee from the mess he has gotten himself into." Erza implored. Feeling hesitant to abide, Sebastian took his time to face Erza and walk toward her with the aim of untying her from the bondage. But just as he was about to reach for the rope, Sebastian unexpectedly perceived something from outside the door. Boom! The door went soaring from off its inches and a man dressed in a gloaming cloak and holding in his hands a double sickle walked into the room. Once the dust had vindicated, Sebastian had already snatched Erza and positioned himself on the window. He got a good look at the face of the man before jumping down from the window. The cloaked man peeked to his right and noticed that there were traces of ck irons pitched from the ground. Once Sebastian touched down on the ground, he ced Erza near a bush and began to unbind her legs. "What''s going on Sebastian? Who was that?" Erza questioned, "Don''t tell me we are being attacked". Sebastian untied Erza''s legs and instantly threw the rope away. "Listen, Mdy, whatever you do, do not return¡­" Baam! Sebastian received a fast moving knee to the jaw from the same sickle-holding man. The knee connected with Sebastian''s jaw and sent him flying a few feet away from where Erza was. "Sebastian!!!" Erza cried out and immediately red back at the anonymous man standing in front of her, "Who the hell are you?" She asked with her eyes glowing red. The man looked at Erza, with two glowing dots showing from inside the hood the man was wearing. "Ahhh, the Demonic eye of Chaos¡­ truly beautiful." The man said with a deep chill tone that added to the mysterious vibe he had on. But Erza was unfazed, she looked him dead in the eyes and glowed her red eyes even brighter to show the man she was not feeling intimidated. Chapter 64 The Slimes Defensive Line ?"Fuu!". The Celi slime articted as it hopped past the garden and headed toward the exit of the resident. "Sister, are you sure this.. thing knows where it''s headed?" Shuna asked, walking behind her two sisters who were following the green slime. After the mermaids, Shuna, Luna, and Xianxia evolved into water goddesses, some traits they once had changed. Shuna, the second sister and the goddess of the gale, evolved into having white long hair and a slightlyrger bust apanied with an alluring figure. Her younger sister, Luna the goddess of the sea, had long blue hair and a sexy figure with a small sea shell that she used as essories on her hair. The eldest sister, Xanxia, the goddess of the moon, had short blonde hair, blue eyes, and a more mature facial figure which was covered with a ck transparent veil. Unlike the rest of her sisters, Xanxia grew fond of Sato almost immediately, and since her sisters looked up to her, they also followed in her footsteps. "Sister?" Luna called out as she hiked behind Xianxia, gripping her dress while peeking around nervously. "Rx, the young man told us there''s a spot outside the mansion where we can get a good view of the whole red district, and he mentioned that this slime is his attendant, so do not worry." Xanxia responded. The girls swallowed their fear and followed the Slime. After a few minutes of walking, they arrived outside d''s mansion. But their journey didn''t stop there, they proceeded with their advance to the east till they got to a cave in between tworge trees. The Celi slime ceased once it got to the opening of the cave and stepped to the side to leave a path for the girls to pass. "Does it want us to pass?" Luna asked Shuna. "I think so." Shuna responded. Xanxia concentrated her eyes inside the cave and her pupils started shimmering the longer she stared. She was able to see every path inside the cave from where she stood, so when she found an exit, she was certain she could pass. "Come on." Xanxia said, directing her sisters into the cave with courage and of course, Shuna and Luna heeded with no questions asked. Once they had gone, the Celi slime uttered, "Ahhh, this is so tiring, Fuu!." It said, A huge ssh of water spurt out of its body and it suddenly transformed into its female human form. Her green hair was made of slime and so was the green dress she was wearing. Celi sat down on the small rocks seated outside the cave and crossed her legs. From nowhere, four huge werewolves walked out of the bushes and slowly approached her while growling. "Took you long enough, my master already predicted you''d being to stop their advance, too bad I''m here Fuu!" "Who might you be?" The huge brown wolf asked with his deep voice. Celi stared at him for a while before giving out a warm smile, "I am but a small weak slime." She replied. "How dare you mock us?! Hand over the mermaids and we might just spare your life." The ck wolf threatened. Sighing, Celi got down from the rock and faced the four huge wolves who were growling in front of her. "I''d really advise you to go back, my Master''s order is absolute and he said¡­ ''You shall not pass!''." Celi mimicked before snapping her fingers. Round-shaped slimes started popping out of the ground and forming a long defensive line to block the wolves from passing. "What are those? You brought an army of slimes and think it would be enough to stop werewolves like us? Don''t make meugh." The brown wolf mocked. "You can try." Celi responded with a smile. The brown immediately groaned, "I''ve had enough." He said, charging straight at the hundreds of slime in front of him. While he was running, the brown wolf opened his mouth and a blue beam shot out of it straight at the slimes. The beam charred the ground while it was at full speed with an intense force backing it up. Before the beam got to the slime, some of them had already formed a huge shield to guard the remaining team. As the beam made contact with the slime shield, it just absorbed it without breaking a sweat. The brown wolf was shocked and immediately wanted to stop running but his speed was too fast to stop so quickly. So his legs were sliding against the floor while he struggled to break his movement. "Master!" The other ck wolf called out before dashing to the front to help hisrade. "Fire!" Celi yelled with an excited smile. The slime had already formed into a huge crossbow and aimed at the brown wolf. As soon as Celi gave the go to fire the slimes went soaring through the air in an arrow form. The brown wolf was clever enough to immediately transform into a human so he would be able to dodge. With a puff, the brown wolf changed into his human and nted his body to the side so he could evade the arrow and he did. The arrow flew past him and went sshed on the ck wolf. The ck wolf instantly fell to the ground and started screaming in pain. The slimes were scattering around his body and slowly eating him outside in multiple ces. The other wolf wanted to help and bit the neck of the ck wolf so he could pull him away but instead some of the slime transferred to him and went inside his nose. The brown wolf in his human form, stared at his slowly dyingrade with shock written all over his face before he looked at Celi. "What in the hell are you?" The brown wolf said as he watched Celi stare back at him with a smile. Meanwhile¡­. Xanxia, Shuna and Luna were still making their way to the other exit of the cave that led to a huge cliff just at the outskirts of d''s mansion. While they were walking, they could hear multiple noticesing from the entrance of the cave. But Xanxia didn''t pay attention to it, she pretty much knew that a battle was happening and didn''t want the slime who was protecting them to do so in vain. So she pressed on with only one aim in her mind, which was to undo all the manipting spells she had casted on the monsters. Chapter 65 500? Youd Be Lucky If You Get 200 Sato stood in the middle of the stadium with Luke standing in front of him and sping a smile. While all around them were re-ups, ground shattering, people screaming as they ran for their lives, and guards closing in on Luke''s position. ''Yuri¡­ can you hear me?'' Sato tried to get in touch with Yuri while his eyes were focused on Luke. ''She''s not responding, Helix?'' Sato called out. <> ''So, that''s how it is.'' "Hey!" One of the vampire soldiers called out while trembling in fear but still maintaining an unfazed expression. The sudden call out grabbed Sato''s and Luke''s attentiveness as they both looked at the soldier. "On the ground, now!" The soldier yelled, pulling out his sword and aiming it at Luke and Sato. The rest of the soldiers did the same and surrounded them so there would be no means to escape. Luke smiled, staring at his hand as he noticed it was starting to grow rotten and turning into dust. "Looks like father''s life force wasn''t enough, after all." He voiced out looking at all the vampires around him. "Oh well, this will have to do.". The ce went intoplete silence for a while and the only thing they could all hear were the battle sounds echoing from outside the arena. After a few minutes of everyone putting their guards up, Luke slowly began to walk toward one of the soldiers. "As the son of thete leader of the forever knight, will you please dlyy down your life for me?" Luke uttered with a smile while cing his hand on his chest. "Is that a joke? There''s no way I''dy my life for someone who killed his own father just so he could live¡­ My loyalty lies with the Lord of destruction and chaos, the leader of the vampires, Duke d." The soldier asserted without batting an eye. Luke frowned in response to what the soldier said to him. "Hey¡­ who the hell do you think you are talking to?... You damn ve!" Luke yelled before charging straight at the soldier. It was in an instant, Luke moved from where he stood and appeared right in front of the soldier as a massive wind blew up behind him. The soldier stood still and didn''t show any sign of fear as he stared back at Luke. Luke clenched his fist, "How dare you forget? Your life belongs to me!" He yelled and struck a blow. But before the blow could damage the soldier, arge silver hexagon shield suddenly materialized out of nowhere and blocked the punch. "Oh?" Luke voiced out, looking at the way the shield was hovering above the ground with no one wielding it. "You just don''t know how to mind your business do you?" Luke voiced out, slowly turning his gaze toward Sato. "You heard the dude, his loyalty lies with the Duke, more than enough reason for me to step in. You''ve done enough and I won''t let you continue to harm innocent people." Sato responded with the hexagon shattering. "That tone¡­" Luke voiced with his eyes widened in anger, "That''s exactly what my father used to say¡­ innocent? Shut up!" He yelled. "Every damn day, save, save, save, save, save, save them¡­ who the hell decided I have to save anyone, y''all should just shut up already!" Luke shouted, scratching his hair madly while stomping his feet on the ground. "You really shouldn''t¡­" "Don''t interrupt me while I''m talking you fool!" Luke yelled, "You think you''re something special¡­ hahaha, that facade you carry I can tell, you want power, you enjoy the feeling you get when you are above it all, the praise, the followers, the women¡­ ohhhh you sick sicko.". "Ehhh, would you look at that, you actually know me pretty well." Sato said with a smile. "Bastard! You think you''re special! I''ll make you pay, you hear me, once I''m done devouring these puny soldiers, I''ll make sure I make life a living hell for you! And then¡­". "For a royal douchebag, you sure talk a lot, my poor master, forced to listen to your annoying voice out of pity.". Yuri emerged beside Sato, with a whirlwind of ck mist showing around where she stood right before she appeared. "Master¡­ Did you miss me?" Yuri said with a blushing smile while she ced her hand around Sato''s neck. "Yuri? Where have you been? I tried calling you multiple times, but I got no response." Sato uttered, looking Yuri in the eye. His eyes suddenly nced to the right and he noticed a Rexi standing beside him with her sword out. Sato instinctively grabbed Yuri by the waist and veered around before lengthening his hand toward her with a bright red light gleaming from his palm. ''How did she sneak past me? I sure as hell didn''t sense anyone other than Yuri.'' Sato muttered to himself while focused on Rexi. "It''s all right, master." Yuri voiced out, "She''s here to help". "Eh?" Sato looked at Yuri, "Luke''s personal bodyguard is here to help?" He asked but with doubt. "I know it sounds outrageous, but she wants to protect this ce and is willing to do so even if it means standing against her master." Yuri exined to Sato. Sato looked at Rexi again and sighed, "You don''t have any bad intentions toward me, so I guess I can let this go." He released his grip on Yuri''s waist. "Did you hear that, Luke?! Even your own attendant is against you, giving up now isn''t such a bad idea." Sato shouted, ''In all honesty, I don''t know what exactly he is fighting for, but one thing is for sure¡­ he wants to get rid of d and me, but why?''. "Psfft, haha haha, ahahahahah, hahahahahahahahaha!". Luke beganughing aloud like a madman, mming his thigh with one hand and holding his stomach with the other. Sato and the rest just watched himugh his guts off like someone who had just heard the funniest joke for the first time. "You naive stupid being, you really think because Rexi chose your side you have a chance against me ¡­. No! Right now as we speak, over 500 werewolves, vampires, and ghosts are heading here to lend me aid in destroying this pathetic household!" Luke exposed. Sato grinned, "And as we speak¡­ My people are doing the same¡­ 500? What a joke, you''d be lucky if you even get 200 here in one piece¡­ I Sato Inugami, guarantee you''ve already lost, big time." Chapter 66 500? Youd Be Lucky To Get 200 II "What exactly do you mean by that?" Luke asked with a bit of malevolence in his tone, peeking at Sato who was smiling despite the situation. "There''s still time for you to turn yourself in, not enough damage has been done." Sato voiced out. "He''s right, master, this path is not one you should take¡­ it''s a very dangerous one." Rexi said, trying to convince Luke. She walked forward but with her de still in her hands. "Lady Rexi, please be careful." One of the vampire soldiers yelled. "No one should intervene, I''ll take care of this myself." Reximanded as she continued her advance. ''If she does manage to get him on our side, that leaves the 500 troops he was talking about. He sounded so confident, I wouldn''t be shocked if he has back up here too¡­ Helix, do you detect anything?'' Sato asked. <> ''Carry on then''. <> ''All this information and nothing about nothing about the enemy.'' Sato sighed. <> ''It''s all good, let''s just see what goes on with these two love birds.'' Sato said, watching Rexi and Luke patiently from the sidelines. "Don''te any closer!" Luke yelled, grasping his fist to allow magic to build up inside it. Rexi halted as soon as he heard Luke''s outburst, "Master." She called out with concern. To Luke, everyone currently standing in the arena was his enemies, including his faithful attendant. "Just because you came in numbers, you thought I''d be scared, you must really be full of yourself." Luke voiced out. "Master¡­" "Shut up! Don''t call me that, you traitor!" Luke yelled, puttering Rexi with his eyes. "Why would you call me something like that? I have always been loyal to the Gigz family, that hasn''t changed." Rexi uttered calmy. "Oh really, then exin to me what you are doing with that asshole over there." Luke shouted as he pointed at Sato. Rexi hesitated to speak butter found the resolve, "I need their help in saving the red district." She revealed. "What in the hell are you talking about?" Luke asked with confusion written on his face. "Master, I know all about the way you sold your father''s fortune toward the forever knight to the ghost council, and how they promised to grant the seat of the vampire council to you." Rexi said, an earnest look hitting her face as she stared back at Luke. "H¡­How do you know about that? You were spying on me?!" Luke yelled but the fear he was feeling was still all over his face. "You were hungry by greed and wanted to be the ruler of vampires, so much that you killed your father". "Stop talking!". "A sin like that is hard to repent over so easily." Rexi continued, ignoring Luke''s protest. "I said enough". "But, you can still atone by telling us where they are and n, I know you won''t¡­". "Enough!" Luke yelled and got ready to charge at Rexi. Before he could take a step, Luke felt something dig him from behind. He wasn''t sure but the blood dripping from his hand said a lot. "What the¡­?" Luke muttered, he turned around and saw a ghost and a werewolf standing in the VIP section of the arena. The ghost, Gudan had his hand stretched out which demonstrated he was the one who initiated the attack. "B¡­Bastard," Luke muttered before falling to the ground on his chest. "Master!" Rexi called out as she immediately ran to his side. Sato stared up at the two individuals looking down at him. <> ''So these guys are the council¡­ one of them just killed Luke, they are definitely not here to help me, what the hell are they here for?'' Sato questioned. "The human in the ck outfit gives me a rather unsettling feeling." Puma voiced out as he stared at Sato. "Rx you big dog, it''s just one human, geez." Gudan voiced out, "Now!". Gudan jumped down from the top and so did Puma. They bothnded on the ground which caused a huge wave of dust to blow across the arena. "Uhn? I was certain I would meet those silly mermaids here." Gudan said as he walked. He stopped his advance when he noticed the soldiers standing in front of him and blocking his path that led to where Rexi was. "With all due respect, you just killed the leader of the Nerverk security''s son, please do exin yourself." A soldier stepped up and spoke. "You guys must have hearts of steel, then again, you are soldiers so it''s understandable, but even still¡­ you should watch how you address me." Gudan said and instantly snapped his finger. The six soldiers who were at the front immediately got their bodies ripped into pieces as a fast moving ghost whip shot out of the ground. The remaining four at the back were saved by Sato and Yuri before the whip could touch them and shatter their bodies into a million pieces. Sato, carrying three soldiers,nded on the ground before lowering the soldiers on the ground. They all didn''t waste any time, all the soldiers began to run away, panting and pushing each other to selfishly save their own lives. "Master, do you want to fight them?" Yuri asked, her eyes were glowing since she was ready to fight. "They aren''t exactly here to sell cupcakes, a fight is most definitely going to happen." Sato replied before standing upright. Yuri smiled in response to Sato''s reply, "In that case." She voiced. "Hey dog boy and ghosty!" Yuri called out, "There''s only two of you and two of us, why don''t we make this a fair fight and we go one on one with each other." She proposed. "Very tempting¡­ but, looks like our team is here, can''t leave them out of the fun now can I?" Gudan responded with a confident grin on his face. The loud stomps of people approaching the stadium got louder and louder with every passing minute, everyone standing under the stadium knew something was going on. Chapter 67 The Four Portals To Hope "They''re here." Puma muttered, ncing behind him as he focused on the soldier''s raging cry outside. "Indeed they are." Gudan said with a grin, "Puma, I can handle things from here, we don''t wanna keep old d waiting". Puma groaned, "You''re right, I''ll be off then, but do not go overboard for any reason." He said before vanishing into a puff of smoke. Sato and Yuri stood there as they observed the whole thing, neither of them feeling overwhelmed even though the situation was not looking in their favor. Gudan on the other hand was bursting with joy at the very thought of him being the one with the upper hand. He looked around him and made a sad expression at the sight of Luke and Gigz''s bodies lying dead on the ground. "Ahhh, what a sad sight, both father and son, dead. Son wants power and is ready to sacrifice anything and the father is too stupid to tell who the real enemy is." Gudan uttered, cing his hand on his head while nodding in grief. "You know, for your ghost, you sure talk too much, aren''t you supposed to be spooky, silent, or something." Sato chimed in just when Gudan was about to say another thing. Gudan paused, with his palm stillying over his face, he peeked through the tiny spaces where his fingers didn''t cover and focused on Sato. "You are? If you interrupted me so casually then I want to believe you are some kind of big shot, ''cause if not¡­ you''re dead." Gudan asserted with a huge boom of wind gushing from his feet. "Wow, and here I thought Divanchi had a powerplex, you take being weak to a whole other level." Yuri butted in with a sigh and her hand on her waist. "Another strong woman, interesting." Gudan said he looked to the side and noticed that the loud cries of his troops had gone silent. "What in the hell are they doing?!" Gudan yelled frustratingly, he turned his back on Sato and Yuri and wanted to go check. After taking one step, Gudan paused in shock when he suddenly found Yuri in front of him. She was on all four with only her left hand above the ground and holding a long blue sword. With a grin on Yuri''s face, she sliced the sword at Gudan but he was fast to dodge the attack. He leaped away from both Yuri and Sato and touched down on the left side of the arena. Looking at Sato, he couldn''t help but feel frustrated when he saw how calm Sato was. "What did you do?" Gudan asked, desperately trying to hold the anger he was feeling in. Sato smiled, "Let''s just say, I left a little present for your troops." He replied. Outside the arena, where about 500 different species were gathered, was being blocked byrge glowing portals. The arena was located a few distances away from d''s mansion, so it was easy for Sato to guess that was where they were headed. The troops were filled with vampires, werewolves, ghosts, and even other races, like some beast people and lizard men. But even with their numbers, they were still hesitant to walk past the fourrge portals that were positioned right in the middle of them and the arena. At the back center of the troop''s formation, was a particrmander, Limf, the head of the ghost division, and the rest of the troops. He was sitting on a horse and surrounded by about 30 different spearmen who were all ghosts. "What''s the damn hold up! Get a move on already!" Limf yelled at the top of his voice. "Leader!" A vampire holding a long sword voiced out from the side. Limf turned his attention to the vampire, "What''s the problem?!" He yelled. "The front lines have encountered fourrge portals blocking our path to the arena." The vampire reported. His eyes are dimmed ck and from the way he spoke, it was easy for anyone to tell the vampire has no life in him. "Portals?!" Limf questioned. "Yes sir, it appears so." The vampire responded. "Ahrgh! Out of my way!" Limf shouted in anger and leaped down from the horseback he was on. As soon as hended on the ground, Limf began walking to the front line, stomping his way through the masses till he got there. After a while of shouting and shoving, Limf managed to get to the front and got a good view of the massive portals. "What in Odin''s name is going on here?" Limf muttered aggressively as the sight began making him worried. "We have no idea sir, it just showed up out of nowhere." A werewolf reported. Limf stared inside the portal for a while, giving it his full concentration to see if he could see where the portal led to. As he was staring at the portal attentively, he fell to the ground, startled when a small hand stuck out of one of the portals. The remaining soldiers pulled out their weapons and immediately took a defensive stance. "Ohhhh, look Latina, it worked." "Awesome, see I told you you could do it, Lord Sato did well to give the power to you." "Ahhhhhh, I wanna go in¡­" "No wait, Jiro!". Pussh! Jiro, one of the youngest male elves in Sato''s vige, jumped out of the portal with a bow and arrow in his hands. His arrival left the troops speechless as they stared with their jaws dropped. "It''s a young elf." Limf muttered, standing to his feet with a yet surprised look on his face. "Who are you calling young?! I''m the 2nd boss of the guards I''ll have you know!" Jiro replied loudly. "Shut up." A manly voice came from the other side of the portal before Duke and Giron stepped out of it. Right after them, from the remaining portals came other elves and beast people, each one wielding a weapon of their own. "Ghost, Vampires, werewolves, and the likes, I''ll kindly ask you to put down your weapons and retreat¡­if not ¡­ death awaits everyst one of you," Duke said with a scary look in his eyes as she spun his scythe. Chapter 68 The Goblins Bat Away Destination... Red district Elena''s capture hold. A force of fire whooshed into the bushes and Divanchi emerged, hiding behind a tree while spying on her targets. Right in front of her was a dark-looking cave with two goblins patrolling the entrance with a long green spear in their hands. "A Hobgoblin? I thought they were extinct." Divanchi whispered to herself as she continued to observe them. "Hobgoblins? Where did theye from?" Ond raised a question, standing behind Divanchi as she also goggled at the cave. "So it wasn''t just me halusinating, our enemy managed to get hold of Hobgoblins," Divanchi uttered with an a keen grin on her face. She clenched her fist and twisted to Ond, Divanchi could see six shadow wolves positioned behind him. "Ond." Davanchi called out. "Yes, mdy". "Can you handle the two hobgoblins for me?" She asked of him. Ond peeked at the globins before diverting his attention back at Divanchi, "Yes I can, it shouldn''t be any problem." He replied. "Great, I on the other hand¡­ have a special task to take care of." Divanchi voiced with a smile. The Hobgoblins were patrolling the front of the cave, looking around to see if they could spot anyone. They were red and wore rags as clothes, the same thing went for the hat they had on their head. While they were both walking, one of the goblins heard a faint sound of something swarming around in the bushes. The sound precautioned him, so he instantly stopped and went to check it out. Once he got close, he unfurled the leaves to see a small red bird ying inside. "Racha Racha!" The goblin yelled and forcefully closed the bushes back. He veered around and began walking away, but unknowingly to him, Ond whooshed out of the bush and twisted the goblin''s neck with brute force. The globin fell to the ground, releasing hold of his staff. The staff rebounded on the floor and suddenly zed. Boom! With no warning, the staff detonated, taking Ond with it. The entire area blew up which drew the attention of the remaining goblins in the area. The goblins began to rush toward the explosion while shouting to call for more backup. But as the goblins kepting, so did Ond''s shadow wolves. They attacked the goblins before they could get closer. Ond stood up from the fire, "No wonder Lady Divanchi didn''t want to battle you guys." He uttered. A swirl of blue glowing strings rotated around Ond which immediately put off the mes on his body which he got from the explosion. He warbled to the side and saw a red bird entering the cave and dodging all the fights that were happening. "Good luck to you, I''ll keep this busy here till you return." Ond voiced out. A goblin managed to get past the wolves and was charging straight at Ond with his staff glowing. Ond was still calm when he lengthened his right hand toward the goblin and said, "Shatter!". Fast-moving blue glowing strings whooshed out from the ground and tied the goblin in mid-air before ripping the goblin apart with the sheer pressure of the strings. .... Divanchi, who was in her bird form, had already entered the cave and was following the trail of me touches. She knew they had to lead somewhere, and the further she went the stronger she could feel Elena''s magic. Divanchi continued her advance while still in her bird form until she saw a bright light up ahead. She immediately transformed back into her human form and began again on foot. When she got close to where the light was glowing from, she was left stunned by what she saw. Standing in the light area, were two giant elves, each holding huge wooden bat and surrounding the corner of the room. It took Divanchi a while, but she finally caught a glimpse of what the elves were focused on. Elena, seated on the floor and covered in blood, was being pushed to the wall by the huge elves. "Stay back." Elena said, with no effort to make her voice be heard since she had no strengt1h to talk. Just on the floor beside her, was the head of a goblin she had sliced off with her de a while ago, which led to her current predicament. The goblins growled at her, leaving Elena shaking in fear as their saliva trickled on her body One of the huge goblins decided to take the initiative and reached out to grab Elena. Just when he did so, he switched his attention to the voice he heard behind him. "Oi! You''ve got some nerves." Divanchi voiced out with a foreshadowed look on her face. The goblins turned their back on Elena and began to walk toward Divanchi. Elena was on the brink of tears the moment she saw Davanchi. "Lady Divanchi." Elena muttered with a tear rolling down her cheeks. She sought to stand to her feet when suddenly, a green hands fudged from the ground and grabbed her. As soon as the hand made contact with Elena, she screamed in shock as a shback of when Selvin molested her began to ur in her head. "Are you okay, Elena?!" Divanchi shouted, tilting her face to the side so she could get a good look at Elena. "How¡­ you¡­enter." One of the goblins voiced out, smacking his bat on the floor while he walked. "Oh? So you speak? Interesting, you just made torturing you so much easier." Divanchi uttered with her usual smile on her face. "You not demon or monster, you spirit! Be gone!" The other goblin shouted, tightening his grip on the wood before throwing it at Divanchi. Divanchi snapped her fingers and fire consumed the wood in mid air, burning it into arches before it could get close to her. "You ought to attack me better, geez." Divanchi sighed disappointedly, "Okay, then, let me show you what I meant¡­.". Four goblin hands wrapped on the ground below her and grabbed her legs. Almost instantly, Divanchi fell to the knee, groaning in pain with her hands resting on her head. "What¡­What the hell?!" Divanchi voiced out as she fought the pain she was feeling. She managed to raise her head a bit and saw another elf merge from the ground with a small staff. The elf had long pink hair and was wearing a white gown with a crown flower on her head. Chapter 69 Damn You, Kuranashi! "W¡­where am I?" Opening her eyes slowly as the bright light of the heavens shines on her. "Am I?" The scenery of a woman wearing a red dress and a dark veil covering her face stood in her foresight. "Mother!" Divanchi yelled, jerking up from the ground where she was lying. ncing around her, she could see she was no longer in the cave where she wanted to reprieve Elena. Where she was, had floating inds, and statues of giant Phoenix arranged in every area of the residents. ''What''s going on here?'' Divanchi thought to herself in confusion. She looked down at her hand and noticed the size was smaller than usual. Curiosity got the better of her, so she looked to her left, at the stainless cup resting on the floor where she had just stood up from. Darting at her reflection, Divanchi''s eyes broadened in shock when she saw that she was in the body of a little girl, her younger self to be exact. She had red flowers prettied at the side of her hair while she wore a white dazzling gown. "What the actual¡­ could I have¡­" Divanchi muttered, looking around intensively, "Somehow traveled 900 years back in time!" She shouted. The sudden yelling caught the attention of the woman dressed in red, who was attending to another gathering of women. "Please excuse me." The woman said to her peers before walking away and heading toward where Divanchi stood. Divanchi was on her knees looking at the ground with a puzzled expression since she couldn''t tell what was going on. "Time travel? I don''t have any skills like that.. do I?... Wait unless¡­ did master give me¡­ no no, he would have told me if he did." Divanchi muttered to herself while she racked her brain. "Hey sweetie, are you alright?". Divanchi immediately paused after she heard a soft feminine voiceing from behind her. She slowly veered around to see who spoke, looking back she saw the beautiful woman, wearing a smile with her face slightly close to hers. Divanchi stared at the woman with shock before tears rolled down her cheeks all while she didn''t utter a single word. "Oh, dear." The woman panicked from the sudden way Divanchi was crying, she went to her knees and ced her hand on Divanchi''s head. "Awwn, why is my beautiful daughter crying so early in the morning? Did you have a bad dream?" The woman asked. Divanchi still had the same expression on her face, she immediately hugged the woman and began crying even louder. "Mother!" Divanchi called out, "I''ve missed you so much! I''ve¡­ missed you!." She sobbed even more. After a while of crying, Divanchi calmed down and sat down on the chair closest to her. The woman smiled as she looked at Divanchi, "You seem calm now, what did you mean by you missed me?" She asked. Divanchi looked to the side, one finger on her cheeks as she tried not to make eye contact, "I¡­ehhh¡­ had a bad dream." She uttered the first thing that came to her mind. The woman was surprised but still smiling at how bad Divanchi''s lie was, she moved closer to her and patted her head. "You''re still so little, yet you have the mind of an adult, I''m proud of you¡­ although, do not make a habit of lying." The woman said with a smirk. "H..hai," Divanchi responded. "And besides." The woman uttered before turning her back on Divanchi and walking to the front a bit, "Shouldn''t you be saying that to your sister, she will be getting married to Kuronahshi remember¡­". Divanchi''s eyes widened in shock, "Mother¡­ about that¡­ ahhhh!" She screamed in pain when a sudden headache hit her before she could speak her mind. Divanchi fell to her knees when the pain kept inting, her head was on the ground as the pain intensified. But after a while, the pain stopped and she was back to normal. Looking up, she couldn''t believe what she saw. The whole ce was burning to the ground, like a war had just happened. And standing in front of her, were six women who were standing alongside her mother. "Mother¡­" Divanchi muttered. The woman slightly looked at Divanchi and smiled, "Listen to me, Divanchi, run, go as far away as you can¡­ onlye back when the sky calls for it so¡­ do you understand me?". ''It''s just like 900 years ago, I¡­I am living that exact moment¡­ this is where.'' "Divanchi!" Divanchi snapped out of her thoughts when she heard the cry of a girling from her Left. She looked and saw a girl getting dragged by men with small scales on their faces and lizard-like eyes. The girl was weeping as the men punched her face to the ground continuously till she was unable to fight back. Divanchi stood there, watching as the devastation happened all around her while she battled the panic attack she was feeling. "Lady Kira!" Divanchi was hesitant but she looked to where the voice came from with tears rolling down her cheeks and she saw her mother. Divanchi''s mother was in her Phoenix form and was on the ground with her blood spewing from her throat as a ck dragon bit it. The dragon sucked the life out of the Phoenix, leaving the Phoenix to burn out and turn back to her human form. The dragon did the same and transformed into a man with blue hair and blue sparkling eyes with blood painted on her lips. With a smile, the man looked at Divanchi and smiled while using his thumb to clean the blood on his lips and licking it. Divanchi watched and began panting heavily as the image of her mother dying was fixated on her mind. Ahhh! Ahhhhhhhh! Divanchi yelled and her body immediately shifted back to her normal height before she charged at the man right after transforming into a Phoenix. She scattered everything in her path with fire burning intensively on her wings and her eyes glowing red as she approached the dragon. "Damn you! Kuranashi!!!" Divanchi yelled with rage while the dragon just smiled with no hint of fear. Chapter 70 Divanchis Return Not To Sleep The female goblin gazed down at Divanchi''s unconscious body while keeping up her staff in her hands. "How unfortunate, a Divine beast reduced to following an elves'' orders." The female goblin uttered before turning to the huge goblin beside her. "Take and tie her close to the other prisoner." The female goblin issued amand. "As you wish." The huge goblin replied, tossing his wood to the side as he approached Divanchi''s body. The female goblin turned and faced Elena who was also unconscious and crying her eyes out. "Wait!" The female goblin yelled and instantly turned her attention to Divanchi. Before she could move, the huge goblin had already given out a painful yell and he moved back. "Urrgh, she cut.... hand!" The huge goblin yelled, falling to one knee while using his other hand to stop the bleeding. The female goblin gave out a disturbed look as she rubbernecks at Divanchi who was still unconscious on the ground but somehow managed to move her hand up and was holding the severed hand of the goblin. ''A divine beast¡­ how did a divine beast wander in her!'' The female goblin yelled, forgetting that she had subconsciously known Divanchi was a divine beast. Divanchi raised her head from the ground with her eyes still closed. She gradually stood to her feet while holding the hand of the goblin. "This is impossible, she should still be trapped in my illusions." The female goblin panicked, looking at the floor to see the green hands were still on Divanchi''s legs. "What is going on here?.... How are you still able to move?!!". "Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!" Divanchi suddenly gave out a loud roar as her body became enveloped in mes, so much so that it rose through the ceiling of the caves and straight into the sky. Ond, who was fighting outside, felt the ground rumbling before he saw the mes touch the heavens and turn the sky red in its light. After a while, the top of the cave blew apart and the red light from the sky shone inside revealing both Divanchi and the goblins. The female goblin moved back and didn''t think twice before using Elena as her body shield. "I don''t know how you are still moving, but I don''t care¡­ this is what you are here for right? Ha, I dare you to touch me." The female goblin yanked out her knife and aimed it at Elena. Divanchi was motionless for a while, as the fire was still burning around her body and sting to the heavens. The female goblin had a smirk on her face with the thought that she had already won the battle. She turned to the other huge goblin whose hand was intact and uttered, "Put her to sleep¡­ for good.". The goblin smacked his wooden weapon on the ground and strolled toward Divanchi while growling like a wild animal. Like a quick boom, the huge goblin went flying past the female goblin andnded on the other side of the cave with his body oozing with smoke. The female goblin was frozen in shock and confusion. Even though she was watching, she couldn''t still tell what happened. In the blink of an eye again, the other huge goblin was suddenly on his knees with Divanchi''s hand covering his face. She eradicated him with only a drop of light from her finger that went into his brain and began spreading around his body till he exploded. That was enough to make the female goblin shake in fear. The female goblin tossed Elena to the side and made a break for it without looking back to see if Divanchi was chasing her. Pant! Pant! "A divine beast! Damn that Gudan, he never mentioned anything about a divine beast being involved." The female goblin uttered as she ran. And all of a sudden, a voice came from behind her. "Where do you think you''re going?" Booosh! Divanchi suddenly showed up behind her in mid-air with her body covered in mes and her eyes glowing red while she stretched her hand to grab the female goblin. ...¡­.. ...¡­. Inside d''s mansion, d stood in the passageway surrounded by dead bodies of fellow vampires. He looked to the ground and one could almost see the remorse in his eyes as he bit the lower part of his lips. "Is poor d having a moment?" Puma uttered, walking out of the dark path of the passageway in his werewolf form. He stood in front of d, his purple eyes glowing as he stared. "I''m sure you understand the situation already," Puma uttered, heaving a heavy sigh as he reached for the bridge of his nose, "Surely you are not that dense." Puma said with a growl. "What a shame, you have grown blinded by envy and shrouded by rage¡­ a once warrior turned into a mare substance to fuel a revenge that isn''t worth acting upon." d said while still looking at the ground. "Who the hell do you think you are?! You bastard!" Puma yelled, clenching his fist while his purple eyes glowed. "You have no right to lecture me, you who was born with the blessings of the overseer and granted the power of the gods and yet still dimmed it as a curse!". "Because it is." "No, it''s not!" Puma yelled again, cing his hand on his chest while he gestured with every word "With a power like that, authority, power, riches, all will bow and none will oppose, the perfect being of power will be acknowledged by the world, but you¡­ you chose to hide this power and live as a mere council member, I refuse to ept something so stupid!!". "What of it? The world you envisioned is one where people should fear me because of the curse I have. I chose a world where fear isn''t oppressed but an option." d responded calmly. "You truly believe so, hahaha hahaha, very well, you and I are totally different, if you won''t do it, then I will, d! Give me the eye of destruction!!" Puma shouted with a stern look. d sighed, "Since it hase to this, a battle is most likely unavoidable, and so, I ask you this question before we Begin¡­ My people, the onesying dead on the floor right now¡­ are you the cause of the mind control?" He asked. "Yes¡­ what of it?". "Oh?" d said calmly but the aura on his body said otherwise, his eyes glowed a golden color and the ground began to burst out with tinyrvae spraying from the spaces. "You are finally ready for battle¡­ THIS BATTLE SHALL NOT BE ONE YOU''RE GOING TO WIN¡­ VLAD!!". Chapter 71 The Cloaked Man Or A Sibling "Arrrgh, damn it.". Sebastian groaned as he slowly stood up from the grasses where he wasying. "What happened?" He questioned himself, once he was able to stand on both feet, he began scanning around to see where he was. At first, he wasn''t all that certain, but after he caught a glimpse of the huge spurt of mesing from the garden, everything became evident to Sebastian. From the mansion getting half copsed, to the shaky ground, even the cries of people battling each other. "Shit shit shit!" Sebastian began to run, looking to his left to see a huge red magic circle appear above the mansion. Sebastian took a sharp turn and began running further into the garden while disregarding the mansion. "Mdy?!" "Where are you?!" "Mdy!". Sebastian cried out as he went on, looking around to make sure he wouldn''t skip her in his haste. But his calls were quickly answered when he found Erza kicking back on a boulder. Sebastian couldn''t help but smile, his top priority had always been to protect her, and now that he had found her, he could get back to it, or so he thought. Before he could even think of calming himself, he was back to his disturbed state when he noticed the man dressed in a dark cloak and holding a double sickle in his hand approaching Erza. Erza coughed out blood from her mouth, her face covered in bruises that came from the constant beating she got. Erza mopped the blood on her lips and looked up at the man who was slowly getting closer to her. ''What the hell is this man? No matter how many times I injure him, he always regenerates so fast. That even surpasses the speed of a vampire.'' Erza thought to herself. Her face was slowly healing, leaving only the imprint of the blood on her cheeks and hand. "I mustmend you, you put up quite an interesting disy for me." The man said, rotating his sickle around as he walked, "I can say, I''ll definitely enjoy killing you¡­ a lot". "Mdy!" Sebastian yelled before he began running to her side. But the cloaked man wanted no interruptions, so he immediately put up a a barricade, leaving Sebastian outside. "A barrier?!" Sebastian yelled when he noticed the barrier but he didn''t stop his approach. "Coward! You hear me! Let her go and face me, you damn coward!" Sebastian materialized a huge ck iron out of thin air and mmed it on the barrier but nothing happened. He didn''t stop there, he kept on mming the iron continuously with the hope of wrecking the barrier. But just while he was at it¡­. Someone, wearing a dark cloak rushed out of the bushes and they wanted to tear him apart with their ws. Sebastian was forced to let go of the iron he was holding and jumped back to avoid the person. "Damn it, I don''t have time for this!" Sebastian yelled, standing to his feet as two long iron rods appeared in his hands, "Get out of my way!". The individual went to all fours with their tail standing up while they grunted like a wide beast getting ready to strike. The man inside the barrier smiled as he watched Sebastian battle the person. "Truly a sight." The man said, looking at Erza whose eyes were filled with rage at the moment. The man sighed and moved back, "Not once throughout our battle did you use your Demonic eye on me, I find it so you underestimate me¡­ or is it something more?". "Shut up," Erza said as she stood to her feet, she ripped the lower part of her dress away to give her legs more free movement. "I don''t know who you are, or why you''vee here, but¡­ I won''t stand for this any longer." Erza voiced out, throwing the same hateful gaze at the man. "You are in danger and yet you still talk as such you have the upper hand?" The man said beforeughing. "What are you talking about?"... "Hmmm." The man immediately stoppedughing. "You must have misunderstood something, I''m not the one in danger¡­ you are a vampire, isn''t that right? .... And to be frank, you''re acting sucks, aren''t that right...Brother." Erza voiced out. The man paused for a while before he threw anotherugh, "So you figured it out, eh¡­ very impressive". The man removed the hood from his face and Erza was able to take a long hard confusing stare at him. "Let me guess, the eye of yours analyzed me?" Christian asked with a smirk on his face. Erza''s eyes were focused on the ground with a foreshadowed look on her face as she clenched her fist. "What''s so funny?... Why? Why the hell were you trying to kill me?!" Erza yelled with her left eye glowing red, "What the damn hell possessed you to want to kill your own sister? Answer me!". "You ask why?" Christian said, not showing any expression on his face other than absolute seriousness. "That damn eye of yours." Christian snorted while he pointed at her left eye, "Took everything away from me¡­ honestly, I never really cared about all the attention you were getting just because you had the same stupid eye as father". "But¡­ one day I overheard father telling one of the high members that he ns to make you partake in the council selection and take his ce." Christian continued with a disdainful look on his face. "He looked at you as his prize possession, and when asked what he wanted for his first son, wanna hear what dear old dad said?" Christian gripped the sickle tighter, "Christin doesn''t have the same curse I have, he stands no chance of beating any of the current council members¡­ Erza has a better chance". Erza listened, and even though she was disturbed by it she didn''t let her emotions slip out. "Do you get it, yes, I''m jealous of you, your big brother is jealous of you, and I couldn''t care less, all I want is for you and Dad and everyone else to just die as I watch!" Christian shouted. "That''s how it is." Erza muttered, "Christin, I won''t be holding back¡­ get ready." She said with her eyes glowing. The clouds started to turn dark and there were five dark floating orbs behind Erza, dancing around. Christian took a fight stance and got ready, "Come on sis, I just poured my heart out, why so cold?!" He yelled andunched himself forward. Chapter 72 The Witch Of Envy/ Gudan Gudan used his magic eyes to zoom in on the battle happening outside the arena and was shocked that his troops were barely overtaking Sato''s subjects. Snorting, Gudan looked at Sato with frustration written all over his face. "Who are you? I know Damn well you are not of royal selection, your name is nowhere in the register." Gudan asked and in no way was he trying to hide his frustration. Sato smiled in response to Gudan and tucked his arms as he replied, "Of course, I''m not registered, if I was, no doubt my vige would have been among the viges you looted.". "You rule over an unregistered vige?" Gudan raised a question, and this time his expression was quick to change to a smiling one. "Oh men, if the demon lord finds out, you''re toast." Gudan mocked. "Let''s not change the topic¡­ now, before I battle you, there''s just one thing I want to know," Sato uttered profoundly, "This whole n was set by you to bring the red district down because d is the one overseeing it?". Gudan''s smile went t almost immediately, "That''s quite the assumption you''ve got there." He grinned, "You couldn''t be any more wrong even if you tried". Gudan, ncing down at Sato, sighed after a while of speechlessness. "Seeing that you will be nothing but a dead corpse soon, I could at least grant you this one wish and tell you". Sato, on the outside, had a very serious and professional expression, but on the inside, he was smiling at the oue. ''The old trick in the book, get your opponent to burp all their ns out while you just listen, heheheh, this should be fun.'' Sato thought to himself as he listened. "The eye of destruction, I want it for myself." Gudan voiced out. Sato waited patiently for Gudan to continue, but Gudan didn''t utter another word after that. Sato soon recognized that Gudan wasn''t nning to say more than he let out, regardless of how many times he asked. So he responded with a loudugh, "Well yed, you got me there." Sato said aloud with his hand covering his face dramatically. Gudan wasn''t sure what theugh was about but he carried on,ughing alongside Sato as their voices echoed inside the arena. After some time, theugh died down and Sato''s aurapletely changed as he stared at Gudan. "Just so we are clear here, you are the same person that wanted to rape an innocent elf girl in the garden, am I right?" Sato asked coldly. Gudan was surprised to hear a question like that but that didn''t stop him from ying his part. He smiled and replied, "An elf? You are going to have to be specific, I have met a lot of El¡­" Whooosh! Sato sped toward Gudan and docked at his front before Gudan could even finish what he was about to say. Gudan was frozen in shock when he saw Sato standing in front of him out of nowhere. ''H...How the hell¡­?'' Gudan muttered, moving away from Sato immediately with white long ghost hands exemplifying from his back. "How were you able to do that? I didn''t see you move!" Gudan yelled and Sato could feel the fear in his voice. Sato just sent another death stare and Gudan and didn''t even answer his question. Instead, he turned to Yuri. "Yuri." Sato called out, "I have something to take care of, remember the revenge you wanted? You can take it out on this guy." He said before dematerializing into dust. "You''re running away like a coward?!" Gudan yelled, sweating bullets as he looked to the ground. "Don''t be so foolish to think my master would run from a weakling like you." Yuri voiced out as she approached Gudan with a smile on her face. "You are simply not worth his time, so instead, I''ll be the one dancing with you." Yuri continued. Gudan dropped his guard and looked at the sky before sighing, "Was I just scared of that idiot? No way, it couldn''t be, i refuse¡­ to ept that¡­ I''ll kill him when we next meet." He kept talking to himself. "Hey don''t ignore me!" Yuri yelled after she got bored of waiting. Gudan looked at her and smiled, immediately forgetting he was about to go insane. "Oh please, I do apologize, looks like you wanna be molested so badly, you can''t help but be impatient.". Yuri responded with a smile, "Prepare yourself, I, Yuri, the sword of my master and the witch of envy is here, be a good boy and let me¡­ guide you to the afterlife!" She yelled. Arge number of blue spinning magic circles appeared above her, each emitting magic glowing lines that connected with one another. "Bring it on!" Gudan shouted with white arms emerging from his back and dancing in the air. While all this was going on, a spiral of ck dust showed up in the sky and it formed into Sato. Sato looked down at the whole ce and could basically see all the fights that were happening in the red district. The huge battle happening outside the arena with his vige and Gudan''s troops, Erza and Christain, Sebastian and a cloaked person, Divanchi and the goblin, and even d and Puma. All this was in his range of sight, but the one that truly caught his eye was when he saw the three mermaids standing on the cliff. "I guess they made it, very good." Sato said with a smile before looking down at d and Puma. ''Now, to make sure the eye of destruction doesn''t get activated, it would be undertaking say the whole of Nerverk could get destroyed.'' Sato muttered in his thoughts. <> Sato looked at Erza and saw that her position was being covered by a barrier and Sebastian was just outside it. He sighed, ''I''m not married and she''s already causing this many problems for me, geez.'' Sato uttered while scratching his hair. ''Helix, do analyze the barrier, for Sebastian not to be in there, then the barrier is most definitely not normal''. <> Chapter 73 The Eye Of Destruction Erza stood a few feet away from her brother, who still had his sickles with him and was ready to battle. With a sigh, Erza stretched out her hand and muttered, "I didn''t think a time woulde when I''d have to fight to keep safe from my own brother". The dark orbs behind her separated from one another and began gleaming more than they were before. Stillness took over as they both stared into each other''s eyes, waiting for the first person to take the first attack. But Erza wasn''t willing to wait that long¡­ "There''s no going back now!" Erza yelled and the two of the orbs behind her charged toward Christian. Christian didn''t waste any time, he began running around with the aim of dodging the orbs. He did a backflip when he spotted one of the orbs moving toward him from the back. Christian veered his body around and threw his sickle at the orb. As soon as the sickle made contact with the orb, the sickle turned into darkness and slowly started to fade into the atmosphere. Christian was baffled by it, but not for too long. He stood to his feet with one orb behind him and the other in front of him. "You''ve picked up a few tricks haven''t you, Erza." Christian voiced out and Erza could already feel the anger in his voice. "Believe it or not, I''m not even trying." Erza responded, a trail of sweat dripping from the side of her face. "Is that so?" Christian muttered as he looked at Erza. He slowly started walking toward her. Erza got confused, "Hey, are you dumb or something? Don''t think I won''t attack¡­" "I''d like to see you try!" Christian shouted with a huge wave of energy pouring out of his body. Erza got startled and sent all the orbs at their brother, not leaving anyone behind her. "This is not what I want Erza!" Christian yelled and began darting toward her, evading all the orbs without putting in any exertion. He didn''t make any mistake of trying to deflect them since whatever they touch loses its magic and dies, so instead, he made one thing his only aim, getting close to Erza. Christian got closer and closer with every passing moment and that was putting Erza in a worrisome state. Panting heavily, Erza dropped her hand now and the orbs poofed out and disappeared. Even though he noticed the orbs weren''t attacking him anymore, Christian didn''t stop his advance. The excited grin on his face as he got closer was gradually showing when he brought out another pair of sickles. ''Sorry, Dad¡­ but I refuse to die here.'' Erza muttered and immediately opened her eyes. The red glowing light that was ingrained in her eyes made the whole ce look red with no other color. Her eyes began to shine more dazzlingly as the wind blowing inside the barrier intensified and the ground in front of Christian began to copse. Both of Erza''s eyes were glowing red and other things were having an effect on the power the eye was letting out. Like her hair suddenly turning white and all the small grasses in the area suddenly drying out and giving out. "Yes! That''s it, little sister! Hahahahaha!" Christianughed, taking a huge leap to the sky as he avoided falling into the huge hole in the ground. While he was in mid-air, Christian switched the way he was holding his sickle and was falling anchor on Erza''s position. Erza looked up at him and the ground started forming a huge spear that went charging straight at Christian. Christian still felt sure he could handle it, but his expression changed when he noticed other fire spears wereing at him from the hole in the ground. Not Just that, but there were about twenty wind-like shes, another set of fireballs, a sudden water tornado that appeared beside him, and three red lightningnding on his position. But even with the odds, Christian fear didn''tst for long, he suddenly startedughing as he fell. "You think I''m afraid of this shit! Screw you, sister!" Christian yelled, pping his hand together to allow a barrier to cover him. He kept falling while the attacks were directed at the barrier. For a while the barrier protected him but after a bit, the barrier shattered after its durability dropped drastically. Only a few distances were left for Christian to get close to Erza, just a few more drops and he would have gotten there safely. Like a knife piercing a cake, the rock spear went straight through Christian''s gut before a sh of sharp lightning struck him. Christian fell to the ground andnded right in front of Erza with his body burnt off and covered in blood. Erza looked down at her brother, with every attack aimed at him regardless of the fact he was dead, the attacks didn''t want to stop. "Gotcha." Christian whooshed up from the ground with the injury on his gutpletely closed and healed. He held his sickle tight as he got ready to aim it at Erza''s neck, even Erza who was about to have her head servered didn''t look surprised because she had over a hundred different attacks aimed at him. Both parties were getting ready to attack each other when all of a sudden the barrier covering the area broke and Sato came descending from the sky. "The hell do you think you''re doing, Erza?!" Sato shouted as he fell. Erza''s eyes widened in shock when she heard Sato''s voice but not enough that her eyes would stop glowing. Sato opened his fist and swallowed the hundred-plus magic attacks in his mist before hended on the ground right in the middle of Erza and Christin. He used his right hand to block Christian''s attack and used his left hand to cover Erza''s eyes. The magic that surrounded them started to disappear till everywhere became normal again. Sato sighed in relief, "A littleter than that and things would have gotten far worse." He said. He removed his palm away from Erza''s eyes and saw that it was back to normal. "Are you okay?" Sato asked. Erza stared at him for a while before looking around to see the destruction around her, "I used it again, did i.?" She voiced out with a sad expression on her face. Chapter 74 I Know About Your Plans Christain "It''s you!" Christian yelled, taking a a massive leap back with his sickle still in his hands as he stared at Sato. He looked around and noticed the barrier that he had put up was no longer there. Christian red at Sato with so much hate that his tone had the same effect, "How did you break my barrier?" He asked. Sato had his attention on Erza at first butter turned to Christian after hearing the question heid down. He grinned, clenching his fist before enveloping it in dark energy, "You wanted a fight don''t you? I''m ready when you are". "What?..." "Come now, don''t look so surprised!, ." Sato uttered, he threw a punch from a distance and the dark energy around his fist went charging at Christian. Christian abruptly stretched out his hand and a small magic shield showed up in front of him. The dark energy made a huge crash on the shield, but not enough that anything could happen. The dark energy disappeared after a while and Christain demateralized the shield with a prideful look in his eyes. "Look at you, even with all that mana you have stored inside you, you''re still so weak." Christian mocked, "I should know better than to expect anything better from the elves.". "Oh?" Sato voiced out with a grin. Christian was a bit worried because of the sudden sadistic expression Sato was making, but he didn''t let it get to him too much. "Why you¡­ " "Why don''t we do something simple, how about a duel?" Sato inquired while still having the same grin on his face as he interrupted Christian. "A Duel?" Christian raised a question. "Yes, a duel to see who''s stronger. What do you say¡­ Christian." Christian paused for a while, looking at Sato as he tried to think of why Sato would request a duel in the middle of a serious event. "You and I are going to sh fists regardless, so why to offer up a duel?" Christian stated with doubt in every word he spoke. Sato raised his sword that he had created with his magic to the front, "If I defeat you in this duel, you reveal to me everything you know about the Fiona Kingdom." "Fiona¡­?" Christian muttered before his eyes widened after he came to realize, "What the hell?... How do you know about that?". "Let''s just say, one of your top soldiers was a bit too informative. I know about the n you had Christian, the n you had with the Demon lord Jira, even the n to execute d and recover the destructive eye." Sato responded with no movement whatsoever. Christian was all the more shocked as Sato took his time to exin. No one in his vicinity came to mind that would tell Sato about his rtionship with the Demon lord Jira. Even more so that he had never told anyone about it, the only person he gave that information to was his attendant, Jessica. Once this thought crossed Christian''s mind, he beganughing his head off, looking to the sky while covering his face with his hand. Sato watched, but didn''t give a reaction, ''Theugh, that indicates¡­ I just hit the jack pot.'' He thought to himself. After a few minutes ofughing, Christain stoppedughing and exchanged it with a death stare straight at Sato. "I thought you were not going to be a problem as long as I didn''t cross paths with you, but now I''m d I did¡­ you already know way too much!". Christian yelled and immediatelyunched himself at Sato with a very powerful swing of his sickle following right after. Sato blocked the attack with the dark sword in his hand without moving a spot from where he stood. The force of both weapons grew and imploded the ground beneath them and a small pump in the magical aura around Christian''s body. Smiling, Sato looked to Christian and asked, "Does this mean you ept the Duel then?". "Don''t mock me, you bastard!" Christian yelled, adding more pressure on Sato''s sword with the sickle. He screamed in rage, trying to push Sato''s sword down but to his surprise, it didn''t move a bit. ''Why won''t it move?'' Christmas questioned, immediately jumping back to leave some space between him and Sato. "Erza, can you hang on a little longer, I''ll tend to this as fast as I can, okay?" Sato voiced out to Erza, but didn''t get a reply. "Erza?" Sato called out, he looked behind him to see Erza fast asleep on the ground behind him. A struck shock expression hit Sato as he stared, ''What the fuck, she sleeping?!'' He yelled. Sighing, Sato stretched out his hand and covered her body with a doubleyer barrier to shield her from the fight. Once he was done with that, he switched his attention back to Christian. As soon as he veered around his head, he met Christian in mid-air right in front of him with a huge blue energy dancing around his hand. "Don''t take your damn eyes off me!!" Christian yelled. Boooosh! Christian fired the energy at Sato, with a full force of pressure assisting the immense rush of energy sting against Sato. The blue energy kept charging off Christian''s hand and covering Sato, so much so that his presence could no longer be seen again. After a while, Christainnded on the ground, and right in front of him, was a burning ground resembling that of wastnd. Only Christian''s side of the area had green grass on the ground, everywhere else had nothing but dark burnt soil and trees. Ahh¡­ Ahaha¡­. Hahahahahahaha Christian beganughing, "I did it, I killed him and my sister! Do you hear that Jira!" Christian yelled as he looked at the sky, "She''s dead!". Baam! He fell to his knees as the fire in front of him reflected in his eyesight, but just as he stared tears rolled down his eyes. "I¡­ killed her." Christian sobbed, "Release her already dammit, please¡­". He ced his hand on the ground while sobbing silently, "I can''t keep doing this". "So you''re not doing this out of your own volition, ehhhhhhh? That makes more sense". Christian immediately raised his head from the ground and jumped back as soon as he heard Sato''s voice. He looked into the fire and saw Sato standing inside with his hand raised up. All of a sudden, a huge dark mist wooshed out of the fire and swallowed all the fire in the area whole, leaving nothing behind. "Hey, if you hate something so much that you''d actually cry¡­ then I suggest you rethink your strategy, cause you''d be doing more harm than good¡­ get it." Sato uttered, standing in front of Erza''s sleeping body while only his pants were on and his shirt had been burnt off by the mes. Chapter 75 Sorry, I Lost My Temper. "H..ow are you still alive?" "That was a direct hit, how the hell are you still alive? What are you made of?! Damn it! Just die already". Christian yelled, cing his hands above each other at the side, leaving a small ce for his blue magic sphere to form in between. Once he had built up the energy, Christian fired it again, sting straight at Sato with maximum eleration. Sato stood at a point with his hand extended toward the energy st. "Predator!" Sato voiced out, a huge dark mist rushed out of his hands and swallowed the st in mere sight. Christian watched as his energy was being swallowed whole with no damage, whatsoever done to the environment. He took a few steps back, watching Sato return the mist inside his hand after the blue energy had beenpletely eaten up. "What the hell are you?" Christian muttered, looking at Sato from afar and seeing the dark energy oozing out of his body. Sato sighed, "Listen, I do not n to take your life, or punish you for whatever crime you havemitted, that''s left for Erza to decide. But, that said, I still n to get you to tell me everything you did with the Demon lord." He uttered. Christian fell to his butt, panting heavily as he stared at the ground, in deep thought andplete disarray. ''I''m¡­ powerless against him,'' ''Damm, why did it have to be this way? Every damn person keeps getting in my way, it can''t be over¡­ not while I haven''tpleted my task.'' Christain went into deep thoughts. He wasn''t even paying attention to anything Sato was letting out. Christian looked up a bit and stared at Erza who was still fast asleep on the ground. ''What if I?''. Christian slowly stood up from the ground, a foreshadowed look on his face as he spoke. "Hey, Sato was it?" Christian voiced out, "I admit it, you are stronger, far stronger than I could imagine, it be hopeless if i kept this fight going, but, I can''t say the same for dear o''l sis." He gave out a weird expression. Sato was a bit shocked, he could tell from the forceful smile Christian was putting out that he was definitely not himself. "Ahhh, I get you''re desperate and all that, but the least you could give yourself at least a little¡­." "Ahhhhhh!" Christian suddenly screamed, pulling out a ne that was around his neck and holding it in front of him. His face had so much fear it was hard for Sato not to pick up on it. ''What is he doing?'' Sato thought to himself as he stared at the ne. "She has to die¡­ She has to die." Christian muttered, sweating bullets as he aimed his sickle around his neck. "Wow hey, what do you think you''re¡­" "Shut up! Shut up, shut up! You caused this, you son of a bitch!" Christian outburst, his hands shaking in fear as he spoke. "This.. this shouldn''t be happening, you just had to interfere, because of you, I''ll, I''ll never see her again!" Christian yelled, tears rolling down his face. ''Helix, what am I looking at here? That ne.'' Sato asked. <> "But, I''m willing to let that go, if I can''t have it, then Imma blow up this ce into smithereens!" Christian shouted, giving himself a little cut to the neck. Sato suddenly had a profound expression on his face, watching Christian with no care in his eyes whatsoever. Christian noticed that Sato wasn''t trying to stop him anymore, so he closed his eyes, ''Maria¡­ I couldn''t keep my promise, I really I''m unreliable.'' He thought to himself. He was getting ready to cut off his neck when he suddenly heard a voice. "Geez, just how pathetic can you be". Christian immediately opened his eyes. Baam! A punch covered in red hot mes banged his face and he went flying and crashing on the ground. He grunted, struggling to stand up after the heavy punch, looking in front of him he saw Divanchi. She had her fist clenched and her eyes glowing red with mes all around her body and hair. "Damn you, what¡­". Before Christian could finish speaking, Divanchi pounced on his stomach and began throwing straight jabs at his face. The punches kept going, on and on and on, still Christian couldn''t move anymore and the ground had formed a a coil with cracks. She wanted to keep going, but Sato showed up behind her and held her hand. "That''s enough, Divanchi, he''s unconscious now." Sato voiced Divanchi remained in her initial position, looking down at Christian with a foreshadowed look on her face. She slowly stood up from Christian''s gut and turned to Sato, resting her forehead on his chest. "I''m sorry, I lost my temper there a bit," Divanchi uttered. Sato was baffled since that was the first time he had seen Divanchi act that brutally, sure she likes to battle, but what he saw was her venting her anger. "Hey, Divanchi, are you al.." "Mdy!". Sato immediately turned to the voice he heard behind and saw Sebastian running toward Erza at full speed. "Sebastian?" Sato muttered, looking at where Sebastian was running from to see the area wrecked. Sato rescinded the barrier he ced around Erza so Sebastian could tend to her. Sighing, he looked at Divanchi, who was still quiet and had her forehead on Sato''s chest. "Divanchi, where is Elena?" Sato raised a question. Divanchi pointed to the right and Sato immediately looked to see Elenaying on the rock a few distances away from Erza. "Very good." Sato uttered, patting Divanchi on the head which led her to hug tightly with her head buried in his chest. After a while, Sato and Divanchi walked over to Sebastian. They could see him, carrying Erza on his back and getting ready to head out. "Sebastian, you look like you''re in a hurry." Sato voiced out as he approached. "Of course I am, I need to get her out of here." Sebastian replied, standing to his feet with Erza resting on his back. Sato looked at Elena and uttered, "Although I hate to bother you, I''d like you to do a favor for me." He voiced out, looking at Sebastian with a serious expression. Chapter 76 Ever Heard Of The Witches Of Lilivil The sharp magic circles, which took the structure of giant razors, rotated on the surface of the ground while speeding toward Gudan. The razors grated the ground as they moved from different directions with the aim of meeting one target. Gudan hopped up, high enough that he could see both the magic circles and Yuri who just stood at the back with a smile on her face. "Tch!" Gudan sizzled, mming his hands together which led to him creating different replicas of himself. While still in mid-air, he pointed at Yuri and yelled, "Everyone! Rip her apart and leave nothing behind!". The duplicates all dropped to the ground at random and went charging straight at Yuri at full speed. Gudan dealt with the razors after him by using the giant ghost hand that he emerged from the ground to crush the circles before they could get to him. "Oh, my." Yuri uttered as she watched the copies of Gudan stampede toward her like wild animals. She giggled, her hand resting on her cheeks and the other was sping her left boobs while her cheeks turned red. "They''re so many of you¡­ ahhh~, so many to kill Joy~!" She eximed. Snapping her fingers, purple glowing sabers appeared above her, aimed and ready to fire at the copies. Yuri waited for them to get close before she coldly said with her eyes focused on the real Gudan at the back. "Pierce them." Yuri voiced. The des flew past her like speeding bullets and headed straight for the carbon copies of Gudan. Stabbing, slicing, and darting them to the ground, the more they came the more they fell, none able to get close enough to hurt Yuri. In the midst of all the chaos, Gudan held in his hand a lightning-sharp rod that was glowing from miles away. ording to history, some species, that were extinct after the war with the dragon lord that happened over 300 years ago, created 16 magic weapons. One of those weapons happened to be the one in Gudan''s possession, the lightning spear, known to always hit its target no matter the obstacles. With his bnce set and arms anchored, Gudan yelled, "Go now, Hiketjo and destroy my enemy!" As he threw the spear with all his might. The spear elerated right through the crowd of stampeding Gudans, and straight at its target. Its speed alone caused the ground to scatter as the lightning blew off most of the copies that were unfortunate to be close to it while it passed. Yuri couldn''t tell the spear was moving her way till it was right through her gut and left from the other side. The spear dropped anchor on the ground behind Yuri with a big hole opened up as it touched down on the ground. Yuri held her gut before falling t on the ground, dead from the huge hole the spear left in her gut. "Ahh man, I didn''t want to kill her, I''m just too strong, it can''t be helped," Gudan spoke to himself with a prideful smirk on his face. He looked at the left side of the sky and noticed the bright sh of lighting from the mansion. "I should probably go help that silly Dog out, people sure can''t do without me can they." Gudan spoke, dusting his palm as he walked away. All of a sudden, Gudan fell to his knees, coughing with blood dripping from his eyes, nose, and mouth. "W..what is this?" Gudan said puzzledly, looking at the drop of blood on the ground while he had his hand around his neck. A whoosh of snow breeze blew across his face, forcing him to look up and check what was cashing the storm. Upon looking in front of him, he was shocked when he saw Yuri standing in front of him with a lewd look on her face. "How are you¡­" Gudan muttered, immediately looking to his left to see that Yuri''s dead body was still there. "Don''t act so shocked, you''ll ruin the fun, you didn''t actually think you were the only one with the cloning skill did you?" Yuri stated with a sigh. Gudan''s eyes were broadened in shock as he stared at the ground, and all of a sudden beganughing. "Wow, you got me there, *Cough* I''m guessing this blood is also your doing?" Gudan asked. "You tried to kill a witch with a Divine weapon, illiterate you might be, but didn''t anyone ever tell you the history of the witches of Lilivil?" Yuri asked, putting out another heavy sigh again. "Cursed?... Well if that''s the case¡­ then I just have to kill the source!" Gudan yelled at the rumbling of the ground. Giant gray looking arms pushed out of the ground and began pounding straight at Yuri. The arms were assisting one another to get further up and form into a huge hammer while the other one opened its palm so it could m Yuri onto the ground. When the palm fell right on top of Yuri, the hand boosted back up almost instantly when long sharp needles were surrounding Yuri. Gudan hated the fact that Yuri was countering all of his attacks, so he transformed into a massive beast and went after Yuri himself. "Die, witch!" The monster roared, jumping up andnding right in front of Yuri which caused the ground to implode. Yuri jumped up so she wouldn''t get caught up in the ground implosion. But the jump she had made was too much. Before long, Yuri had already gotten past the clouds in the sky and was now falling down at a rapid speed. With a grin on her face, she constructed a bow and arrow with fire and aimed it down, getting ready to fire. As soon as she fell past the clouds, she was faced with the monster, who jumped from the ground with its mouth open to swallow Yuri. "Wooo! You''re so big~" Yuri uttered as she let go off the strings and let the fire arrow dash straight at Gudan. The arrow went straight into his mouth and forced him down to the ground with a grand explosion. The whole ce exploded, destroying the arena and even sting away some of the troops fighting outside the stadium. After the explosion had died down, Yurinded on the ground. She dusted her dress, singing as she walked toward the big hole her explosion caused. Falling to her knees, Yuri ced her hand around her mouth as she yelled, "Are you alright down there!". Chapter 77 Helixs Voice Cant Be Heard Gudan rxed his back on the ground inside what seemed to be a huge deep pit caused by the previous attack. Grunting, Gudan opened his eyes to look at the sky. The sun was already setting and everywhere was starting to turn dark. "Ahhh, she really did a number on me." Gudan muttered to himself while still staring at the sky. After falling on the ground with fire, Gudan''s body separated into pieces on the ground and some parts were still on fire. Being a ghost, there was no sign of blood in his severed body, but rather, blue sparkling dust floating out of the opening. Only the upper part of his body and head were barely intact, the others were being scorched by the mes in different parts of the pothole. "Hey! Are you okay down there?!" Yuri''s voice echoed inside the pit hole. Gudan chuckled, "Dying in the hands of a witch¡­. That''s rather insulting for a council member such as myself." He uttered. Closing his eyes, two middle-seized ghost hands grew out from the ground and grabbed his throat as he smiled. "s, I didn''t get to touch her bobbies, ahhhh, pretty sad way to go out. At least give a dying man the joy of grabbing those huge milk makers." Gudan uttered with a smile. The hands suddenlypressed their grip around Gudan''s neck and started squeezing the life out of him. Yuri looking down at the hole could only see gloaming, after a while of peeping, she stood up from the floor. cing her hand on her jaw she looked in front of her to see a huge battle going on between the elves/beastmen and vampires/werewolves and other creatures. "I guess I should help." Yuri thought to herself. Staring at the battle intensively again...¡­ "Nah, I''m sure, master needs my help." Yuri turned her back on them and was about to walk away when a voice suddenly called out to her. "Yuri!" Divanchi called out,nding right behind her with a boom. Yuri immediately veered around to look at Divanchi, "Damn girl, I thought you were supposed to be assisting the stupid elf boy with rescuing the other stupid elf girl." She voiced. Divanchi frowned her face as she responded, "It''s Ond and Elena, not stupid elf". "Yeah yeah," Yuri voiced out, moving her fingers which in return made the ground bound up so Yuri could sit down. "Are you done with your task already?" Yuri asked. With a sigh, Divanchi looked at the battle, "Yes I am, and master has gone to face the Duke". "What?!" Yuri yanked up and walked over to Divanchi''s front, "Why the hell did you let him go by himself?!" She yelled. "Rx, master is very much capable of handling himself in a fight, you don''t¡­". "But can he kill!" Yuri immediately sprung a question at her. "What are you¡­" "It''s Master we are talking about here, sure he''s strong, but the same goes for the Duke, the only difference here is, the Duke won''t hesitate to kill him, but can Master do the same?" Yuri questioned. Divanchi was speechless, looking to the ground as she also began to doubt if Sato could handle himself. Yuri sighed, "That''s it, I''m going to help him, at the very least, I won''t mind cutting down the head of the Duke if it meant saving my master." She said as she walked. "Wait." Divanchi muttered, sending a long me to block Yuri''s path which immediately kept her still. "What is it?" Yuri asked with her back still turned. "Don''t get involved in that fight." Divanchi spoke. Divanchi stood still for a while butter decided she didn''t want to attend to what Divanchi was saying, so she kept on walking. "Yuri!" Divanchi yelled, "If you stay, I''ll tell master, you rescued both Elena and me when I failed my mission¡­ Heroically, of course". Yuri stopped moving again, turning slowly before she sped walked in front of Divanchi. She pointed at Divanchi and uttered, "Fine I''ll do it, but no take backs, okay?". "Sure." Divanchi said with a relieving smile on her face. "Now that that''s settled, let''s go help them over there¡­ I kinda feel pity for the little one already". Yuri voiced out, looking at how Jiro was being whacked around and Deka had to keep protecting him. ... Baam! Satonded on top of the single pir, his first reaction was shock when he looked around and saw that the mansion was destroyed. Looking further up, he saw d sitting on the ground and resting his back on another single pir while the ground was covered in blood and body parts. "Ahh, geez, this guy is going to be trouble." Sato muttered. All of a sudden, a sweet, calming melodious voice began singing. The voice echoed all around the red district and everyone could hear it. Sato looked to his left, and saw the three mermaids, holding hands as they sang on the hill with Sebastian holding a vampire to the floor. "Very good." Sato said with a smile, "Finally, this whole thing cane to an end". "Is this your doing?" d voiced out. Sato immediately looked at him before jumping down from the pir andnding on the ground. "Yes, it is," Sato responded, "I''ve made sure the people who are standing against you are dealt with, you don''t have to ¡­ you know, worry." "And my daughter?" d asked. "She''s safe, see." Sato pointed at the cliff where the mermaids were. With a smile on his face, d voiced, "I see". His eyes had been closed throughout and he had his back turned so Sato couldn''t tell what face he was making. ''Something feels off.'' Sato spoke to himself, ''Helix, can you get a read on him?'' He asked but got no response. Sato was stunned, this was the first time he had called on Helix and she didn''t answer him. ''Helix? Hey! What''s wrong? Say something!''. Sato desperately tried to get her to say something b5 Helix''s voice was not heard even once. A look of culmination suddenly hit Sato in the face when he began to recall the instances when Helix had been giving him replies like. [Unable to analyze]. "Ah shit, this guy really is bad news." Sato said as he stared at d from a distance with nervousness written all over his face. Chapter 78 Panic Runs In Nervek The beautiful singing voices of the mermaids echoed throughout the area, causing the battle to change directions. Even as the battle progressed, werewolves, ghosts, vampires, lizard men, and every species working for Gudan began dropping to the ground like flies. Some of them fell to their knees, looking at the ground with perplexity as they gained back control over their bodies. Deka and the rest of the elves stopped attacking when they not+iced that the enemies were just falling unconscious. "Hey! What the hell!" Jiro shouted on his mounted Deerhugs. Even Latina and Diana were surprised at the sudden change in events. "Is this some kind of trap?" Deka questioned himself. All of a sudden, a puff of smoke appeared beside him and Ond emerged. "Rx, there is nothing to be worried about, the battle has already been won." Ond voiced out. "Whoo! You hear that sis? We won!" Jiro yelled,ughing as he rode around in circles. Only one person was still feeling restless, and that was Deka, whose eyes were focused on the mansion. And just inside the demolish+ed mansion, lies Sato and the leader of vampires known as the Duke of Nervek. Sato stood at a distance, watching d from afar. He was still in a disarray from the thought of Helix''s silence, but he knew he couldn''t go back. "Duke, I¡­" "It isn''t wise to stay so close to me." Duke voiced out before Sato could utter a word. "Unless you truly want to die, I''d advise you to take your people and leave Nervek,". ''Leave? Heeh, he couldn''t actually be nning to use that eye?'' Sato thought to himself, ''My mission hasn''t changed, I have to take that eye from him no matter what.'' After having a deep conversation with himself, something he would have normally done with Helix, he began to walk toward d. "Please, Duke of Nervek, I know this might sound unreasonable upon first hearing but¡­ I''d like to ask you to lend me that eye of yours!" Sato yelled. d immediately burst intoughter, "You want my eye? Pretty bold of you." He uttered. "You are not the first to want to wield this curse that I bear, honestly, the things people would do for power." d added. "Except I don''t need it for power!" Sato yelled, feeling hesitant to continue speaking for a while before he gained the courage. "About a year from now, the kingdom of Fiona, ruled by demon lord Jira, waged war on everyone in its Kingdom and used their magic essence to awaken some kind of beast to steal the power of a God! Your eye is what leads them to victory, it sounds insane, but that eye of yours has a connection with the Gods!" Sato let out, pushing every thought out into words. But just after he spouted it out, Sato looked to the ground in confusion as he began wondering how he knew something like that in the first ce. "I see, so the Demon lord takes my eye, interesting." d voiced out. Sato was surprised, "You believe me?" He asked. And Vald replied, "This isn''t the first time Jira has threatened me for it, it''s obvious something along that would happen¡­. Hahahahah, as I said, what people won''t do for power". With a sigh of relief, Sato thanked as he looked at d, "I''m d you understand, so does that mean you''d give me the eye, I won''t be using it, rather keeping it in hiding". The wind blew as silence took over. "Even if I do wish to trust you with my demonic eye, it is already beyond my power anymore." d uttered with a weak smile. "What?" Sato immediately noticed the small glow of red light shining over d''s closed eye when he faced him. "Shit!" Sato yelled, running straight toward d. As he ran, he noticed his speed wasn''t as fast as he would normally move, but he didn''t pay that any mind. The only thought going through his head was how he would stop the demonic eye if it passed its full power. Sato fell face on the ground after tripping on a small rock and his chest went scraping against the ground. He grunted as he stood up from the ground, "It''s okay, it''s not like he has activated it yet, I just have to¡­". Vrrrrm! A heavy wind blew past Sato''s face, forcing him to look up to see theyers covering d''s eye blow up. As soon as they were gone, the main eye was shining just as bright as the moon and sending multiple shock waves throughout all of Nervek. Sato''s eyes widened in shock, as he watched the eye glow and cover the whole ce in its red light. Every individual that was present in Nervek at that very moment, felt a shock wave from every area. Those in their homes, fishing, library, or even bathing, all felt the weird sensation pass through their body, multiple times. Then it happened¡­. "Ahhhh! Mom, my head hurts!" The young male cried as he got down from the chair and walked toward his mom in the kitchen. "Headache? Did you y outside again Victor, I told you not to go out in the sun anymore." The mother vampire said before sighing and attending to her son. "Ow! I didn''t." The boy grunted in pain, holding his head with both his hands. "Wait there, let me get you something to fix that." The woman utteed, walking over to the cab to pick up a small bottle of medicine. Upon turning to give her son, her eyes widened in shock as she dropped the bottle and screamed. She met her son on the floor with his head scattered on the ground and his heart in the center of his mouth. Screams from every home began to make panic all around Nervek as people began dying in different horrific manners. The same went for the soldiers, as soon as Yuri and Divanchi arrived at the scene, they met a lot of vampires and elves scattered on the ground with their bodies inside out. Yuri didn''t waste any time, she immediately put up a barrier to cover the whole ce. "What the hell happened here." Divanchi looked around and watched the countless dead bodies on the floor, including that of herpanions. "I remember this, Divanchi, it''s about to get bloody, so I hope you have enough mana, cuz, you''re going to need it" Yuri said with a profound expression on her face. Chapter 79 What Do You Mean, Meet Helix? "Sessor," "Sessor¡­" "Come now, how long do you n to be asleep?" Baam! Sato immediately opened his eyes and found himself lying on the white and soft cloudy ground. "Did I die?" Sato raised a question. "That is correct, you most definitely did." "I see." "See what?" Sato''s eyebrow twitched in annoyance as he closed his eyes, "Must you stay so close to me?" He asked. "Heh, whatever do you mean?" Thedy dressed in a white alluring dress and having ck long hair that fell t on her back responded. She had red pearly eyes, a flower crown on her head, and two giant knockers paying homage to her chest. She was sitting right on top of Sato with her face positioned so close that her nose was nearly touching Sato''s. "Get off me, Hikari." Sato voiced out. With a giggle, Hikari stood up and began walking away, heading toward the single throne that was sitting alone in the middle of the vast empty space. Sato sat upright and looked around, to see the empty space he was sitting in, where the ground was covered in clouds and nothing else could be seen from miles away. The only thing Sato''s eyes touched was the mysterious woman and the gray throne that she was seated on. With her legs crossed and elbow rested on the armrest of the throne while her jaw rested on her fist, Hikari voiced out. "So? Have you grasped the situation already?" She asked. Sato looked at her, before standing to his feet with a sigh following right after. "Give me one reason why I should trust you?" Sato asked. "Well, why wouldn''t you?" "Don''t y dumb, this isn''t the first time we''ve met, this is the third time to be exact, and every time, I always seem to forget our encounter, it is your doing, is it not?" Sato questioned with a serious expression on his face. She first appeared to Sato back when he was in his former world and caused the explosion in his apartment which led to him getting reincarnated. Although she didn''t attend to him during that time, she made her presence known again after she dragged Sato into her world when he was being held prisoner by the Valkyries. And the third time would be now, and during those two encounters, Sato had always forgotten about her after the meeting ended. Although he still gets the sense of having a conversation with someone, he still wasn''t sure why he knew such conversations or knowledge, and it ended up leaving him frustrated. A smirk showed up on Hikari''s lips before she responded, "To be fair, my identity is to be kept a secret, I can''t have you yapping about me to people". Sato trembled as he pointed at Hikari, "You are one evil woman, you know that? You told me it was to protect whoever I told from being trapped in here with you." He voiced out. "I did?" Hikari said with her finger on her cheeks as she looked to the side, "Doesn''t sound like something, I''d do¡­". "Oh cut the crap! Just tell me why I''m here already!" Sato shouted with his finger still pointed. With a thug of breeze, Hikari appeared right in front of Sato and held his hand, "You died, I thought it was going to be obvious". "Let me rephrase that question, how did I die?" Sato inquired of Hikari. "You were killed by the eye of destruction, head scattered on the floor, I''d say, you should be lucky I pulled your soul away when I did, you could have been heading straight to the overseer by now." Hikari revealed, walking around as she spoke. "Good then, so you can get my soul out of my body if I die again, right?" "It''s not that easy, yes I did get your soul out before it wandered elsewhere, but it is not guaranteed I will be able to do it again without trapping your soul here with me." Hikari replied. Sato looked to the side and sighed, "So if I die again, that''s it¡­ and here I thought I was overpowered". He sat back down on the ground, his hands digging through his hair as he began to rack his brain toe up with ideas. Hikari watched him for a while before she walked over to his front and bent down. "I gave you all the information you needed, why didn''t you get the eye even after I told you of its power." Hikari asked. Sato immediately yelled back his response, "Oh shut up! You were the one that made me forget you, or did you forget? You idiot!" He yelled before calming down, "All I was left with was a lingering feeling that I had to do it¡­ I had no sure way to tell if I was making the right call, because of me, all the people who trusted me might just die as well". "Ouch, my poor heart." Hikari muttered, "Alright fine, I''ll help you." She said before standing to her feet. Sato looked at her with a bit of concern on his face, "Help with what exactly?" He asked. "Getting rid of the eye of course, what else." Hikariughed as she sat back down on her throne. He was quiet for a while, butter asked the question, "Hikari? I haven''t heard Helix''s voice in a while." He uttered, "I was wondering if you knew what might have happ¡­" "Oh my, are you having a romantic affair with your System?" Hikari poked fun at. "Come on!" Sato stood up from the ground and stomped over to Hikari, "I''m serious here! For some reason, I can''t use my full abilities when I''m in front of d and to make it worse, I can''t hear Helix''s voice, I''m at a serious loss here!". Hikari tried to keep a straight face and notugh but it was painfully obvious to Sato. Even though he was feeling angered, Sato looked to the ground with a saddened expression on his face as he voiced¡­.. "Please Hikari, I beg of you, help me, I can''t do this on my own". "How can I refuse when you make such a face, okay sure, I''ll take you to see where she is." Hikari replied with a smile on her face. Slowly raising his head, Sato looked to Hikari and asked, "Where who is?". "Helix, you wanted to meet her, didn''t you? Well, here''s your chance." Hikari responded. Chapter 80 Diphram, The God Of Destruction Step! Step! Step! Sato and Hikari were strolling in the open space on what felt like an endless journey with nothing in their path. "How much do you know about the eye of destruction?" Sato asked as he followed behind Hikari. Hikari was leading the way, she smiled as she replied, "I know a lot actually, I guess it wouldn''t hurt to tell you a bit about it". The demonic eye of destruction belonged to a rogue god known as Diphram, the god of destruction. Over 2000 years ago, Diphram sought to rule the god realm and take the title of the God of gods due to personal reasons. But his power was no match for that of the gods, so he pursued another way out, one that almost endangered the whole realm. [shback¡­ God realm] Diphram, the god of destruction, was traveling on foot in the hot sun of the irek desert. He had long blue hair and ck memorizing eyes, and although his beauty was known among every race in the god realm his angered expression had always pushed people away. Diphram was one of the gods whose origin was unknown to the rest of the world, while some gods were born by birth others were created out of nothing. Diphram was an example of the creation process, thus, he had no family or Kingdom he could preside over since he had no title or standing. Walking in the hot crunching sand, Diphram suddenly glimpsed a small camp not too far from his left. "I didn''t know people lived here," Diphram muttered to himself before walking over to the camp to check who was there. "Hello!" Diphram voiced out as he got closer, "Hello is anyone here!". He got no response but Diphram didn''t cease, he kept striding toward the tent. After a while, he arrived in front of the tent, standing in the middle of the ce were three tiny-looking creatures known as yigis. Theye in different varieties of colors but always have the same shape and usually have a small horn in the middle of their heads. "Excuse me, do you happen to know who owns this camp house?" Diphram asked. The Yigis stared up at him for a while before screaming in fear and running away to the back of the tent. "Mother! Mother! There''s a strange man here!" They all screamed as they ran. Diphram was confused since Yigis were always known to be extremely helpful to travelers. With a sigh, Diphram looked inside the tent out of curiosity. Once he had a good look and he backed away. "Well hello there, may I be of service to you?" Diphram immediately turned to see a fair-skinned woman standing behind him and holding a cup of water in her hand. She had long ck hair and a very seductive body that would make any man fall in love with her at first sight. She wore a white gown covering her boobs vertically and leaving the rest of her upper body exposed, while her legs were exposed all the way to her thighs. He waspletely fixated on her beauty and could barely utter a word to respond to her. The woman smiled, "You look like you''ve been walking from a far distance, why don''t you rest here for a while, I''ll make us something to eat". And thus, Diphram stayed with the mysterydy, he sat on the ground as she cooked inside a huge water pot with the help of the Yigis. ...¡­.. "Here you go". The woman said, passing the golden bowl to Diphram which contained the food she was cooking. He picked up the food and bowed his head, "Thank you, I am in your debt." Diphram voiced out. He immediately started digging into the food, leaving the woman to stare at him with a thrill in her eyes. "You must be really hungry." The woman said with a smile. "Indeed I am, I traveled all the way from Nevora for days, and I haven''t touched food or water in those days." Diphram replied before gulping down the bottle of wine in front of him. "Oh, I see, your journey must be an important one if you are willing to overlook eating for it." The woman uttered before taking a spoon of her food. Diphram immediately paused, looking up and replying, "It is, I am in search of a goddess named Aphrodite, she is someone I must meet ''''. The woman picked up the cup of wine on the ground and took a sip of it before staring inside the cup. "If I''m not infringing, would you mind telling me what business you have with her?" The woman asked. Diphram first looked at her for a while, feeling hesitant to tell her, but her beauty was making a ratherpelling argument. Diphram is the kind of god whose only emotion he can harbor so lightly was anger, so now that he is feeling flustered it still was hard to tell. He looked to the ground, "I''m in search of power, I want to climb the ranks and be the strongest god in the whole realm, and for that, I need the help of Aphrodite". "What makes you so certain that she can help you?" The woman asked. "I''ve heard stories about her works, she''s quite famous in Nevora, even the god of wine, Publis, spoke of the way Aphrodite helped him acquire the strength to keep his status". The woman suddenly startedughing. "Did I say something funny?" Diphram asked. "A bit." The woman uttered, wrapping her hands around her knees as she looked at Diphram with a smile on her face. Diphram looked away almost immediately to hide his flustered face. "What makes you think you can''t rise to the ranks on your own?" The woman asked. His face still turned away, Diphram responded, "Because I simplyck the ability to". "You don''t believe in your own godly authority?" She asked again. Diphram reached for the cup of wine and slowly it started cracking till it broke into pieces on the ground. "I can only destroy things, that is my authority, but that is still not enough to defeat other gods whose authority is far greater than mine." He exined. "If that''s the case¡­ I''ll take you to her, you can say we are somewhat friends." The woman said before standing up from the ground. Diphram was still flustered so he didn''t look her way, he covered his mouth with his hand and replied¡­ "Many thanks, goddess". Chapter 81 Do With Me As You Please <> Their chatter held on til the sun began to set. The realm of the gods has its night time once a couple of weeks due to certain events that happened in the past. Diphram stood up from the ground, "I must be going now, I had no idea time flew so fast when conversing with someone." He uttered. "Are you saying you haven''t spoken with an individual before?" The woman asked with her backid down on the ground. "Not in the same sense I did with you." Diphram responded, his eyes peeking at the woman''s exposed thighs. He immediately looked away, trying to fight the yearning to hold her close in his arms. "I should be going now." Diphram uttered as he slowly began to walk away. "Traveling at nighttime is not wise, you know." The woman voiced out. Diphram discontinued his movement as soon as he heard the woman''s voice. "Why not spend the night here, and tomorrow I''ll take you to where Aphrodite resides". Although he was reluctant at first, he ended up taking her up on her offer and spent the night. Before the woman went to take her bath at the nearby river, she told Diphram to make himself at home in the tent. He stood in front of the tent like someone who was ready to battle, all will and courage were poured into the way he charged inside the tent. As soon as he got inside, he noticed the inside was a lot heftier than it seemed on the outside. Well, it was more than normal in the God realm, tent being able to hold more than a million people is quite typical for the gods. Diphram waspletely amazed at how stunning the inside was, there was a small hut just in front of the green field and warm shining sky. He walked inside and immediately entered the hut to see a bed and a couple of other pieces of furniture. "I wonder, what kind of goddess must she be to house so many pretty things like this?" Diphram suspected. But that was it, Diphram was quite simple-minded, the thought crossed his mind and went in an instant. He got on top of the bed after pulling his clothes off and leaving only his underwear that was made of white strong fabric. And thus, the god of destruction fell asleep¡­.. ...¡­. ...... "Oh Diphram~~, open your eyes ~". Diphram immediately opened his eyes and the next thing he knew his hands and legs were being bounded by glowing mysterious silks. He struggled to disentangle himself but he couldn''t, he felt like this power had been zapped away from his body. ''What is this?!'' Diphram thought to himself. His eyes suddenly wandered to the entrance of the door to see the woman standing there stripped with nothing covering her body. The woman walked up to him, with seductive giggles falling from her mouth as she got on top of him. "What is the meaning of this?" Diphram asked the woman in a calm manner. She rested her boobs on his chest while she began tickling her butt on his ''little brother'' while rubbing her finger on his nipples. "You wanted to get stronger right?~ well I''m simply doing my part of the job." With a snap of her finger, the threads tied around Diphram began glowing even brighter than they were before. Baam! Diphram jerked up and pushed the woman to the bed while he stayed on top panting like a wild beast. "Do with me as you please." The woman voiced, wrapping her hands around his neck with a smile on her face. Diphram immediately tore off the fabric covering his dick and tossed it to the ground before digging his face in the middle of the woman''s boobs. Aahh~ She moaned, her hand on Diphram''s hair as he slowly moved his head down while licking along the way. Once he had gotten to her vigina, he began licking it with his face buried in between her thighs. The woman grabbed hold of the bed sheet as her feet twinkled from the intense pleasure she was feeling as Diphram caressed her inside with his tongue. He suddenly pulled his lips away and crawled back to the woman''s head level. Her face had turnedpletely red as she panted lustfully, feeling overwhelmed by the pleasure. Diphram didn''t utter a single word when he reached for his dick and shoved it inside the woman''s insides. "Ahhh~ Good boy~" The woman moaned with a chuckle, looking at the huge dick inside her. With a slow momentum, Diphram began moving his hips, thrusting his dick inside the woman''s thirty V back and forth. This went on for a while until Diphram lost control and forcefully turned the woman''s butt to his erect dick. "Wait wait, hold on, what are you¡­?" "No, not there~~~~"... The woman moaned with her eyes focused on the ceiling as Diphram shoved his dick inside her anal hole. He fucked her from behind, thrusting with every strength in his body, so much so that the bed started to give in. Different positions were used by Diphram, pushing her to the wall, on the ground and even carrying her from her legs while he fucked her. Grunting, Diphram ced the woman in a doggy position and grabbed hold of both her boobs before thrusting his dick one more time. A huge cumshot flowed inside the woman, leaving her to moan as she dropped on the bed with cum leaking from her hole. .... Graaaaahhhh! The roar of a loud beast woke Diphram up from his sleep. His surprise when he found himself lying naked on the bed with the whole room scattered was outstanding. He stood up from the bed and disregarded the thought as he put on his clothes and walked out of the hut. The first thing he saw when he stepped out of the hut was the woman, petting a brown dragon just right in front of the hut. "I didn''t know you had a fly beast," Diphram uttered as he approached her. "Oh great, you''re awake." The woman said with a smile on her face, "Shall we begin then¡­ our journey". Chapter 82 Aphrodites 5 Trials The woman and Diphram made their way to Asloth, a kingdom owned by the goddess of beauty and desire, Aphrodite. After days of traveling, they both finally arrived at their destination, the womannded the dragon right in the middle of an empty field. She then jumped down from the dragon and began to walk away. Diphram was tantly confused by this but he also did the same, he got down from the dragon and followed behind the woman. "Are you not going to ask where I''m taking you to?" The woman asked as she walked. "The thought has crossed my mind." Diphram replied. With a stop, the woman looked at Diphram and sighed, "You ought to be wary, here give me your hand." She said with her right hand stretched out. As always, Diphram reluctantly gave his hand for the woman to grab hold of. Once she held onto it, she immediately tugged him with a smile on her face, and just like that, a raging force of light fell on them. In the blink of an eye, Diphram found himself in front of a giant ice fortress and all around him were female workers dressed in white. "Wee to my Homnd, hehe." The woman announced with a giggle following right after as she climbed the crystal stairs. Diphram followed behind her and they both made their way inside the castle, where the woman was being greeted every minute by the working ves in the castle. They headed inside the main room of the castle, where the throne was seated and two huge looking tigers were ced. Once they got in, the woman petted the tigers before she sat down on the throne with her legs crossed while she stared down at Diphram. "Can you take me to Aphrodite now?" Diphram asked. "Your search has ended, god of destruction, the one you seek is right in front of you." The woman responded with a smirk. Diphram looked around for a while before he focused back on the woman, "I''m supposed to believe you are the goddess of beauty and desire?" He raised a question. "Of course you should, do not deny that you were lusting the moment youid eyes on me." The woman said teasingly. ".... You make a valid point." Diphram uttered, "Well since you are Aphrodite, I''d like to request that you let me embark on your trials for power¡­ I need to gain the strength to rise above the rankings of the gods''''. Aphrodite stared down at him first before she smirked, "You already passed the first trial, making a goddess moan is quite a difficult task". "Uhn?" "I will allow you to take on my 5 trials, and at the end of the trial, you will get powers beyond your wildest imagination," Aphrodite informed, "But be warned, once you take on the trials you cannot quit, if you do, you will most definitely perish". "You have my word." Diphram responded. With a smile, Aphrodite helped the god of destruction seek the power he was yearning for. She opened a gateway and told him to enter and thus he did. Diphram''s first encounter was a huge magic gate that asked him a question. [Why do you seek power?] "Because I want to rise above the ranks of the gods," Diphram answered But the gate did not open and then the question came again, [Why do you seek power?] Diphram took his time to answer, thinking of what he could say that would lead to the gate opening. "I want to be praised and adored by the people." Diphram replied The gate opened, leaving a path for Diphram to walk in and he did. The second trial was cleared, and the third trial was in an underground house where light barely touched. Diphram was fighting one on one with a giant golem, and with just a touch the monster scattered into pieces. The fourth trial was Diphram reliving all the bad memories over the years in a single time frame. It was enough to break a person''s mind but Diphram still came out victorious, and then thest trial came. Diphram walked into the white coloured world, and meant a female angel with white massive wings and a ck blindfold covering her eyes. As soon as heid eyes on her, a voice echoed in his head. [This is yourst and final trial, kill the angel seated before you] Diphram stared at the angel for a while and different thoughts began to ur to him. "How did an angel get here? Why must I kill an angel?" But at the end of the day, they were just thoughts that hindered nothing in Diphram''s action. He walked in front of the angel and stabbed her directly in the chest with his hand before he activated his power. The angel screamed in pain as her body began to melt from the inside out with nothing but her feathers remaining. Not too long after, Diphram suddenly found himself in front of Aphrodite, she told him he passed the trial and he should go home and challenge whosoever he wants. Diphram did as she said, he went back to Nevora on dragon''s back, as soon as he arrived the first thing he did was challenge his master to a fight. Every citizen that heard about the fight wanted to witness it with their own eyes, the god of destruction fighting with the god of sword Abeil began to spread far and wide. And they did fight the next day, but it also came with something horrific happening, after Abeil defeated Diphram, Diphram''s mind became clouded with rage. All of a sudden, his eyes began to glow, emitting signal waves that spread throughout Nevora and beyond. People started dying, even gods whose rank were considered higher, had their whole body scattered on the floor like cow meat. And this went on for days, some people hid inside temples after they found out that seemed to be the only thing that can protect them. Diphram felt bad and ashamed that he couldn''t control his own powers, so he forcefully ripped out his eyes before using his powers to get rid of them before he died. Chapter 83 Aril, The Angel Of Knowledge "So what? He died, how does it have anything to do with the eye of destruction?" Sato asked while following behind Hikari. "Ahh, to think you''d have gotten the gist by now." Hikari sighed as she shook her head. "Fun fact¡­ I also don''t know". "Ehhhhhh?" Hikariughed when she saw Sato''s panicked expression, "Rx, all we know is, the eye managed to enter the demon territory and ever since then, they''ve been fighting for it." She exined. "Does this mean you also have no idea how to destroy the eye''s power?" Sato asked, "Such magic isn''t something that should be disregarded". "If it looks like it''s getting out of hand, the overseers will most definitely step in, but since they haven''t, it calls for no rm." Hikari suddenly stopped. She faced Sato and uttered with a smile, "There¡­ she''s waiting for you." Hikari said, pointing at the far distance. Sato gulped down his saliva as he began to take steps forward, he walked past Hikari and continued. From afar, he could see a pink majestic tree and someone sitting underneath it in a red dress. The closer he got, the more visible the person got. One more step and Sato got a clear view, his eyes widened in amazement when he met a beautiful girl seated under the tear. Her red dress danced in the wind while her white hair fell behind her back. The girl had red sparkling eyes and was ying with the pink leaves that were falling from the trees. "Hey¡­there." Sato voiced out nervously. The girl was dazed when she heard his voice and immediately looked at him. "Wee, apologies, I was unable to apany you to the battlefield," The girl uttered. "You really are Helix, right?" Sato questioned, his eyes peeking at her with wonder. She tilted her head to the side profoundly before she replied, "I was sure you''d recognize my voice, my new form did¡­". "It really is you!" Sato shouted, running and kneeling in front of her before he grabbed her cheeks. "Wow, you look just like a doll¡­ an extremely pretty one." Sato said while she searched her eyes. "Angels are known to be especially attractive," Helix voiced out. Sato immediately gave a deadpan expression before looking to the left where Hikari stood. "She''s still speaking like some kind ofputer." Sato said before sighing. He let go of her cheeks and sat down on the ground, "So, tell me Helix, where exactly did you go? I couldn''t hear your voice back there." Sato muttered, his eyes focused on the ground as he spoke. "After many efforts, I was able toe to the conclusion that, since the eye of destruction was manifested from the sacrifice of an angel, it is safe to assume angels are generally weak to its power." Helix exined. "She''s right." Hikari chimed in, "Angels can''t function well around its magic, it either kills them or traps them in a mindless state". "Okay I get that much, Helix was weakened by it, so how exactly am I supposed to defeat d if I can use my angel¡­. Wait! Helix is an angel?!" Sato shouted, standing up from the ground from the shock. Hikari burst intoughter, "You''re just realizing that now?" She uttered with moreughter following right after. Sato fell back to his knees and grabbed Helix by the arm before he asked, "Helix is this true, are you really an angel?". "I was told I am, although I have no way of knowing," Helix responded with the same doll-like expression on her face. "Aril is barely more than 1 year old, infact she wasn''t meant to be your guardian in the first ce." Hikari exposed. "What do you mean by that?" Sato asked, staring back at Hikari intensively. "Surely you don''t expect to be the only person that''s been reincarnated to this World do you?" Hikari teased, "Every time a living species reincarnates into this world, they are immediately given a guardian angel". Hikari continued¡­.. The angel that was sent to be Sato''s guardian was supposed to be Hikari herself, the mother of all angels. But an error happened, Aril, the angel of knowledge was being sent to her guardian when she suddenly changed course and instead linked with Sato. The cause of the ident remained with Hikari, and she refused to tell anyone about it. Sato sighed after hearing the exnation, "That clears things up, no wonder she''s so intelligent with everything, I thought she was just a skill or something." He muttered. "Oh she is a skill, that is the job of the angel, they link up with their host and be whatever the host needs, in your case¡­ the iconic analysis skill." Hikari let out a smile as she stared at Sato. Sato looked at Helix and asked, "Do you know a way I can stop the horror going on right now?". Helix stared back at Sato and touched her forehead with his, sharing the thoughts she had with him. After she was done, Helix pulled away, "Those are the solutions I coulde up with due to your limits in magic". "Thank you." Sato stood up from the ground and turned to Hikari, "Take me back, it''s time I put an end to all this." He requested. "Are you sure you are ready? If you die again, I cannot save you like I did the first time." Hikari warned. "I know, I''m putting my trust in Helix, and she has never disappointed me." Sato responded confidently. Hikari looked at Helix before she sighed at the view, "Okay, if you really feel like you''re ready, then go for it". A portal immediately showed up behind Sato that led back to the human realm. Sato looked at the portal and took a huge breath, "Here I go." He muttered to himself, trying to build up enough confidence to go with whatever he had nned. "If you survive, I''ll release the spell that lets you forget about our encounters as a reward." Hikari voiced out from behind Sato. Sato still had his attention focused on the portal, after he felt he was ready, he ran into the portal and screamed, "You better remember that!". Chapter 84 5 Second Countdown To Death While countless deaths were happening all around Nervek, Yuri and the rest were kept safe inside the small barrier that Divanchi put up. Even though inside the barrier, some of their enemies were there, they didn''t try to attack since they were too busy trying to understand what was going on around them. Veronica happened to still be tied up inside the room and Sebastian was with the mermaids on the hill, shielded by the mermaids'' divine protection. "Haaaa! What is going on out there? The world is about to end!" Jiro shouted with his face stered on the barrier while he peeked outside. "Stay still Jiro, don''t move around so much." Nishida voiced, pulling Jiro away from the walls and straight into the crowd. Divanchi sighed, sitting on the ground as she looked outside, "How long do you think this is going tost?" She asked. "Hey, I haven''t felt master''s magic in a while, I think I should go check on him." Yuri voiced out, ignoring the question and getting ready to leap out of the barrier. [Yuri! Everyone! Can you hear me?!] Yuri immediately vaulted down after she heard Sato''s voice. "Lord Sato!" Jiro yelled, which was apanied by the rest of the elves gasping. All the elves who were in the barrier could hear Sato''s voice in their head, more like a telepath where everyone was sharing the same source. "Master!" Yuri immediately voiced, "Where are you? Are you safe? Scratch that, tell me where you are, I''m on my way." She walked as she spoke. [Hold on ¡­ I need you all to do something for me] [Above you, I already ced a barrier around the city, it''s supposed to trap the soul of the deceased from wandering off. I want you to split into groups and gather as many bodies as you can and pour a bit of your magic essence into them.] Divanchi smiled, "Master, you are ying a risky game, reviving the dead is not something to mess with." She said, [I understand if you want no part in it, you have every right to ¡­] "I never said I wasn''t going to do it." Divanchi stood up from the ground, "I''d follow you to the pit of hell if need be it". [Thank you, I''m counting on you]. The telepath link parted and Yuri turned to face all the elves. "Let''s get this done quickly, it''s obvious he''s busy with something, and you freaking vampires better be grateful my master is so gullible and stupid!" Yuri eximed, giving the vampire in front a death stare. He was so terrified that he had to step back and stand behind his otherrades. Jiro suddenly jumped up, "Alright! I''m ready to trap some souls!" He shouted with augh following after. Meanwhile¡­.. Sato was on his knees, with his right hand holding a small barrier in front of him while he stared at d from afar. d hadn''t moved from where he sat, he wasn''t even focused on the fight, he was more rxed and calm. "Okay, that''s settled, time to get to the main task." Sato muttered to himself, gulping down his saliva. "Helix¡­ I hope you''re ready, cuz I''m moving in!" Sato raged. As soon as the barrier shattered, Sato dashed to the front, running with every speed he had, but due to his magic, he wasn''t quite as fast. He ran, dodging all the lightning strikes that were aimed at him, until¡­.. Beeeew! Sato''s head suddenly exploded on the ground with his body immediately dropping right after. 5 4 3 Ahhhh! Sato''s head immediately merged back together and he whooshed up from the floor and began running back without wasting any time. Beeeeew! 5 4 Revive Beeeeew! 3 2 Revive Beeeew 5 4 3 Revive Sato kept reviving, regardless of the amount of time he died, from his body scattering into pieces and his head getting blown to bits. He slid onto his knees and immediately ced a barrier in front of him, as he began panting heavily. Sato touched his head and other parts of his body, the feeling of his head exploding was still lingering in his senses. ? 5 secs¡­ once you die, you can revive yourself but only if your death has not exceeded 5 sec. This means your timing has to be right, if you waste even a second to activate the skill, that could be the end?. The shback of Helix''s words began to resonate inside Sato''s head. Sato clenched his fist and took a deep breath before he muttered to himself, "Come on, you can do this." "Go!" Sato whooshed from the ground and continued to dash straight to d''s position. The closer he got, the more gruesome his deaths, the pain intensified and nearly wrecked his mind. But Sato did not give in, he kept at it, running and resuscitating himself all over again before the 5 secs mark count couldplete. Once he was very close, Sato jumped up andnded directly on d. Even while he was in mid-air, his body was still being torn apart by the eye''s magic. With all efforts, Satonded on top of d, he immediately sent his finger straight inside d''s eyes. d didn''t give any expression, and not even a sign of him wanting to fight back. With Sato''s right hand inside d''s eyes, Sato''s hand began heating up and his hand suddenly liquefied on the ground. He screamed in pain but still didn''t stop, he used his left hand to dig inside the eye and began to forcefully pull it out. His screams roared wide when he finally pulled out one of the eyes and ced it on the ground. The eye was still very much active even though it was disconnected from the eye socket. But Sato didn''t pay it any mind, he moved the other eye and sunk his teeth right inside d''s socket before pulling out the eye. His head exploded which led to the eye falling to the ground while Satoy on the ground headless. Baam! Sato revived again and met the eyes crawling on the ground to get to d. With every power in his body, Sato stretched out his hand toward the eyes while he was on the ground and yelled using thest of his magic energy¡­. "Predator!" Chapter 85 Miraculous Revival At Sunset "Predator!" Sato roared, a huge force of thick ck mist, whooshed out of his palm and engulfed both eyes whole before it returned to his hands. Once he knew the eyes were gone, he spread t on the ground, tired from the intense pain he had endured. "Is..it finally over?" Sato muttered to himself as he began to wither from exhaustion. <> ''Oh, Helix, d you''re back.'' Sato uttered with a weak smile on his face. <> ''Sure¡­ I''m just gonna¡­sleep for a while.'' Sato chose his words before going unconscious. <> Cough! d moved his finger as he slowly began to gain consciousness, he stillid on the ground, using his hand to touch his empty eye sockets. "I guess he did it." d uttered to himself with a smile. He suddenly heard footsteps. "Congrattions¡­ you managed to attain the power you wanted, but I can''t help but wonder, what do you n to use the power for¡­ lord of elves?" d asked. Even with his eyes gone, he could still tell a person from the magic essence he felt, which was how he knew Sato was alive. Sato''s eyes were green, a sign that showed Helix was the one currently in control of his body. Both his hand grew back and his body was fresh, anyone who didn''t see him battle d wouldn''t be able to tell he had died so many times. "The power you speak of is currently trapped in a special space created by my Master, I do not believe he needs such power for anything." Sato replied. dughed, "I guess not, finally, someone¡­who understands t...he curse.". "You should preserve your energy, you took quite a lot of damage from the attack, please be cautious." Sato voiced out. He suddenly lifted off to the sky, with a multi-color orb hovering above his palm as he whooshed into the sky. Once he was high enough to see arge amount of the city, he began to carry out his task. "Skill Revival activated¡­ number of magic connected souls¡­. 70,745, number of magic unlinked souls¡­ 19." [There are still 19 more dead that have not been infused with magic essence] Sato''s voice echoed inside his subject''s mind. "19? I thought we had them all." Jiro shouted, looking around to see if he missed a person. "Wait, I found one!" Deka eximed, ripping the roof of the house before jumping inside. He met a woman''s body stered on the kitchen wall, while another body was melted on the ground. "A truly sad sight." Deka voiced before touching the ground to let his magic mix with their body parts. All around the elves found more bodies and imnted them with their magic. [2 more dead remaining] Daina sprinted inside the room of the mansion and found Veronica''s body on the ground with her head scattered on the ground. She immediately transferred her magic to the body before falling to butt with a sigh following right after. [1 more remaining] Thest one took some time to find, so much so that some of the elves felt like they should forsake the search. Yuri and Divanchi,nded on the ground together, near the garden to see if they could find a dead body there. "See anything?" Divanchi asked, walking out of the bush to see Yuri standing at a spot. "Hey is something wrong?" Divanchi moved closer to Yuri and was a bit surprised when she saw what kept Yuri upied. There was a wolf girl, with a ck tail, purple eyes, and ck hair, on all fours like a dog, groaning aggressively. "Wow, she''s still alive, and she happens to be a demi-human." Divanchi voiced out. "No, she''s not." "Uhn?" "She''s not alive." Yuri asserted, looking at the guts of the wolf girl on the ground but for some reason, she was still able to move her body. Divanchi also noticed this and was immediately astonished by it, she walked over to the girl and touched her head before pouring her magic into her. The wolf girl soon fell to the ground and passed away with a sad howl as she hit the ground. Divanchi sighed before standing upright, "First time I''ve seen you be amazed by someone other than master." She teased Yuri. "You''re not gonna get to me Divanchi,e back when you have some boobs." Yuri said as she walked away. "Oh, my, how mean of you." Divanchi ran to her side before whacking her on her arm. Once Sato sensed that all deceased in the city had been linked, he continued his practice. "Ven coliatus¡­." After Sato uttered that word, a dip of multi-color liquid dripped from the orb andnded on the ground. The liquid immediately started splitting and flowing over to every dead person around while still linking in one line. From above, it looked like a shining multi-colored tree branch, thriving in the ground and spreading to various areas of the city. After a while, every dead person had the liquid mixed into their cells and glowing like night candles. Since the sun was down, it felt more like the whole city had light bulbs fixed in all three houses. The linking wasplete and the next stage took ce, as everyone who was still alive looked up to see the magnificence magic. The orb in Sato''s hand began to rotate and increase in its size while spreading tiny yellow light all around. Like raindrops, the light dropped to the ground, and every dead person the light touched, immediately had their soul transferred inside their body. Their body would fix back together, and immediately heal themselves before the soul would enter. Miraculously, everyone began to wake up, one after the other, while some woke up confused, others woke up feeling frightened and even going as far as running away in fear. Everyone looked up at the sky, and all of Sato''s subjects couldn''t help but smile as they watched him from below perform a magic that neither of them ever thought possible. Chapter 86 Been Saved From The Cruse. "Taskpleted¡­ auto mode deactivated". Sato''s eyes went back to normal and his body immediately started declining fast to the ground. "Master!" Yuri called out, but before she could move, Divanchi had already gotten the better of her. Divanchi leaped forward and grabbed Sato in mid-air before dropping anchor on the ground. She held Sato in her arms while looking at him sleep, "You should really see your face right now." Divanchi smiled as she looked at him. "Divanchi, you snake! How is he?!" Yuri shouted from afar before speeding straight to Divanchi. In a matter of seconds, Yuri had already arrived in front of her with a worrisome look on her face when she spotted Sato. "Is he?" Yuri muttered with uneasiness banging on her chest. "Rx, he''s just taking a nap." Divanchi uttered, standing to her feet as the rest of the elves surrounded her position. They were all so excited about what they saw that they wanted to catch sight of Sato right away to praise him. But instead, they got to see their leader, sleeping in Divanchi''s arms like a tired princess. On the hill where the mermaids performed their anti-mind control song, Erza, who was brought there by Sebastian finally woke up. She slowly opened her eyes and the first thing she heard was an argumenting from inside the cave. "Geez, what is your problem, I told you already, our songs don''t work that way!" A feminine voice spoke. "Don''t call yourself short, all you have to do is make his eyes grow back, I promise you you''ll be very muchpensated." A masculine voice spoke after. Erza sat upright on the ground, looking up, she noticed the moon rising, "It''s nighttime already,....". "How is it nighttime? How long was I out?!" Erza eximed, instantly standing up from the ground. Since she was standing at the edge of the cliff, Erza could see a bit of the destruction that happened around. What even shocked her more was when she couldn''t see the roof of her mansion, which should be easy from how high the cliff was. "What the hell ¡­?" Erza muttered, she turned and got ready to exit the cave when she saw Sebastian standing behind her. He was so shocked to see her awake that words couldn''t leave his mouth at that moment. "Sebastian, great, you''re here." Erza spoke as she approached him, "What happened here? Have you seen what''s going on at home?". "Oh.. yes Mdy, it''s not pretty is it?" Sebastian replied, looking at the ground with a sad look on his face. "Of course, it''s not,e, I need to speak to father at once, while I do that, you help search for Sato, I have a bad feeling about this." Erza ordered as she walked away. Before she could get far, she nced at Elena resting on the wall, unconscious with a few bruises on her body. With an immediate stop, Erza was quick to realize that Elena was one of Sato''s subjects. She looked at Sebastian and this time with fury in her eyes. "Sebastian, you are going to tell me what happened here, now!" She asserted, storming toward him angrily. The three mermaids hid inside the cave while peeping at the drama going on between Sebastian and Erza. ... Erza touched down on the ground with Sebastian holding Elena behind him. She noticed the tremendous damage that had been done to the mansion but she didn''t pay that any mind. "Father! Father!" Erza cried out, looking around to see if she could find her father or at least get a response from him. "Mdy¡­ over there." Sebastian voiced out, pointing to the group of vampires that were bowed on their knees. Erza ran toward the gathering, her face filled with both happiness and joy when she found her father, resting his back on the wall with a bottle of sak¨¦ in his hands. "Father!" Erza called out, running past the crowd before giving a big hug to d. "Erza, I see Sebastian did well to protect you." d uttered, looking at Sebastian who in turn bowed his head. Once she had enough feel of her father, Erza pulled away and looked at him, "Father, what happened to the mansion? And why are they all knelt here?" She asked curiously. d shook the bottle of sak¨¦ I before taking a huge gulp with an "Ahhh!" sound following right after. "Even during difficult times, this never fails to make me happy." d muttered before taking another swig. With a sigh, Erza held d''s cheek and pulled her face closer, "Dad I''m serious, have you seen the garden? It''s aplete¡­ wreck". Erza slowed down when she finally noticed something, d''s eyes had been closed the whole time and she could see the dry trail of blood from his eyes to his cheeks. "Turns out your old man isn''t the strongest after all." Vald uttered, taking again, another swig of the sak¨¦. "Your eye?... It''s gone?" Erza raised a question before falling to her knees right in front of her father. All the Vampires watching looked away, feeling meworthy that they took part in the attack against d. Not all vamps were hypnotized by Gudan, but those who were felt guilty and shameless, mostly because they were insulted by their peers. d ced his hands on Erza''s head, even though he couldn''t see, he was still able to sense his daughter''s sadness. "You say that like it''s a bad thing, the curse I held on to for 400 years has finally been served from my existence, cheer up." d consoled her "If that''s the case, I want mine removed also!" Erza voiced out with her left eye glowing. "Don''t be stupid, you were born with yours, I merely stole mine, while mine is a curse, yours is not, you should treasure it". Sigh! "I''m just d to see you''re okay, that said¡­ ." Erza turned around to see the destruction around her. "What are we going to do about this". Chapter 87 Evolving The Unique Skill. <> <> << Warning, item is feasting away magic essence in the arsenal¡­ solution must be met. umte magic flow in the body to amplify resilience in performing analysis¡­. [FAILED] ... Evolving unique skill Analysis has a 98% chance of analyzing the cursed item in adrenal. Requesting ess to evolve... [Evolve ] ...¡­. [Unique skill Analysis ] [Denied] Requesting ess to evolve¡­.. [Denied] Offering up the Skill Revive [Taking a huge percentage of magic essence] to increase chances of analysis evolving¡­. [Confirmed]. The unique skill Analysis (Great sage) has evolved into the Ultimate skill Aril (Angel of knowledge) >> << The eye of destruction can lead to internal injuries if left alone¡­ absorbing magic from the eye of destruction¡­pleted>>. Gasp! Sato immediately woke up from his sleep and sat upright while touching his body around. With a sigh, Sato calmed down, "I''m alive, damn, I never want to fight a battle like that again." He muttered to himself. <> ''Oh, morning Helix¡­ hold on, did you just call me master?'' Sato asked, surprised by the fact that Helix referred to him as master. <> Sato paused for a while before jumping up from the bed while he yelled, "Who are you and what have you done to my system?!". <> "Either I''m losing my mind or you''ve changed¡­ like a lot." Sato muttered before sitting on the couch next to him. <> "Isn''t it Ariel? I''m sure I''ve heard it before¡­" <> ¡­.. <> ''Magic purification?'' <> Sato stood up from the chair and looked around, the huge painting on the wall with d''s family on it was the first to catch his attention. "Helix? Did I¡­ k¡­" <> "Ahhh, good." Sato gave out a relieving sigh as he walked over to the bed and sat back down. ''That is one event taken care of, I''ve destroyed the eye of destruction already, the next one might not be that straightforward¡­''. While Sato was in resounding thought with himself, the door to the room suddenly opened with Erza and two vampire maids standing behind her. "Oh great you''re awake," Erza voiced out as she walked into the room, "You were out so long I thought you might sleep the whole week away". "Week? How long have I been asleep?" Sato asked while he watched Erza take her seat on the couch with the maids standing at the entrance. "Almost a week now." Erza replied. Sato froze up in shock, ''What the hell? Why didn''t you tell me this?!'' He shouted. <> ''Why you little!'' "Are you okay?" Erza asked, she noticed he had been quiet for quite some time and his fist was clenched like he was about to punch someone. "No, I''m fine." Sato asserted, "Although I have a couple of questions, this is the mansion right? What happened to the people, your people? Your dad, is he okay? What about the council members, did they escape?". Erza sighed before crossing her legs, "Yes, what did you expect to happen? He is doing perfectly fine, they are locked in thets till dad decides to sentence them". With no mistake, Erza answered every single one of his questions with ease. Sato himself wasn''t anticipating an answer like that. "I see, what about my people?" He raised another question, "I''d like to know if they left or not". "They decided to stay till you wake up, so they are in the mansion right now," Erza replied instantly. "Awesome, I would very much like to meet them as soon as possible." Sato voiced before standing up from the bed. At that exact moment, the two maids left the room and shut the door without uttering a single word. "Ehh?" Sato mumbled. "Why are you in such a hurry?" Erza spoke, standing from the couch and slowly walking toward Sato. She ced her hands on his cheek while searching his eyes with a smile, "Do you remember what you promised me?" Erza asked. "No, I-I don''t think I do." Sato replied with an anxiousugh. <> "Shut up!" Sato unintentionally yelled out loud, as soon as he noticed, he peeked straight at Erza with a weird chuckle. Erza was quiet for a while, all of a sudden, she pouted her face and began to pull Sato by the ear. She captained toward the door, dragging Sato by the ear but before she could get to the door, it sprung open. Divanchi and Deka walked into the room and they were immediately dumbfounded when they saw Sato being hauled by the ear. "Master?" Divanchi muttered. "Damn you, what are you doing to him?!" Deka yelled, immediately calling for his scythe before taking a defensive stance. "Out of my way," Erza voiced out, with lightning sparks around her fist. Deka didn''t move though, he stood his ground with no sign of fearing from him. "It''s cool, Deka, Erza, same goes for you." Sato stood straight after pulling his ear away from Erza''s grasp. "Are you alright Lord Sato, be careful, I heard female vampires have the ability to enchant men," Deka warned with his eyes still focused on Sato "You sure have a wild imagination." Sato said before using his hand to rub Erza''s hair, "Look at her, she''s no threat to no man". "Then marry me¡­" Sato halted, gradually removing his hand from her head, but Erza grabbed it back and ced it on her head. ? "I don''t want to believe the Lord of Elves is the kind of man to break the promise he made to a woman¡­ after spending the night." Erza asserted, staring Sato in the eyes intensely with her cheeks beet red from the embarrassment she was feeling. Chapter 88 I Would Very Much Like To Marry Your Daughter! Sato stood in the passageway, right in front of the door with a sigh slipping out of his mouth. ''It''s a good thing the maid called me out when she did, if not, I don''t know how I would have responded to that question, why is she so fixated on marrying me anyway?''. Sato thought to himself before knocking on the door in front of him. "Come in." A voice resounded from inside the room. "Excuse me." Sato voiced as he opened the door and came into the room before shutting the door behind him. Looking inside, he could see d seated upright on the bed with a small white furry animal on his shoulder. "Sato Inugami, good of you to show up," d uttered, petting the furry on his shoulder as he smiled. "I couldn''t refuse the calling of a Duke," Sato replied, standing at the side of the bed as he observed d. His facial expression changed when he got a good look at the damage he caused to d''s eye. Sato recalled every detail of how he pulled out the eye aggressively from d''s skull and that didn''t help in the remorse he felt. "Does it bother you?" d unexpectedly asked. "Hmm?" Sato was puzzled by the question. "I may be blind but my senses are still as sharp as ever, I can tell you feel guilty for my current predicament." d asserted. Sato looked to the side, unable to respond to the statement d made. "Hahahah!" d suddenly burst intoughter, "You have a weak heart Sato inugami, strengthen up, if not you won''t be able to take my ce as Duke". "D-Duke? What do you mean by that?!" Sato starmmerd with his hands extended in front of him. "Once you marry my daughter, you automatically take my ce since I will be retiring¡­ this old man needs his rest." d expressed. "But¡­ What about your son? Isn''t he supposed to¡­ ohhh." Sato paused when he remembered Christian tried to kill Erza during the ambush. d ced the furry animal on the bed and smiled as he stared outside the window, "I heard about my son''s doing, Erza told me about it." He said but with a calm look on his face. The one thing d was very well known for was his special proficiency to keep calm during troublesome events. If everything had gone to n, d wanted his son, Christian to take his ce, but after hearing what transpired between his two children, he knew he had to make another decision. One that would benefit all of Nervek and his own beloved daughter. "You needeth worry about my son, all I want to know is if you are willing to be betrothed to my daughter." d asked for the sole purpose of getting a direct answer from Sato. Marriage? Just up until he got reincarnated, Sato had never been with anyone his whole life, and all of a sudden, he''s about to get engaged to be daughter of the Duke. Feeling a tad bit subjugated, Sato looked to the side as he struggled toe up with a fitting answer. Deep down he knew getting engaged will further help in his next n to sessively survive the two remaining events yet toe. With a deep breath, Sato gazed profoundly at d before giving his answer, "If it''s alright with you, I''ll very much like to ask your daughter''s hand in marriage". "Excellent!" d voiced out excitedly, he picked up the cute furry animal and pulled it close to his face, "Did you hear that, Yigies, of course, you did". The sight of d still putting out a warm aura despite everything that happened immediately ced a smile on Sato''s face. Bang! The noise was first disregarded by Sato up until the point where it began to sound even louder. "What was that?" Sato questioned. "Ignore it, probably just a bug." d responded instantly, while still ying with the small furry animal. <> Sato sighed and strolled over to the left side of the room. He scanned the wall till he found a small hook nudged at the side. He pulled it and the wall slid open with Yuri immediately falling out of it and mming on the floor with her chest. "Yuri what are you¡­" "Hmmm! Hmmmm!" Yuri hummed aggressively with the cloth that was tied around her mouth. Sato was surprised when he saw that every part of her body was restrained with small magic circles hovering above them. Sato went to his knees and slowly began to uce Yuri from her bondage, "Who did you offend this time Yuri?" He asked as he removed the clothes tied around Yuri''s mouth. "Rrhh, I''m going to kill that bitch, burn!" Yuri shouted, and all the clothes tied around her body instantly caught fire and burnt to ashes. Once she was free, she hugged Sato tightly, carelessly pressing her boobs against his chest "They didn''t allow me toe near you¡­ that bloodsucker! Even Divanchi teamed up with her." Yuri sobed. Sato couldn''t help but give out a nervous smile as he patted her head, "There there". "Excuse my intervention, but the prisoners are out and in the throne room My lord." A male vampire dressed in a red military outfit voiced out from the entrance of the room. "Ahh, it''s that time already." d uttered, cing the furry on the bed before standing up and heading towards the door. "d¡­ I mean, Duke d? I still need to speak to you about something, once you are free." Sato let out with Yuri still hugging him. "I''m sure we''ll have plenty of time to bond, but right now you have a reasonability to attend to." d said before walking out of the room. Sato was utterly confused by the statement, "Responsibility?" He repeated, "I wonder what he¡­". "Oh Lord Sato~, you''re so warm and soft~," Yuri sang as she pushed Sato to the ground with her hug still locked. "Damn it Yuri¡­ snap out of it!". < > "Shut up!!!". Chapter 89 Is He Really Going To Kill Them? d and Sato wandered in on the forever knights, swathed in red military-like attires and lined up in a double roll pattern. The main room was especiallyrge, with huge windows built into the walls and red banners shrouding them. The leader of the forever knights, Commander Selvin, stood behind the three golden thrones in the room. The one at the right was for Erza and she was already seated on it, the one in the middle, which was bigger, was for d and the one at the right was meant for Christian. Enough space was left in the middle, where Gudan, Puma, and Christin knelt with their hands tied and eyes blindfolded. Sato made sure to examine the room first as he walked behind d. They were headed toward the throne with everyone''s eyes fixated on them. While he walked, Sato noticed Erza was ring at him, although he wasn''t sure why, but the veins popping at the side of her head was a hint that she was pissed off about something. "Slevin, thank you for your assistance." d spoke before taking a seat on the exquisite golden chair. "My pleasure Sire," Selvin responded with his head slightly bent and his hand resting on the left side of his chest. Sato looked around, totally confused about why he was even there, he couldn''t think of a single reason why his presence would be needed. "Sit,e on." d voiced out with his full focus on Sato as he dabbed the armrest of the other throne continuously. Sato''s eyes swayed over to Erza who instantly huffed and looked the other way. ''I feel like she''s mad at me.'' Sato thought to himself with a nervous smile before sitting down on the golden throne. "Remove the blindfold," d uttered and immediately wore a profound expression on his face as he faced down his traitors. Even with his eyes gone and closed up, he was still able to make a very intimidating expression. The vampire men immediately did what d ordered and removed the blindfolds from the traitor''s eyes before stepping away. Christian slowly raised his head after having his blindfold removed, but the first thing he saw was enough to anger him so much that he jerked up to his feet. "Father!" Christian yelled aggressively, staring at Sato who had no idea what was even going on at the moment. "What is this? That throne belongs to me? Why is that idiotic maniac sitting on my throne?!". ''Maniac?" Sato muttered, keeping a calm look on his face as he stared back at Christian. "I believe I haven''t given you permission to speak." d asserted. With a weirdugh, Christian slowly walked toward d, "Father, I know you''re mad, and you have every right to be but¡­". "ON YOUR KNEES BOY!" d suddenly shouted. A full force of anti-gravity dropped on Christain''s position and instantly brought him to his knees. Christain grunted in pain as he felt his body was being pushed to the ground with an overwhelming amount of force. A few momentster, Christain was already t on the ground, screaming in pain while his face "Puma, Gudan, I''m sure you can read the room, you know exactly why you''re here." d uttered, ignoring his son''s scream and focusing on Gudan and Puma. Puma slowly put up his head and looked at d, he chuckled before uttering, "What happened to your eye?". "A certain someone took the initiative to make it stay dead, so power driven psychopaths like you wouldn''t be able to have it." d responded calmly. Puma shifted his eyes to Sato before closing his eyes and looking at the ground, "If you are going to kill me, then I suggest you do it quickly, any punishment is better than seeing how pathetic you''ve be". "So you admit to treason against me?... When we became a council and built this city, we made an oath, did we not?" d voiced out as he stood up from the throne and walked toward Puma. He walked past his son and stopped when he got close enough to Puma, "If any of us were to do anything that disrupts the peace between our races, the other party is allowed to dish out the punishment." Vald expressed, stretching out his right hand to the soldier beside him. The soldier instantly pulled out his sword and bowed his head before handing it over to Vald, who also aimed the sword at Puma''s neck. Gudan gave out a weak smile as he stared at the sword, "Come on d darling, there''s no way you''d do this to us right? Death? That''s going too extreme!" He contested. Sato''s eyes widened from the view as he watched d ignore Gudan''s protest and raise the sword high. ''Yoo! He''s actually going to kill them?!'' Sato got ready to stand up and prevent d from going through with it. <> Sato was already halfway up from the throne, he looked to the side to see Ava ring down at her brother with so much hate written on her face. He sat back down and continued to observe d, ''Killing them? That''s going a little bit over the top, couldn''t he just, I don''t know, banish them or something''. <> ''I miss the days when you were not so braggy'' Sato sighed with his eyes still focused on d. <> "Before you kill me, there is something I want to know." Puma uttered as he stared at the ground,pletely unfazed by the situation. "Make it yourst words, what do you want to know?" d asked. "I was sure you killed me during our battle, so how am I still alive?" Puma raised the question. "You see that boy seated on the throne there? He''s the guy you should be asking." d responded. Puma looked to the side to see Sato darting back at him, "You''re telling me, he brought me back from the dead?" He gave out a weak chuckle, "I should have just stayed deceased". "Goodbye¡­ Puma". d sends the sword falling straight to the back of Puma''s neck and immediately slicing off his head like butter. Puma''s body fell to the ground while his head rolled to Christin''s front with the eyes still open. Chapter 90 Is He Really Going To Kill Them? II As soon as Puma''s skull hit the ground, Gudan shrieked in fear, falling to his back with a dread expression on his face. "Rest in peace," d uttered, shing the blood-covered sword to the side for the blood to squirt on the ground. Sato was shocked where he sat, he didn''t know d would actually go through with it. His eyes kept looking around, to see if anyone was feeling the urge to object but everyone was just cooled by it, including Erza. ''Is this right?'' Sato questioned, watching as d moved closer to Gudan. Gudan was squirming on the ground, moving away from d with fear all over his face, "d, hey hey listen, I had nothing to do with this, I swear to you, I''m innocent!" He protested. d suddenly stopped moving, "You''re innocent?" He asked while looking down at Gudan. "Yes exactly, it was all Puma and the king''s idea, to take your powers and enve the Vampires! I had no choice in the matter." Gudan spoke out, trying desperately to clear his name. "I see, Selvin, please get the girls for me." d ordered. "Right away." Slevin left where he stood and walked out of the room, only toe back a short while after with the three mermaids following behind him. ''Xianxia? What the hell.'' Sato was surprised when he saw Xianxia, Shuna, and Luna walking inside the room. Shuna was quick to pick up on Sato''s presence, and as soon as sheid eyes on him, she instantly smiled and waved her hands. Sato responded with the same gesture, he wanted to ask them a few questions but it was neither the right ce nor time. ''Wait, how did d get a hold of¡­ Ktch!'' While he was in his thoughts, a fast moving spoon suddenly hit his head from the right. Sato turned his look over to where the spoon came from and noticed Erza was pouting with another spoon in her hands. A weak smile hit his face as he sighed, ''Ahh, geez''. Selvin stopped behind d with the three mermaids standing beside him, "Sire, I brought them". "Very good, thank you Selvin." d smiled, holding Luna''s hand before pulling her forward. "Ehhh?" Luna voiced out with her cheeks beet red after getting rmed by d''s action. Gudan was shattered in fear as he stared at the mermaids, all his hopes of trying to sway his way out of being killed crumbled the instant he saw the mermaids. "Luna, please tell us exactly what Gudan did to your people and the crime he forced you to carry out on his behalf." Vald said with a small smile on his face, "Oh, and please, make sure you are audible enough, the whole thing is being recorded". "Recorded?!" Gudan eximed, looking around nervously till he spotted a vampire holding a spherical orb in his hands. "Unbelievable, first you kill us, then have proof to back up your act¡­ how merciless of you". Gudan no longer had the will to clear his name, he looked to the ground with an agitated look on his face. With a deep breath, Luna pointed at Gudan and began to uncover everything he did to them. She spoke about how he ughtered all of her fellow mermaids and threatened them to enchant the wolf and vampire army if they wanted to live. Everything was shed to light, Luna didn''t leave a single detail out almost like she had been nning for it her whole life. "Do you object to this, Gudan?" d asked, grating his sword on the ground as he moved toward him. Not a single word left Gudan''s mouth, he was so irritated at the sight of the mermaids, but even more irritated at Sato who was just seated in the front. "Very well then." d raised his sword, "Don''t worry, your soldiers are innocent, I''ll do well to give them a suitable life when a new council is found¡­ sleep now". "No, wait!..." sh! At the drop of the sword, Gudan''s head rolled to the ground with his body following right after. "Now," Vald slowly turned to look at Christian who was still being mashed to the ground by anti gravity. "Son, I''d be lying if I said I wasn''t disappointed in you. My own son tried to kill me." d voiced as he walked. "N-No fa-father, you''re mistaken." Christian struggled to speak because of the huge weight that was pressing him to the ground. Drusssh! The gravity suddenly disappeared and Christain could feel the huge relief on his back and instantly stood up from the ground. "I never nned to ambush you or anything like that, Father! Believe me, I respect you more than anything!" Christian proimed, mming his chest with every word he said. "Somehow, the proof I have defies that." "Yes yes, it''s true I attacked Erza, but that was only because he kidnapped Loura!" Christian pointed at Gudan''s dead body furiously. "I would never do anything to hurt you father, when I saw themotion going on I knew it would be the right time to kill Erza, I swear father, I''m telling the truth." "Do you even hear yourself? You decided to take the life of your own sister, and yet you have the nerve to justify it?" d frowned as magic energy began to ozz from his body. Completely dominated by the situation, Christian ran over to Erza and knelt in front of her with his head bowed. "Erza! I know you''d understand right, I didn''t have a choice." Christian sobbed, "He was going to trade her, I didn''t know where she was, I''m sorry, I shouldn''t have attacked you". During all his speech, Erza didn''t once look him in the eye, her eyes were closed and focused on the huge windows. ''She''s ignoring him?!'' Sato eximed with a shock driven look on his face, ''Come to think of it, I don''t me her, I mean he did try to kill her''. "Erza! Are you listening?" Christian grabbed her leg but Erza still didn''t pay any attention to him. "Damn you Erza! Is this how you repay me?! You traitor!" Christian shouted, with his fist clenched and getting fired up to punch Erza. Sato was so close to standing up from his sit when all of a sudden, d sent the sword he was holding bolting straight into Christian''s from the back. Erza looked at him as he dropped to the ground soaked in his own blood with a sword sticking out of him. Chapter 91 Steal A Kiss, Twice. d gazed down at his son''s body as the ce went serene for a while, Sato''s face was filled with so much shock that he couldn''t say a single word. "Please dispose of their bodies, and send word to their families, if they still have any, they might want to host a proper burial for them." d mandated the soldiers around him. The soldiers hurriedly began to clear the hall, removing the dead bodies before exiting the throne room. The only people left in the room were Erza, Sato, d, Sebastian, and the three mermaids. The ce was silent for a while, Sato could see Erza desperately trying to hide her pained face and keep a calm look. "Ladies, you''ve done an excellent job today thank you." d walked past the three mermaids and sat back down on his throne. After what they just witnessed d do, they couldn''t help but feel anxious around him. "It''s n-nothing really, please don''t worry about it." Shuna stammered as she spoke. "Nonsense, from what you told me, you no longer have a ce to stay or family to go back to." d voiced out, ''As payment and apology, you are free to remain here as a member of d''s household". The three mermaids looked each other in the eyes with uneasy expressions on their faces. "I can tell you are unsatisfied with my offer, if there is something you want and it''s within my power, I''ll most definitely grant you that wish." d spoke out with enthusiasm. "No no no, it''s not that sir, we are not dissatisfied by it at all." Shuna eximed with both her hands waving in front of her. "You''re not? Then what is the matter?" d questioned, he couldn''t tell what face they were making, but his sharp senses had never once betrayed him. "Ehm, it''s just that¡­ we.." "We already epted Lord Sato as our daddy!" Xanxia shouted before Shuna could speak with her finger pointed at Sato. ''Ehh?''... "Ehhhh?!" Sato propelled himself back on the throne, surprised by what he heard. "He told you¡­ to call him daddy?" Erza murmured with her fist crushing the armrest of the throne while fire boosted out of her body. "No, I didn''t, I swear?!" Sato shouted from afar, looking at Erza before he turned to Xanxia, "Why would you call me that?!". <> ''Are youughing?!'' <> ''Yeah true, maybe it''s just my¡­. Yeah, right it''s my imagination, you jerk!'' "Did I pronounce it wrong?...." Xanxia voiced with her finger resting on her cheeks as she looked to the ceiling puzzledly, " Daddy?~". "Ookay!" Sato sped from his seat and stopped right in front of Xanxia with a hurl of wind following behind him. He immediately coated her mouth with his hand, before looking at d with a weird smile on his face, "She meant master, not d-daddy, hehe, I just¡­". Xanxia moved her mouth away from Sato''s hand, "But the fire Lady told us to call you daddy". "Firedy?" Sato muttered looking at Xianxia as he tried to imagine who that could be. "Yeah, the reddy said you''d.. prefer being called daddy then lord." Shuna chimed in with a shy tone. "I must admit, I was a bit shocked you were into such a thing, because, isn''t daddy support to be the father to a child?" Luna uttered with a smirk on her face. Sato was so dumbfounded by what he was hearing that he couldn''t evene up with a fitting response to give them. Erza stood up from her chair and strolled over to Sato, before Sato could look at her, she had already pulled him by the cor andnded a kiss. Sebastian fell to his knees coughing while dughed excitedly at the sight, that was the first time he had ever seen his daughter act the way she did. Erza pulled away, her face beet red as she looked to the ground, frozen and out of words. Sato had the same reaction, so flustered that he covered his mouth and looked to the side, "Why are you getting embarrassed, you''re the one that kissed me." He spoke through his hand. "O-only because you''re such an idiot." She responded, snatching Sato by the hand and hurling him over to her father''s front. When she got to Vald''s front, she bowed her head, something she had never done before, even when she needed something so badly. "Father, I''d like for you to ept me getting married to the man." Erza voiced out with her head bowed and eyes closed, "I know..". "Uhm, Erza?" Sato broke in. Erza immediately raised her head and faced Sato with a furious look on her face, "What is it? Before you say anything, you should know, if you don''t want me as your wife, I won''t have any issue killing off any potential love interest you might have¡­ either me or no one, you understand that, right?". ''Are girls normally this scary?'' Sato thought to himself as he looked at her, he sighed, scratching the back of his head while he looked to the side, "I¡­ I already told your father that we should get engaged, and he agreed". "What?" Erza muttered, looking at her father who in turn smiled back at her. Erza screamed with excitement, hugging Sato with her boobs pressed on his chest, pulling away, she voiced out, "See, was that so hard?". ''Harder than you''d imagine.'' Sato sighed. Without any warning, Yuri barged into the room and ran straight over to Sato, she ignored every eye that was set on her. "Yuri, what are you doing he¡­..." Before Sato couldplete his words, Yuri wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. Smooching his lips, while making lewd sounds as she continued to fondle his lips sexually. As soon as she pulled away, a trail of saliva left her lips before she licked her finger with a grin on her face. Erza was both flustered and angered at the sight, she instantly pulled Sato away, "What the hell is wrong with you?!". "I am his assistant, if you are going to kiss him without permission, then I sure as hell have the same right to do so." Yuri replied with a lewd look on her face. Sato on the other hand already blew a fuse, two girls kissing him was more than his mind could handle. <> ''I don''t wanna hear it, Aril¡­ shut it''. Chapter 92 The Event Weighs My Mind The next day, The Duke of Tamron immediately made a formal announcement to his people. He exposed the ambush and the sinsmitted by the councils to kill him and take over Tamronpletely. Although some people were outraged by the fact their respective council got the death sentence, others were ratherfortable since they experienced the horror first hand. d also made it clear to his people that he would be stepping down from his seat and heading over his position to his future son inw, Sato Inugami. The audience did not like the idea one bit, someone other than their race was going to rule them, and they found it uneptable. Seeing that things weren''t as he expected, d made another announcement. He mentioned the grand event called the royal selection, an event where different races in the city of Nervek battle for the position to be a council member. He nned to use this event as another means to let Sato take charge by immediately cing Sato in thepetition. This was a bit more epted by the people since most of them felt a normal person like Sato wouldn''t stand a chance. When d felt that was settled, he immediately moved over to his daughter''s engagement the next day. Sato was so stunned by how fast things were moving, but his hands were tied since Erza wouldn''t hear anything otherwise. In his room, Satoid on the bed dressed in vampire traditional wear. A white fabric around his waist and yellow marks were designed on his chest with paint. "Ahhhh, I''m getting engaged." Sato muttered as he stared lifelessly at the ceiling. <> "That''s not the case, Aril, it''s just¡­" Sato paused and let out a heavy sigh, ".... Nah, never mind, I shouldn''t be thinking about that now". Sato sat upright on the bed, "I wasn''t able to get anything out of Christian, d killed him before I even got the chance". <> "Has to do with the king of this Kingdom, so far everyone who has mentioned him has said his name is Demon lord Jira, so it''s safe to say a demon lord is the king here." Sato uttered while he kept thinking. <> "Do you by chance know if he had any connections with her ambush here in Tamron? Jira I mean." Sato asked. <> "Urrrrgghhhhh, this is going nowhere!" Sato grunted before jerking up from the bed, "If I need answers, I''m going to have to meet him face to face". <> Knock! Knock! Someone banged the door from the other side before the person voiced, "Sorry to disturb you, butdy Erza told me to inform you that the ceremony is about to begin". "Okay thank you." Sato responded before sighing, "Alright let''s do this". Sato walked out of the room and headed straight into the ceremony that was being held in the main room. Almost everyone in Nervek came to catch a glimpse of who Erza was getting engaged to, and they were dead in shock to see that it wasn''t a vampire. The engagement ceremony took ce while Yuri was being tied up in a room with Deka and Jiro guarding it. The main ceremony was done and everyone was already dancing to the ssical music. Erza was busy attending to people wishing her a happy engagement, meanwhile, Sato was standing in the corridor outside. He was staring at the far end of Nervek with the thoughts of what the demon king would be like. Sato remembered what Hikari told him about the events, and one of them involved Demon lord Jira being the main man. "Now what could you be doing out here all by yourself." d voiced as he walked in to stand beside Sato. Sato didn''t change positions or shift his awareness away from where he stared, "Hey Duke, have you met the king in person before?" He asked. d paused, his hands tucked inside the sleeves like a monk as he faced the night sky with Sato. "Why would you wanna know that?" d raised his own question. "Nothing really, I was just curious, seems everyone who has mentioned him all had different views and opinions." Sato answered. "The king isn''t the type to spend his time chatting with other people, for the past 14 years, he has made a general appearance only three times." d exposed, "So, people never really got to know him well". "What about you? What impression do you get from him?" Sato asked d. "I see him as a true King, one he rules with both integrity and honor, that said, No matter how much restitution he paid with every word and deed, his blood-stained hands could never really be clean, even if no one else knew they were dirty his eyes told a different story." d voiced before tapping Sato on the shoulder. "You should enjoy the ceremony, don''t make my daughter worry by holding on to such thoughts, see you inside." d smiled and went back to the party. Sato looked down to see the forever knights roaming about the ce to keep it safe and free of intruders. "Master? Are you alright?" Divanchi voiced as she walked towards him. "Divanchi, are you not enjoying the party with Yuri and the rest? You don''t want to miss the whole party do you?" Sato spoke with a profound look on his face. Divanchi looked at him for a while before climbing the balcony and sitting on it with her legs dancing. "I can tell something is bothering you." Divanchi uttered, "You have three beautiful girls fretting about your well-being and somehow you still feel bleak¡­ I must say you''re pretty selfish". Sato gave out a sharp grunt as the insult got to him, "I never said I was sa¡­". "Sometimes you can be both stupid and naive, not to talk of obnoxious, and for some reason afraid to fight even though you wield so much power, basically you''re the definition of a child". With a deadpan look on his face, Sato looked at Divanchi, "You know if you are trying to cheer me up, you''re doing a pretty back job". Divanchi smiled as ced both her hands on his cheeks before pushing her face closer, "All I''m saying is, you should rely on us more, believe it or not, we''re stuck with you regardless¡­ the least you can do is not make us look bad serving you". Sato sighed before giving out a weak smile, "You are making no sense". Chapter 93 New Elves? What? The night went by quickly, with everyone in the city now knowing that Erza had gotten engaged to some dude. The next day, Sato proceeded to leave the city and head back to his own vige,which was faster because of the portal transportation skill that Nishida had. Arriving at the vige entrance, the first thing Sato and the rest saw were two small elves carrying a bowl of food in their hands. Their faces looked new, and for Sato who has the Record skill, he knew he''d never forget a face that he had seen before. "Hey there," Sato voiced as he approached the kids. But as soon as they saw Sato, they screamed, dropping their food on the ground and running inside the vige. ''What the?'' Sato shuttered as he watched them run away. "Oh men, I didn''t know how much I loved our little vige!" Jiro eximed before running inside. "Ahhh, I should check if the bridge is still intact." Deka uttered before he entered too. "Rx, we were only gone for a week honey, the bridge is fine." Latina voiced as she followed behind him while holding Elena''s hand. Everyone went in, leaving Sato at the entrance, A small smile hit his face as he looked at the vige, "She was right, I almost forgot how much I loved this ce." Sato muttered before walking in with Yuri and Davanchi following behind him. ...¡­ ''What the actual¡­ fuck?!'' Sato panicked in his mind. Standing in front of his office were numerous elves, people that he had never met before, waiting patiently at the doorstep, each holding a small bag in their hands. ''Who are all these elves?!'' Sato questioned as he stood there speechless, even Yuri and Divanchi were just as perplexed. <> ''Oh I see, the question is, what are they doing here?''. "Master." Yuri whispered, pulling her mouth close to Sato''s ear, "What do these people want?" She asked. ''How the hell am I supposed to know!'' Sato thought to him, after assessing the situation thoroughly, he took the first step and asked. "May I help you? You seem like you must all be travelers, or am I wrong?" Sato asked them, but on the inside, ''Yeah right! Look at them, there are about fifty elves here, no way they''re all travelers. One of the female elves stepped forward and immediately bowed her head, "I assume you are the Lord of this fine vige?." The elf uttered. "Yes I am, can I help you with something?" Sato responded. "My name is Lara, I am a member of the Werva vige, east of here." The elf introduced herself with a smile on her face and head still bowed. Sato nced at all their faces and saw the look of anticipation written all over their faces. Lara raised her head and peeked at Sato, "We havee here to ask for your help." She voiced out. "My help?" Sato responded. "Yes, you see, our homnd has been somewhat ufortable for the past few months, our vige head happens to be a Goblin. At first, it was quite manageable since we didn''t cross paths with them, buttely, things have been getting rather pesky, it''s bing unbearable and we just couldn''t take it anymore". "Okay I get that, but what do you want me to do about it? It''s not like I can just¡­". "Please let us serve under you and take shelter in this vige as one of its associates." Lura voiced with every strength in her body. The rest of the elves all bowed their heads almost instantly. "Ehhhh?" Sato was surprised, he didn''t think people would actually want to move into a small vige like his. "Please we beg of you, we are quite beneficial to have around, stories of elves selling Deerhugs, cold refreshments, and even standing toe to toe with the Lord of vampires have spread all around Fiona, we just had to take this opportunity!" The male elf wearing baggy pants and a top eximed. "Hold on just a second." Yuri voiced out, she walked past Sato and headed straight for the lura with a death stare on her face. "You''ve got some nerves, what makes you think my master is so nice that he''d letplete outsiders inside his vige, we don''t even know if you were kicked out for treason or something." Yuri quizzed with a fierce look on her face. Lura raised her head slightly, just enough to see Yuri''s face, "I can assure you we have no ill wish toward your master, all we want is a ce to rest our heads." She replied calmly. "Why here? There are lots of other towns and viges in Fiona, I''m sure one of those ces would fit your taste." Yuri uttered, making it difficult for the elves to convince her. "One of the reasons we left our former vige was because we were not with our kind, but here we can rte with our own race and not feel threatened" Lura replied with a calm look on her face. ''Wow, Yuri is really taking this assistance thing seriously,'' Sato thought to himself as he stared at the elves, ''Aril, activate the perception skill''. <> ''Ahh, yes that,'' < > Sato''s eyes glowed a bright green color, and every living thing he looked at emitted a certain mist from its body. Yuir had a blue mist flowing from her body, while the elves had the same color, only a small percentage of the elves had orange mist. ''Looks like they''re telling the truth, guess having them around will be good for the vige.'' <> ''No, that''s why you''ll be keeping an eye on them.'' Sato smiled before voicing out, "Yuri, it''s okay, they can stay!". Divanchi smiled at Sato before looking to the ground, nodding disappointedly with her palm on her head mainly because she already saw iting. Chapter 94 Intruder, Wolf Girl? A week passed and the new elves were already settled in the forest and were useful in a lot of areas. Among the elves was a female named Liz who specialized in making clothes, she was immediately assigned to Latina to help with the vige clothing. Rigarf, Qoli, Aharth, and a few other elves were assigned to Deka to help guard the open areas of the vige alongside some of the Beast men. Another set of elves was picked out, and assigned to assist Daina on the farm and also with food control. A particr herb elf, Derona, was specifically allocated to assist Giron in the selling of Deerhugs and other resources to nearby viges. And so far their best customer has been the Riojas Kingdom, the ruler, Sent Balios took a liking to the vige product and signed a trade ord with them. And Sato agreed since the king was buying a lot, spending close to 6 thousand gold Sels on seasoned Deerhugs alone. The fact that the king was the first person he had met with two names also stuck out to him. The building of the bridge for easier passage to different cities and towns was supervised by Gambi. ? Yuri officially took her ce as Sato''s assistant while Divanchi became his main bodyguard. Ond was put in charge of internal and external affairs within the vige, like securing moving traders and sending messages/spying on other viges, and gathering information. Jiro, Elena, and a few others were assigned the task of hunting for the vige, although Elena had been locked in her room ever since she came back, Jiro and the rest tried their hardest toe back with food every day. The financial budget/ trading budget was also handled by Giron but Miya, the new elf, had been slowly taking charge of it. Everything was gradually taking a good turn for the vige, they were getting both ie and fame over the passing weeks. ... The door to the room slightly opened, and a shadow figure snuck inside, both their red and blue eyes glowed in the dark as they walked in. Closing the door gently, the human figure tiptoed over to the bed where Sato was sleeping peacefully. It was nighttime, midnight to be exact so the only people that were up were a few other beast men who decided to keep watch of the vige. Reaching the bed, the individual paused when they spotted a tray of food resting on the drawer. With utmost care, the figure slowly reached for the bread when all of a sudden, Sato grabbed their hand. He snapped his fingers, and the numerous glow crystals began to glow and light up the room. Stillying on the bed, Sato looked at the figure and spoke, "Who are you?". He could see a person wearing a brown cloak with a hood covering their face, almost too well. The individual panicked and tried to pull away but they couldn''t release themselves from the grip. During the struggle, the individual fell butt-first to the ground. The hood opened from the impact and the person''s face was revealed. ''Wolf girl?''...Shocked, Sato immediately pulled the girl close with a powerful punch following right after. The wolf girl was quick to maneuver her body in the air and dodged Sato''s punch beforending on the ground. Baam! The girl leaped up, high enough for her feet to touch the ceiling and carry Sato with her before mming his back on the wall. But just before the wolf girl could touch the ground, Sato sent a fast-moving ice bullet straight at the girl''s stomach. She fell to the ground almost instantly and in the blink of an eye Sato was on top of her, holding both her arms and legs to the ground. "How did you get in here?" Sato asked as he stared at the wolf girl. "Raah!" The wolf girl roared, struggling to free herself but she couldn''t lift a finger. She had a ck furry tail, wolf eyes, and ck long hair that scattered behind her on the ground. Both her eyes shimmered different colors, the left side being blue and the right side taking that of red color. "So you don''t n to talk then?... Very well," Sato uttered, suddenly his eyes began to ze as bluesers began to build up in his eyes. "Don''t worry, it will be over before you know it". Just from the heat Sato''s eyes were emitting, the wolf girl knew she stood no chance if she took that head on. Frightened with tear handing around her eyes , she screamed, "Okay okay, I get it I''m sorry, I''ll talk¡­ I''ll talk alright! Don''t burn me!" She sobbed. Sato''s eyes dimmed before he sighed and stood up from the girl. He sat on his bed and watched as the girl knelt with an embarrassed look on her face as she rubbed her arm. "Where are you from? Or rather, who sent you?.... Are you a spy?" Sato asked, watching as she wagged her tail. The wolf girl suddenly pointed at the tray of food on Sato''s desk. Sato handed her the food and she began munching down the food like a hungry beast. "Wow, you must be very hungry." Sato voiced out as he observed, "What''s your name?". "I don''t have one." The wolf girl spoke, rushing the food like she hadn''t had a meal in days. "And where do you stay?" Sato raised another question. "I stay in the forest, far far away from here." "F..Far? So how did you end up here then?". The wolf girl suddenly paused, "Badman promised to pay me if I fight, so I followed the bad man to fight, I don''t remember what happened after that, all I remember was waking up here and smelling this delicious meal". "Bad man? Do you happen to know the name of¡­" Baam! The door to Sato''s room suddenly sprung open. Sato looked back to see Yuri at the entrance, panting with her hands resting on the wall. She had a nervous look on her face when she saw the wolf girl seated in front of Sato. "Yuri, are you okay?" Sato asked. Yuri kept panting, her eyes focused on the wolf girl, "You little brat!". ........ A/N Thank you for following me this far in, I really appreciate it. It is almost the end of the volume, and the next volume is going to deal with a lot of character development for the mc. So if there''s anything you feel should change about the book, then I''m all ears? Your Author.... Kirito_K5. Chapter 95 The Demon Lord Request Of You. "Hmm?" The wolf girl toned when she saw Yuri standing at the entrance patting heavily. She immediately cleaned her mouth and stood up from the ground, bringing out her ws as she looked at Yuri and voiced, "There you are". With a glowing energy marble hovering above her hand, Yuri stormed toward the wolf girl. Her eyes glowed as she pushed forward with wrath. But just right before she was about to attack the wolf girl, Sato stood up from the bed and whacked her on the head. "Don''t make so much noise, the others are sleeping." Sato voiced before sitting back down, "You still haven''t answered my question." He stared at the wolf girl. The wolf girl retracted her ws and pointed at Yuri, "She brought me here, or at least I think she did¡­ all I know is I woke up in some kind of bubble thingy right next to her." She answered before seating back down and eating her unfinished meal. As soon as Sato looked at her, Yuri looked the other way, avoiding eye contact as she knelt on the ground. "What possible reason could you have for kidnapping a girl?" Sato asked with a neutral stare. She immediately wriggled over to Sato and looked up at him as she positioned herself in between his legs. "I swear, I didn''t mean anything bad by it, when I found her she was unconscious and I thought¡­ I should bring her ¡­with me." Yuri uttered, desperately trying to plead herself not guilty. But even with everything she said, Sato was still looking at her with the same deadpan expression on his face. "I only did it because I wanted to see if wolf girls really do make uwu sounds!" Yuri shouted. "Uwu?" Sato asked with a puzzled look on his face. Even the wolf girl paused, "Uwu? What is that?" She asked. Yuri''s face instantly turned beet red from the embarrassment she felt. She paused before she turned her head around and gave the wolf girl an enraged stare. Sato sighed before cing his hand on Yuri''s jaw and tilting her face toward his, "Regardless of your reason, what you did wasn''t right, you don''t just kidnap a person just because of ¡­ U...wu?...". Yuri looked to the side with a look of disappointment written on her face. He shifted his attention to the wolf girl, "You are free to spend the night here, and tomorrow, I''ll send someone to escort you back to Nervek." Sato voiced. "Fine by me." The wolf girl stood up from the ground and walked out of the room majestically. Yuri stood up right after, she had a foreshadowed look on her face as she began walking toward the exit, "Good night, master". "Good night, let her sleep in the guest house, and please don''t kill her I can tell from the way you are looking." Sato requested. "As you wish". m! Yuri closed the door behind her. A sigh escaped Sato''s mouth as he stared at the mess the wolf girl left on the ground, ''Uwu? What did she mean by that?'' He thought to himself as he packed the tes on the ground and ced them on the drawer. <> Shock-driven, Sato fell to the bed before a serious look hit his face, ''Aril, remind me not to let her watch the anime in my memories''. <> ...¡­ It was the next morning, and the sun glimmering from the window reflected upon his face, Sato hummed before burying his face in the nket as he tried his hardest to sleep. Bang! Bang! Bang! The door to Sato''s room was getting knocked on, over and over again, but Sato, who was still sleeping, unconsciously ignored it. "Lord Sato!" A manly voice shouted from outside, "Lord Sato! The demons are here!". Sato instantly opened his eyes, he got dressed in a matter of minutes and followed the beast man that came to wake him up toward the entrance of the vige. Upon getting there, he could see Deka and a few other elves and beastmen standing at the entrance with weapons. "What''s all themotion?!" Sato yelled from afar as he approached them. "A fine morning to you lord Sato." Deka greeted. They immediately cleared a path for Sato to pass. As he walked, A young man in ck attire immediately caught his eyes. "So you must be the Lord of this vige," A young man standing at the entrance voiced out when he saw Sato. Right beside them was a female priest, a tanker in full body armor, and a female warrior with a bow and arrow. Each was dressed in a unique fashion, neat and dazzling to look at. "Yes I am, and who might you be." Sato responded boldly. "Oh dear me, where are my manners?" The young man uttered dramatically, "My name is Shinya Hiragi, the hero from the kingdom of Velmora, it''s an honor to meet you". ''Shinya Hiragi? That sounds like a Japanese name, there''s no way he''s¡­.'' Sato was baffled but he didn''t let it show. "Sato Inugami, nothing more, what may I do for you?". "I''m d to see you are reasonable despite your appearance." Shinya mocked with the giggle of his mates following right after. "I''ll make this short and simple, my Kingdom is willing to make a peace treaty with the demon lord, we have an even bigger threat to focus on,...." Shinya paused before he continued, "Demon lord Jira has epted to do so, but only on the ount that we bring you to him, he made it clear that you have been a rather bad citizen". ''And here I was, wondering how I could get an audience with ... This is a perfect opportunity.'' Sato muttered in his thoughts. <> ''Same as you?'' <> "Well! Are youing with us or not? Not like you have much of a choice." Shinya suddenly mored. With a grin on his face, Sato looked at Shinya, "Sure, why not?". Chapter 96 A Meeting With The King "Is that it? You''re not going to put up a fight?" Shinya voiced, looking at Sato and the elves behind him. "No resisting here, you can say, I''m quite the obedient soul." Sato replied with a smug look on his face as he walked toward the demons. "Sir hero? We should be going, we don''t have a lot of time." Eri, the priestess in Shinya''s party, informed. With a frustrated groan, Shinya scratched his head, "Damn, talk about a letdown,e on, let''s go." He said as he walked away. "Please, let me apany you." Deka uttered, holding his scythe as he walked out of the crowd. With a smile, Sato responded, "You should keep watch of the vige, I won''t be gone long." He said before turning his back. "Divanchi, Yuri, let''s go." Booom! Both Yuri and Divanchinded on the ground at the same time and followed behind Sato as he walked. Leaving the vige, Shinya led Sato a bit deeper into the forest, where a white beautiful dragon was resting. "Get up Rextra, it''s time to move." Shinya voiced, tapping the butt of the dragon which in turn caused it to wake up. "You n to use a dragon as transport? Impressive." Satoplimented as he got closer. "Well yeah, onnd, it would take about 2-3 days to get to the main capital, but with a dragon, we''ll be there in less than an hour." Shinya replied as he mounted the white dragon. The rest of the hero''s party also mounted while the demons rode their horses. Sato was about to join Shinya on the dragon when suddenly Divanchi held his hand with her eyes focused on the dragon. Sato paused and looked at Divanchi, he could see the anger brimming around her, so much so that sparks of fire started to ignite around her. "Divanchi is everything alright¡­with¡­." Sato noticed Divanchi and the dragon were staring intensely at each other. ''What the hell got into her.'' Sato thought to himself, <> "Hey! what''s the holdup!" Shinya voiced out. "Ahh, I''ll be right there." Sato yelled back, he grabbed Divanchi by the arm and pulled her close, "Hey, snap out of it." He whispered. "We don''t need a dragon." Divanchi suddenly uttered, with a whirl of mes enveloping her body, she suddenly transformed into her Phoenix form. Sato''s jaw dropped in shock as he stared, ''Ahhh, there goes my trunk card!" He yelled in his mind. Divanchi picked Sato up with her mouth and tossed him on her back, "Hey, get on." She said to Yuri. "I''ll pass," Yuri replied, she snapped her finger and a small ck floating cloud appeared beside her. Once they were ready, Divanchi moved closer to the dragon, both of them facing each other with threatening stares. "Nice, you have a Phoenix, that sure makes things easier." Shinya expressed with a bold look on his face. "Yeah, you can say that." Sato replied, looking down to see both the dragon and Divanchi moving closer. "Okay! Let''s move Rextra¡­ try not to hold us back¡­ lord of elves!" Shinya shouted as his dragon took to the sky. Divanchi didn''t waste any time, she immediately took to the sky and flew past the Rextra. Not having it, Rextra sped up and before anyone knew it they had turned it into a flying race. After half an hour, they arrived at the capital. They were first confronted by some forever knights who asked for their identification. Shinya and his party all brought out a small gold emblem and were immediately allowed to pass through. Once they were in, Sato''s mind was blown at how beautiful the capital was, there wererge buildings, people in school uniforms, and even markets and other shops. It waspletely different from what other ces outside the capital looked like, only Nervek and Sikkim had the potential to stand on par with the beauty. The walk took a while but then they finally arrived at the castle, seated in the middle of a field covered in hotrvae and mountains. "Looks like we are finally here." Shinya voiced out before climbing the bridge to get to the other side. Sato was quick to notice the huge amount of birds circling their position, ''Helix, if you sense the slightest bit of change, let me know''. <> Sato followed Shinya and his party inside the castle, and just like the capital, Sato was astonished at how impressive the inside looked. They got to the front of a huge door with two huge stone statues of a bearded man with fireing from his mouth positioned at both sides. "Are you going to follow him in?" Amber, the girl with the bow and arrow asked. "Of course not, no one is allowed to enter except him." Shinya said, stepping to the side to allow Sato to pass. "Like hell, he''s going in alone? Yeah, I''m not allow¡­" "It''s okay Yuri, I''ll be fine, just wait here for me." Sato uttered with a smile before he approached the door. He gulped down his saliva as he got ready to knock on the door, but before he could even get that done, the door had already swung open. "Come in!". A voice echoed from the inside. Sato tried peeping in but the inside was very dark for him to make out who was inside. But he was able to tell that a total of three people were inside via heat perception and magic sense. Once he had gathered up the courage he needed, Sato walked inside the room and the door closed almost instantly. "On second thought, I''m going in." Yuri headed straight for the door but was blocked by Amber and Eli. Shinya was resting on the wall with a calm smile on his face, "Rx, I assure you he is perfectly safe". Yuri wanted to force her way in, but then she glimpsed what Sato''s reaction would be, so she backed off. She looked behind her and noticed that Divanchi wasn''t there either, her eyes glowed before she punched her frustration out on the wall beside her. Chapter 97 I Dont See You On Your Knees! "Bring another" Rextra uttered, mming the wooden cup on the cab with a warm smile on her face. Being in her human form, her beauty stood out almost instantly, blue hair and white icy eyes. She had a fur jacket and blue jean pants that wasplimented by a ck belt that was on her waist and a red crystal tied around her forehead like a tiara. She was in a small bar close to the main pce, it was filled with different people, merchants, guards, and even adventurers looking to have a time out. The bartender right in front of Rextra, was a handsome male, wearing a ck and white uniform with two demonic wings on his back. He had long ck hair, red eyes, and a red-skinned color. The man reached out of the wooden cup and refilled it in the magic dispenser. "Are you okay, miss? You look famished." The bartender said before dropping the cup filled with beer in front of her. Rextra picked up the cup and immediately took a huge swig of the beer, "Have you ever had a rival?" She asked the bartender. Her cheeks were already red and being a bartender for years, he knew she was getting drunk. "A rival?" The bartender questioned. "Yes, you know¡­a rival, someone youpete with over everything¡­" Rextra uttered before taking another gulp of the beer. "If you mean it like that, then I guess other bars in the kingdom are most likely mypetition." The bartender stated, picking another cup to refill for the next customer. Feeling tipsy, Rextra stared at the beer for a while, she was about to ask for more when she suddenly sensed someone walking in. She picked up the wooden cup and drank thest beer that was inside before she spoke out, "You must miss me so much for you to evene look for me¡­ Didi". Divanchi stood behind Rextra with a rageful look on her face, "Step outside, let''s have a chat." She suddenly voiced. Rextra slid her wooden cup to the side before changing her seating position so she could see Divanchi''s face. "Now why would I do that?" Rextra smiled as she wiggled her foot. "I''m seeing an old friend, shouldn''t we try to catch up on the things we missed?" Divanchi uttered too as she observed Rextra. Rextra stood quiet for a while but not long after, a sigh left her mouth before she faced the bartender and turned her back on Divanchi. "I know why you are here, you want revenge, yari yari ha, you can leave an appointment, but I won''t be doing a wish fulfillment today." Rextra voiced, taking up the new beer so she could drink. "Maybe I didn''t make myself clear." Divanchi grabbed Rextra''s drink before she could gulp it down, "I''ll repeat myself, let''s go outside and have a talk". Rextra dropped the cup as a profound look hit her face, "You should let go, you know exactly what I''m capable of ''''. Ruuusn! A cool icy breeze blew from Rextra''s body and almost everything close to her began to slowly freeze, including Divanchi''s hand. "Do I? I seem to have forgotten, being asleep for 200 years does that to a person." Divanchi responded, with overwhelming heat flowing from her body. While the left side of the bar was scorching hot, the right side of the bar was icy cold and everyone in the bar was both ignorant and excited. Meanwhile¡­.. Sato was inside the dark room, and every step he took echoed loudly, if not for his magic sense, he would have thought he was alone in the space. After walking a bit further, Sato stood still, "Are you not going to show yourself?" He asked boldly. All of a sudden, the room started to illuminate as the fire torches lit up one by one throughout the entire throne room. "Kah! We have a guest kah! Kah!" A ck crow repeated as it flew around Sato. "Settle down Firo, do not make a racket in my chamber." A man dressed in a royal outfit uttered as he sat on the red throne. Sato was surprised when he saw the man, who had long blonde hair, green glowing captivating eyes, and multiple colored rings on his fingers. Standing right beside the throne was a female maid with long blue hair and holding a big brown book. ''I''m guessing this is the Jira I''ve heard about.'' Sato muttered to himself as he stared at the man on the throne. <> ''Is that so? Well now, mages exist here too.'' Sato muttered with a grin on his face. "Oh? You stand before me and for some reason, I don''t see you on your knees." Jira uttered calmly with his eyes set on Sato. "And why is that? Last I checked, I don''t serve or work under you, so why in the hell would I bow before you?" Sato voiced out proudly. Jira was immediately annoyed by Sato''sment, "What?" He muttered with his fist closed. "The forest of witches falls under a neutral zone, meaning it''s a sovereignnd, it''s not under yournd or anyone else''s, it belongs to the witches of Lillivy¡­e on even a brain like yours can pick up on that." Sato mocked with a grin appearing on his face. Jira was still for a while before he suddenly burst intoughter, "Hahahah, you either have a death wish or are just too stupid to realize the dilemma you are in." "While we are on that note, I have something you ought to know..." Sato voiced out and pointed at Jira, "The elves you have confined in your lodging¡­ I want them set loose¡­ they do not belong to you!". Hearing that, Jira''s eyes widened in anger as he yelled, "How dare you?! You insolent fool!". He flicked his finger and a huge force immediately sped toward Sato, shattering the ground both in front and behind him. But even with a force like that, Sato did not move an inch from his position. Jira was a bit surprised by this. He stood up from his throne, looking at Sato from afar, "Who are you?" Jira asked, to which Sato responded with a grin. ....... A/N Please check out my new book, and show your support. . Meta 4: The Cursed Xynoins. Thank you. Chapter 98 Dandelion Song By The River Bank "Who are you?". "I''m just a simple vige head, nothing more nothing less." Sato responded. "You are indeed a bold one." Jira voiced as he walked toward Sato, "Not many people can withstand my attacks as you did, I''m intrigued.". ''Aril, search for the elves in this castle, I need to be sure if they are here.'' Sato stood firm as he watched Jira approach him. Once he was close enough, Jira halted and stood right in front of Sato with both their eyes locked. "I always get what I want, and this is not an exemption. Neutral zone or not, I will im ownership over it¡­. And I dare you to stand in my way, but where is the fun in that if you don''t at least put up a fight¡­ Let''s make a deal." Jira uttered, looking Sato in the eye as his eyes glowed. Baam! The door to the throne room closed and Sato stepped out with a look of constion on his face. "Master!" Yuri called out, running to his side hastily, "So, how did it go?" She asked. "I''d like to know that myself." Sato replied before walking away with a a heavy expression on his face, ''The elves¡­ they''re not here''. Sato and Yuri made their way out of the castle and immediately noticed the huge crowd in the middle of the street. ''Is there a festival going on?'' Sato questioned, walking between the tight crowd so he could get a front view. Upon getting to the front, his jaw dropped in shock when he saw Divanchi and Rextra firing their magic at each other in public. Divanchi groaned, with a huge force of fire whooshing out of her hand and colliding with the force of ice frost leaving Rextra''s hands. "What is it, Didi? Looks like you''re getting soft!" Rextra voiced out before summing up more power to her st. "Don''t make meugh!" Vrooosh! Davanchi''s mes gradually started pushing the frost back while Rextra''s legs slid against the floor as she tried to stand her ground. The colliding point of the magic began to build up into a round mixture of fire and ice that looked like it could erupt at any moment. The citizens slowly moved away from the danger zone, they wanted to watch the fight but not end up dead in the process. But even with this, Rexra and Divanchi didn''t stop their attack, they kept on adding more pressure as each one was dedicated to bringing the other one down. Out of nowhere, a dark mist showed up from the left and swallowed the whole energy in an instant. "Divanchi! We''re leaving!" Sato voiced out as he stood at a distance with Yuri behind him, carrying a smug look on her face, which was a way of her mocking Divanchi. "Your master calls for you, knowing you I bet you''re too obsessed with taking me down, you''d leave the poor guy waiting, poor guy has to deal with your sorry ass." Rextramented with an excited smile on her face. Divanchi dusted her hand and the mes on her body dimmed down, "This isn''t over, when next we meet¡­ I''m taking you down." She voiced out before running toward Sato. Rextra was confounded as she watched Divanchi walk over to Sato only to receive a spank to the head, "What the¡­" She muttered while still inplete shock. Sato headed straight back to the forest of witches after he had searched for the hero and couldn''t find him. Jira, who was still in his throne room, could see Sato on his Phoenix through the magic orb in front of him. With a hum, Jira spoke out, "Lilith!" He called, "Why didn''t you inform me that the witch''s forest is sovereignnd?" He asked calmly. "Apologies, I also had no idea, since our men have been going there to take taxes every month, I assumed it fell under your rule." Lilith, Jira''s maid, responded. Jira sighed before standing from his throne, "Make confirmation about it¡­ and if it happens to be a no-rule jurisdiction¡­ then we''ll im ownership over it, even if it''s by force." He said before walking out. ...... After more than an hour, Sato arrived at the forest and was immediately met by his vigers. Not long after nightfall came, and everyone was busy partying in the vige, celebrating the baby warming for Latina. Baby warming was a tradition practiced by the elves, where people danced around a bun fire, to thank the gods for granting a person good health with pregnancy. "This will be my first time drinking beer." Sato said as he walked toward the water bank of the vige, a bit far away from where the party was taking ce. <> "Boo!" Satoughed, sitting at the edge of the river while the water flowed past his legs. His eyes suddenly swayed to the side and he saw Elena sitting alone on the other side of the river. "Hey, whatcha doing?" Sato asked before next to her. Elena instantly pushed back, "L-Lord Sato! What¡­ what are you doing here?" She stammered. Gulp! Sato drank his bear with his eyes focused in front of him, "I can tell something is bothering you¡­ what is it?" He asked. She immediately looked to the ground with a saddened expression on her face, but still felt hesitant to reply. "Does it have something to do with the incident at Nervek?". Elena''s eyes broadened in shock as soon as Sato asked. "It is, isn''t it?" He questioned, "Ahhh, I should have never sent you there alone, It''s my fault¡­". "Please don''t say that, it''s not your fault, Lord Sato¡­." Elena voiced out. "Yes it is, you are my subject and It''s my job to protect you¡­ urgh!" Sato groaned as he scratched his hair, "I always manage to mess everything up". He paused. "You don''t have to fight anymore, you can just¡­" "I can still fight!" Elena suddenly shouted, "I¡­I can still fight.." She muttered as she stared at her hand, shaking in fear from the recollections she was having. "It''s okay, right now, you are like a soldier with no will to fight¡­ when you get to the battlefield, you are sure to get killed." Sato uttered, "You can rest now, no one should be allowed to endure what you did¡­ and I''m sorry about that". "Please ¡­ don''t relieve me of my duty." Elena muttered with tears nearly falling from her eyes. Sato looked at her for a while, he was confused about what he should do next since he couldn''t understand why she was so hell bent on fighting. "Elena, you¡­" Before Sato couldn''t finish his words, she held his hand, "Please¡­ let me do this." She said with a pleading look on her face. Sato sighed, "You are really persistent, sure¡­ but no big mission or anything¡­. Cool?". "Thank you." Elena responded, looking at the river. ¡­.. "How about I sing to cheer you up?" "A song?". Sato snapped his fingers, and the river in front of them formed into a water tress drifting up and down. "I''m in a field of dandelions Wishing on everyone that you''ll be mine, mine. And I see forever in your eyes. I feel okay when I see you smile, smile Wishing on dandelions all of the time, Praying to God that one day you''ll be mine. Wishing on dandelions all of the time, all of the time." Sato sang and Elena listened with her eyes sparkling with adoration as the water glowed, shimmering on both of them. End of Volume 1 ...... A/N Song: Dandelion by Lofi Chapter 99 Be My Companion! "Ahhhhh!" Sato cried out in pain as he made an effort to free himself from the chains that were mped around his hands and connected to a giant wall behind him. "Elena! Elena! Hey! Ahhhhh!" Sato cried out, tears falling from his eyes as he looked at Elena''s dead body on the ground. "Urgh! ¡­ What in the hell is going on here?! Predator! Lightsaber! Dark mist! Anything¡­.. Fireball!.. For God''s sake, They''re dying!" Sato bemoaned, using all his strength to pull onest time but it still wasn''t enough to free him from the restraints. "Die you, bastard!" A voice echoed throughout the space. Sato slowly nced in front of him, his eyes widened in shock when he spotted a man, dressed in a ck spooky outfit and wearing a round ck hat, standing a few distances away from him. But not just that, the said man had his hands around Divanchi''s neck as he pinched her above the ground while his foot was on Yuri''s dead body. All around the man were deceased elves and other Sato''s subjects, scattered on the ground in a giant pool of blood. "Aril! Do something dammit¡­ don''t let her die too¡­ Aril?..." Sato muttered, his eyes dripping with tears before dropping to his knees. "M¡­master." Sato paused before he slowly glimpsed at where the voice came from. Right to his left was Aril,ying in a pool of blood with the lower half of her body gone. "Aril?... Ha¡­ haha¡­hahaha." A faint sadugh left Saro''s mouth as he looked away and focused on Divanchi. Like a coconut, the man crushed Divanchi''s head to the ground, leaving her headless body to fall while blood dripped from his hands. "Why?... Why the hell am I so useless?! Why the hell are you making me watch this? Again and again and again, what the hell do you want from me!" Sato burst into tears as he kept mming his head on the ground continuously, "How did a worthless person like me get power like this?! Why was I even granted a second life if I keep doing the same shit every time¡­ I¡­I don''t want this anymore!". Baam! Sato banged his head on the floor over and over, "Come on! Come on! Why won''t I die?!". No matter the amount of blood and open wound that was on Sato''s face, he couldn''t kill himself and everything just kept healing up. "Please¡­ please let me end it¡­." Wahhh! Wahhh! The dark cloud that had covered Sato''s mind was immediately lightened by a glimmer of hope when he heard the cries of a body. He instantly looked to the left side to see a baby sitting in a pool of blood, crying his eyes out while Latina was spreading dead in front of him. A faint smile hit Sato''s face when he saw the baby, "Y¡­ You''re still alive." He eximed. But the relief he felt was short, Sato suddenly noticed the man was walking toward the baby with his long katana dancing in the air. Sato screamed, "Hunter!" A spark of ck lightning began to surround his body and scatter the ground around him. ''If it''s just one person¡­ just one person¡­ I beg of you¡­'' Sato yelled, "let me aplish that even if it takes my life!". <> Emerging from the pool of blood, was a silver-haired woman with golden eyes and a red pretty dress. She stood in front of Sato and ced her hands around his cheeks, <>. Sato immediately opened his eyes and found Yuri seated on the bed with her back facing him. ''W..was that a dream?'' Sato thought as he skimmed his cheeks to see a trail of tears around them. <> "Morning Aril," Sato replied before sitting upright on the bed, cing his hand on his forehead as he went into deep contemtion. "Oh, you''re awake." Yuri uttered with a smile on her face as she looked at Sato, "Master, check what I made especially for you". Yuri picked up the bowl of brown soup on the floor, "See! I noticed you haven''t been eating well, so I made¡­". Out of nowhere, Saro pulled Yuri close with a tight hug. "M.. master?, what are you?" Yuri muttered with her cheeks beet red from embarrassment. "Please, just let me stay like this for a little while." Sato voiced with his forehead resting on Yuri''s shoulder. "O¡­okay." Yuri responded, holding up the bowl of soap as she tried to hold down the excitement she was feeling. ...¡­. After the incident in the room, Yuri and Sato went out to do their usual daily patrol of the vige. After four months of nning and working, the vige grew into arge residence with more buildings and people to amodate. It got so huge that Sato had to cut down a huge part of the forest to make more space for construction and road building toward the Riojas Kingdom for better trading since they were the best customers so far. And the Riojas kingdom already helped Sato with the financial budgets to finish the project for the road, the king also felt the road could be beneficial for him too. Sato made sure he knew the ways he could add more ie to the vige. Trading Deerhugs, cooling/heating liquid, herbs, and nts were one of the main trades he did. Then he moved to open small shops for Laura and some other elves, in the Aeis Kingdom which was a human territory, and the Tamron Kingdom which was another demon Kingdom. But with the sess came other problems, the beast men who were staying in the Velkyries home, Rizaha which was located in the witches forest were slowly starting to lose interest and wanted toe stay in the elves vige. So, Sato came up with one solution, visit the Velkyries and speak to them about linking Rizaha with the vige. Chapter 100 The Witchs Meeting "Are you all going to keep quiet about all this? The boy''s presence is starting to cause problems." Levia, the witch of Hunger spoke with her legs resting on the round table. "I agree, recently, I have noticed a huge amount of trees falling victim to him, he should not be left alone." Ava, the witch of Destruction uttered with a huge tiger beside her. "Oo~ I think you all are just overreacting~" The witch of sex, Selfy spoke next, smiling while she smoked from the wood. "Selfy has a point, we have not once spoken or warned him, thus I feel it''s unfair to call him names or judge him yet." Terafona, the witch of Bargain added. "Must I remind you, I casted the spell to help the trees, I will not stand idly by and let some human destroy it?" Kirah, the witch of rage eximed in anger. All 5 witches were seated in a ck foggy room, filled with only a big round table and chairs that were upied by the witches. "Didn''t the current witch of envy exin that the boy is her master, and she granted him permission to defile the trees as he pleases?" Ava asked with a look of disdain on her face. "Must I say¡­, no one gets to give permission to cut down the trees!" Kirah raged, "Where is this witch of envy?!". Boom! A huge poof of dark mist showed up on the empty seat and Yuri suddenly showed up. She was holding a mini umbre that was resting on her shoulder while still covering her head. She also had a red beautiful kimono on, with a ck mask, packed to the side of her face while she sat with a smile. "Sorry for being sote, but my master''s problems are my problem¡­ I hope you understand." Yuri voiced calmly as her eyes glowed under the umbre. The whole ce went quiet for a while, as each one of them had their eyes on her, filled with shock. "Yuri! ~~" Selfy called out before running toward Yuri and hugging her with their faces smooching one another, "An, I missed you so much, where have you been all this while?". "And I see you haven''t changed much either." Yuri uttered, observing the lewd dress Selfy had on. "Must I see, So, you are the witch of envy¡­ I wasn''t here at thest meeting so I didn''t know someone already took Qira''s title." Kirah asserted, staring at Yuri with deep hatred pouring from her body. Yuri smiled back in response to Kirah''s words before she spoke, "If you got something to say, just say it¡­ don''t worry, I don''t bite". "Why, you little!" Bang! Ava suddenly banged the table with her hand, "I didn''t summon this meeting to have you guys biker all day!" She yelled while she stared at both of them. "Yuri, are you aware of your master''s current objective in this forest?" Levia raised a question. "Objective? All I know is he ns to build a vige where every one of his subjects can live peacefully." Yuri responded, with no other words following. "Then, are you also aware of the current tress loss that he has umted over thest few months?" Ava asked another question. Yuri paused, "Regarding that issue, he made it clear to me that every tree he had cut down will be used to improve the forest to look more inhabitable." She responded but with a calm attitude. "Tch! No one asked your master to do anything like that! Is he dumb or something# How does cutting down trees improve anything?!" Kirah shouted with four blue mes showing up around her. "That''s enough out of you Kirah¡­ you should cool off." Terafona voiced out. Out of nowhere, a huge force of water fell right on top of Kirah which immediately cracked Selfy up as she beganughing. Kirah was left wet and pouty, but she didn''t utter another word after that, even at the times she really wanted to. When it came to Terafona, the witch of anger, no one wanted to get on her bad side, mainly because of her unique skills¡­ Speech maniption. Levia sighed, "Yuri, destroying the trees without a permit from the Lilivil witches is uneptable, we would like to speak with your master in person". "Yes, speaking with him in person will most definitely sort out this predicament that we have on ground." Ava hinted before she stood up from her chair. "Well, I have to attend a few matters¡­ witch of envy, be sure to bring the young man." Ava voiced before she disappeared. Yuri didn''t respond to a word she said, she just sat there with her umbre covering her face. "Hmpm!" Kirah red at Yuri before standing from her chair and disappearing with a whirl of ck butterflies. The same went for the rest of the witches, leaving only Yuri and Terafona in the room. "Yuri, I''ve been meaning to ask you something, I find it odd that someone of your power would belittle herself so much to serving a mortal." Ava spected, " After me, you are second to the strongest among the witches and your power isn''t one to take likely, you have shown me that, so why? Is there something more to your master that you aren''t telling us?" Yuri pulled her umbre down, "Why don''t youe see for yourself." She said with a grin. "Uhn?". "If you take a look at my master for even a second, I''m sure you''ll also understand." Yuri praised, "Although he''s out on business now, I''m sure he''ll return tomorrow, why note introduce yourself then." "You want me to pay him a visit?" Terafona asked as a look of surprises hit her. "Sure, knowing my master, he''d probably be excited to meet another witch." Yuri smiled as she spoke. ''She looks genuinely happy when she talks about him.'' Terafona thought to herself, leaving opening to a small smirk, "Alright then, I''ll take you on your offer". "Great, I have to go now." Yuri stood up and her body slowly began to fade, "Oh, and you might want to hide your energy a bit, if Divanchi senses it, she''ll most definitely want to battle you, ¡­ bye". With that, Yuri disappeared, leaving Terafona in the room alone, who was still in deep thought about Yuri''s master. Chapter 101 How Not To Marry A Velkyrie Puush! From thin air came a push of dark mist that crammed the room, giving the hint of a human figure before Yuri materialized. She was inside Sato''s room, since Sato had been over at Rizaha, Yuri had been the one keeping his belongings safe. "Ahhh, it''s been two days now and he still isn''t back." Yuri muttered before she sat down on the bed. She was motionless for a while when all of a sudden, she screamed and romped onto the bed before burying her face in Sato''s pillow. "Ohhh~ it smells just like him," Yuri said with a pervertedugh leaving her mouth as she rolled left and right on the bed. Baam! Baam! Yuri''s perverted disy was interrupted by a sudden knock on the door. "Master isn''t around, go meet the elder!" Yuri shouted before she returned to hugging the pillow. "Hold on, what is that witch doing inside my fiance''s room!". With brute force, the door fell to the ground and Erza strolled in with a furious look on her face. "So, it''s you." Yuri uttered coldly, she slowly stood up from the bed and walked over to Erza, "You just don''t know how to leave other people alone, do you?". "Follow your own advice.. it will definitely do you some good." Erza replied, both of them ring at each other up close. "Bloodsucker!" Yuri insulted. "Old witch!" Erza responded with her own insult. "Chubby!" "Grandma!"... They both raised their hand in the air, while Yuri''s hand was emitting dark glowing energy, Erza''s was creating a huge fireball and they both n to attack each other with it. "Lady Erza, what brings you here?" Diana stood at the entrance with a sweeping stick in her hand. Erza promptly expelled her attack and stood right before walking away from Yuri''s sight. She walked up to Diana and responded calmly, "Diana, how are you?" Erza voiced, cing her hand on Diane''s cheeks, "Do you happen to know where Sato is?" She asked. "Lord Sato? He went to pay some people a visit yesterday and hasn''t returned since then." Daina replied. "Some people? Who?" Erza asked again. "Quit pestering the poor girl and go home already." Yuri chimed in before sitting back on the bed. Although she was affected by it, Erza didn''t let it show, she kept a weird smile on while she focused on Diana, "Pay her no mind, tell me where he went." She uttered. "Well¡­ I don''t know them either, all we know is they happen to be Lord Sato''s closest friends." Diana hinted. ......¡­ [ Location: Rizaha, the forest of witches¡­ outskirt] "And what exactly were you thinking when you came up with this n?" Benihime, leader of the Valkyries asked. "Ah, Good question, my initial reason was to merge the roads of Nervek, my vige, and Rizaha together, this way travels are easier and we get to bond since we will be working together to save this forest." Sato replied, sitting on the chair with Divanchi standing behind him. "When you say working together, you mean our temporary alliance to take down the demon king?" Benihime raised another question. Both I and Akeno were present, and even though she tried her hardest to not show it, I was especially excited to see Sato again after so long. Sato sighed, "Yes, I''m aware it''s a temporary alliance, different goal, same objective, I need him down because I''m trying to prevent a horrible future, you want him dead because he wants to acquire your prized items¡­ it''s all the same, you act old sometimes". Benihime''s eyebrow twitched a bit in annoyance, "You sure have gotten quite cocky, is being the leader of a small vige getting to you?" She teased. "Of course not, although¡­a permanent alliance with you might do the trick." Sato muttered with his eyes focused on the ceiling, "Hmmm¡­ maybe marrying you would be easier". Pat! Divanchi immediately whacked Sato on the back of head. "Hey! What was that for!" Sato yelled at Divanchi. "Oh, I''m sorry master, my hand must have slipped." Divanchi responded while still keeping a professional look on her face. "Y..You watch what you say to Lady Hime!" I eximed, pointing at Sato as her face turned beet red. "Uhn?" "Oh, my, how bold of you," Akeno voiced out, her hand fan covering the lower half of her face and exposing only her eyes, " direct hit¡­ i''ll give that 88 points". Sato sat back down on the chair, "Look, I didn''t mean it the way it sounded okay? Besides I already have a¡­". "Sure, let''s do it." Benihime said, Sato paused, "I''m sorry, what?". "Let''s get married." The whole room went into a jaw-dropper as all eyes fell on Benihime, Akeno couldn''t help but smile even more. ''I see¡­ She wants to get married!'' Sato panicked , ''The hell! Is this some kind of trap? I mean, this is the same woman that imprisoned me when I first got here''. ''Other than that, I can''t get married, I''m already engaged to Erza! Damn these stupidmitments!''. <> ''No way, people marry more than one wife here, what about d, he has a status¡­ I don''t see him with two wives''. <> ''What?!!!''. Sato sat there inplete thought while his eyes were fixed on Benihime. Benihime had her jaw resting on her hand as she looked at Sato with a calm look on her face, "So, what is your answer, you ept?". "Mdy!" I chimed in, "You should watch what you say, what if he epts?". "Then, I''d simply have to view him as my husband." Benihime replied, carrying the same calm expression as she observed Sato. "Rx, I doubt he''ll mutter up the courage to actually¡­". "Fine then." Sato chimed in and immediately paused Akeno as he ced his leg on the table, "I ept". I''s jaw dropped in surprise. "Oh my, he actually did it.".Akena uttered with a bit of surprise, she peeped at Benihime and smiled, ''What are you going to do now Midy¡­ you took your teasing too far this time''. Chapter 102 How Not To Win A Duel. Sato stood in the arena with Benihime standing a few feet away from him. All around the arena were valkyries and beast people who came to watch. ''How did I let ite to this?'' Sato thought to himself, eyeing as Benihime grabbed her sword from I. Sato was forced into a duel with Benihime to see if he was worthy enough to be her husband, ording to I''s words, and so the duel took ce. "Are you ready?" Benihime voiced out before pulling out her sword from the sheath. Sato sighed, ''How were they even able to gather this many people in a short time.'' He muttered. A ck sword formed in his hands before he took a fighting stance. "Remember, it''s a sword fight, no magic." Benihime informed. ''''Yeah, I know that." Sato responded with his sword resting on his shoulder, ''I should hold back, I wouldn''t want¡­''. Baam! In the blink of an eye, Benihime already arrived in front of him andnded a fast swing of her sword. ''She''s fast.'' Sato panicked before he hastily blocked the sword before it could cause any damage as his legs slid on the ground from the force. Before Sato could stand his ground, Benihime had already whooshed to the front with another incursion. Sato dropped his body to the ground so he could escape the attack that was strived at his neck. "I missed?" Benihime questioned as she looked at Sato on the ground. Her sword strikes were so powerful that they caused loud thunderous ps throughout the entire arena. Sato instantly reverberated away from Benihime and stood a few distances away from her, ''Damn she''s stronger than I expected''. <> ''Oh, if that''s the case¡­ I shouldn''t worry about going all out.'' A grin immediately hit Sato''s face as he held his sword tighter. Benihime confronted him, both of them staring at each other till Sato flickered straight at Benihime. The ground below him wrecked from the force as his body sped through the air, leaving Benihime excited to do the same. Blinks of light. The ground shattering into pieces. Intense wind blowing inside the open arena, all these spectacles urred while Benihime and Sato battled each other. Benihime tried tond a direct hit on Sato, but Sato wasn''t willing to make that an easy task. He grabbed her hand and tugged her close before giving her a powerful clothesline to the neck. But Benihime didn''t go down readily, she snatched Sato''s arm that was around her neck and used her weight to thrust him down with her. With both of them on the ground and their legs resting on one another from opposite directions, they immediately booted themselves. Their feet connected and it sent their backs gliding on the ground while leaving an instantaneous sonic boom right in the middle. While her back was siding on the ground, Benihime used her right hand to pinch herself from the ground before drilling her foot into the ground with one shove. Sato was also on his feet but was presently greeted with a huge boulder falling on his position. Benihime had used her leg to lift a part of the ground before she kicked it toward Sato. Without hesitating, Sato held the huge rock with his hands while his feet sank to the ground from the tremendous weight. He was about to ce the rock on the ground when Benihime suddenly arrived at his front with her sword ready to hit the target. Sato instantly dropped his right hand and used it to hold Benihime''s sword strike which caused his hand to bleed while he held up the huge rock with his left hand. "You do know this is supposed to be a spar right?" Sato muttered as he looked at Benihime. With a smile, Benihime replied, "Come now, don''t tell me you are getting cold feet!". She tried to pull her sword from Sato''s grasp but it didn''t budge, Benihime was stunned after she had tried to pull it as the fifth smile. Unexpectedly, Sato pulled her close with the sword before tossing the rock to the side and pushing her to the ground. Sato held down both her arms and ced his legs right between her thighs as he pushed his face forward, "I''ve pinned you, I think that means I won." He uttered with a victorious smile. "Who says it''s over?!" Benihime wrapped her legs around Sato''s back before she pushed herself over to the left which ced Sato on the ground. Once she was on top, she immediately ran toward her sword and grabbed it before she dashed back at Sato. Sato already had his sword with him and was getting ready to sh at her since she was close. But just as he was about to take the move, a sudden shback of the dream he had where everyone he knew was being ughtered immediately urred to him. His face was instantly filled with dread as he was slowly sinking into the illusion, watching the man in a ck cloak and hat, walking toward him. "Stay away from them you bastard!" Sato yelled. Benihime and everyone who heard Sato''s scream were rmed when they noticed his eyes gleamed and magic whooshed from his body and sword. "Lady Hime!" I suddenly yelled as she ran out of the crowd. Benihime herself could see the huge energy charging out of Sato''s sword which was already aimed at her. She used her leg to stop her momentum before she ced her sword to the side and obstructed Sato''s attack. But Sato''s attack was so potent that Benihime couldn''t stop it wholly; she struggled to move the sword attack away from her. Like a speeding arrow, Sato''s sword suddenly shattered Benihime''s sword and went deep into her arm before it sent her flying halfway across the arena. Her body tumbled for a while before it stopped and she slid on the ground leaving a trail of blood on the path. Chapter 103 Hunters? What Are They? "Lady Hime." I called out before knelt beside Benihime, "Are you alright?" She inquired. Benihime smiled in response to I''s worry, "It''s just a cut, I''ll recover." She answered back. I then assisted Benihime to her feet, blood ran down from the deep cut on Benihime''s arm, it was so deep her bone could be seen underneath theyers of flesh. "How dare he attack you like that, it''s just a duel." I vented as she looked at Sato, who was getting surrounded by different Valkyries. Benihime looked at her injured arm before she peeked at Sato, ''Was that fear I sensed just now?'' She thought to herself. Meanwhile, Sato was on his knees in the middle of the Valkyries who all had their weapons aimed at him. Grunting, Sato looked at the ground, terror written on his face as began getting visions of his people, dead, seeming inside his head. <> ''Don''t you see them! Please tell me you do! They''re¡­ they''re dying¡­ I''m dying.. it hurts¡­ I shouldn''t feel pain then why does it hurt!''. Sato muttered to himself as he kept mming his head on the ground over and over again. Divanchi arrived in front of Sato and she was immediately heartbroken at the scenery of him. His blood was painted on the floor as tears flowed down his cheeks while he kept uttering the word, "Kill me! Kill me!". Even the Valkyries were getting ufortable watching Sato damage himself right in front of them. "M.. master?" Divanchi went to her knees and ced her hand on his shoulder. Sato suddenly stopped; with force, he grabbed Divanchi by the neck and shoved her to the ground. "Release her!" One of the Valkyries voiced out before all of them began to move closer. "Don''te any closer!" Divanchi suddenly yelled, "I''ll handle this myself". The Valkyries all looked at one another before they ambled back and lowered their weapons. "Why are you doing this?! Kill me¡­ kill me already!" Sato sobbed, with his hand around Divanchi''s neck and tears dropping on Divanchi''s face. Divanchi immediately pulled Sato close to her chest before she hugged him; she could no longer bear to look at him with the sadness powering his face. "Kill me¡­ kill me please," Sato muttered with his face resting on Divanchi''s boobs as he cried his eyes out while everybody watched. ...¡­.. Benihime was seated in her office, while Akeno was enabling her to put a bandage on the huge injury in her arm. "So¡­ how is he?" Benihime suddenly raised a question. Akeno tightened the wraps of the bandage before she responded, "He is currently asleep in the guest room". She reached out for a pair of scissors and cut the end of the bandage before she tied it, "There we go, it should heal in no time". "You''re lucky you had your armor on or your hand would have been gone by now". "I can''t deny that, but still, the look on his face before he attacked me, I could most definitely sense fear¡­ like he was afraid". Benihime proimed. "I mean, he was going up against you, he might have been frightened of you and wanted to win no matter the cost." Akeno uttered before cing her band fan in front of her face. "Akeno." Benihime called out as she sat on her chair as nced at Akeno from afar. "Yes Mdy." Akeno responded. "We''ve been friends since we were kids, I know by now how you act when you are desperately trying to hide something¡­ what are you hiding?" Benihime "Oh my, I wonder how you came to that conclusion." Akeno uttered with a silent chuckle following right after. Benihime didn''t say anything, instead, she just gazed at Akeno until Akeno gave in and chose to tell her. She first started by asking Benihime a question, "Have you heard of the Hunters?". "Hunters? You mean those evil entities that possess people? Yeah I think I remember them". "And I''m sure you also remember, they caused the massacre that happened in The Dilop Kingdom." Akeno asked another question. "Of course, didn''t the kingdom go extinct after almost everyone died?" Benihime added the knowledge she knew and Akeno was happily exining. "14 points, correct, Now, don''t freak out when I say this¡­ but the Hunter is currently attacking Sato." Akeno revealed. "What?!" Benihime jerked up from her seat, "The Hunters are right here¡­now?!" She yelled with a worrisome look on her face. "I literally just told you not to panic"... "Do you not understand how grave this is?" Benihime eximed as she walked toward Akeno, "These creatures have been known to wipe out an entire civilization¡­ if they remain here, everyone could be in danger". Akeno sighed in response to Benihime''s outburst, "Hunters only prey on people they like or people they were sent to attack, although only gods have been known to send hunters to people, I doubt anyone can summon a hunter". "So¡­ what''s your point?!" Benihime shouted, grabbing Akeno by the arm and pulling her close. Akeno shrieked as she got startled, "What am saying is, I can drive the hunter away, but if it was sent, it will depend on the person''s mental state¡­ hunters only attack those they find interesting and those we have disobeyed authority". "I see." Benihime uttered as she released her grip around Akeno''s arm, "We should probably tell him about this". "Are you sure?" Akeno asked, "I mean, if we tell him, we could risk exciting the Hunters, you know". Bamm! The door suddenly sprung open with Divanchi standing at the entrance while a Valkyrie stood behind her. "I''m sorry, Lady Hime, I tried to stop her but she wouldn''t take no for an answer." The Valkyrie behind Divanchi pleaded with her head bowed. "It''s alright." Benihime smiled before she stared at Divanchi, "I''m guessing you know what''s going on". She uttered. "A bit." Divanchi responded as she walked in already, "But not enough to save my master, I want to know everything about these hunters¡­ and don''t leave a single detail out". Chapter 104 Hunters Illusions. Gasp! Sato unawares opened his eyes; he found that he wasying on the ground, surrounded by white nothingness. Once he sat upright he noticed he was back in the angel''s sanctuary. Sato took a sigh of ease as he stared at the empty throne a few feet away from him, "D..did die?" He raised a question. "Negative, Hikari forcefully pulled you here." As the voice resounded in his ear, Sato peeked to his left to see Aril seated beside him. She was in her human form and putting on the same clothes she had on thest time she was in that form. "Aril?" Sato muttered, he immediately grabbed hold of her hands before he pulled her close, "Aril, the guy in the hat¡­ you saw him too right¡­ right¡­!". Sato yelled, hysteria written on his face as he looked Aril in the eye. When he saw that Aril didn''t give a reply, he let go of her arm as a weak chuckle left his mouth. "Am I going crazy?" Sato thought to himself with his eyes fixated on the ground. "A hunter is currently in possession of your body¡­ they have a special talent for hiding their presence so I wasn''t able to detect them, but after analyzing the situation that is the only exnation I coulde up with." Aril revealed. "Hunter, what is that?" Sato asked. "Not what, who¡­ The hunters are quite known in the God realm to be mischievous." Hikari spoke, as she appeared out of thin air and sat on her throne. "And it''s in possession of my body?..." "Mind." She corrected, "They y with their prey''s mind, truly disturbing creatures." Hikari uttered with her hand resting on her forehead as she sighed. Sato stood from the ground and proceeded a bit nearer to Hikari, "Did you know this was going to happen?" He asked, carrying a profound expression on his face as he stared at her. Hikari smiled in response to Sato''s question before she crossed her legs, "The fact that I can see certain futures doesn''t mean I get to see every tiny detail." She reacted, "The three events I told you were the only future I saw, a hunter using you as it''s ything wasn''t one of them". "If that''s the case, then how do I get this hunter thing out of my brain, those illusions I keep seeing¡­". "Those illusions aren''t illusions." Hikari chimed in. "What do you mean?" Sato asked. "Hunters mess with the minds of their prey, and at the same time it reveals to them the bad possible future." Aril exined. "She''s right." Hikari uttered, "You''d be stupid to take the Hunter''s visions as mere illusions". The thought of his people dying began to ring in his head. Sato looked to Hikari and walked closer before mming his hand on the throne''s armrest. Hikari was a bit startled as she moved her head back a bit with her face a bit red, "You want to do this now?" She asked. "Building a vige in the witch''s forest to protect its source, meeting the Duke of Nervek to seal eyes, defeating the demon lord so he wouldn''t use the whole kingdom as sacrifice¡­" Sato voiced out, "You told me all this and I believed them with no questions asked". "If there is a future where my people die then I beg of you¡­ tell me how to prevent it!" Sato eximed as he moved his face closer. Hikari smiled, "What am I going to do with you? I''m not even your guardian angel and yet you want me to help." She alluded. "I''m sorry¡­ but I really need to know this." Sato didn''t back down from his request, he wanted to make the illusions as far away from reality as possible. "Okay, fine, I''ll tell you." Hikari epted. "Thank you." Sato uttered before he ambled away from the throne. Clearing her throat, Hikari began to exin to Sato her steps for him to avoid his people turning into a bloodbath. While this was happening at the angel''s sanctuary, back at Rizaha, Benihime, and Akeno were trying to forcefully send out the Hunter from Sato''s body. Akeno sat down on a chair right beside the bed where Sato was lying unconscious. Divanchi and Benihime were standing at the side of the room, watching Akeno perform her magic. There was a blue magic orb, orbiting around Sato''s body while Akeno held his hand with her eyes closed. "How long is this going to take?" Divanchi asked. "This is the first time I''ve seen her do magic like this¡­ ahh, she really is full of surprise." Benihime replied with a serious tone. All of a sudden, Akeno began hollering in pain, "Kill me ¡­ please I beg of you!" She repeated Benihime thought of going in to break the magic, but Akeno already informed them not to interfere before she started. What Akeno was doing was reliving thest few seconds of what Sato went through so she''ll be able to connect with the Hunter. Tears fell from her eyes as saliva leaked from her mouth; A few minutester, Akeno jetted from her seat and went crashing to the wall. "Akeno!" Benihime called out before she ran to her side. "Are you Okay?" She assisted Akeno to her feet. "Thank you." Akeno uttered with a faint smile on her face before she looked at Sato, "The Hunter is really¡­. persistent". "So¡­ did you do it?." Divanchi asked as she stood beside Sato with her hand resting on his head. Akeno stood up right before walking toward Sato''s bed and picking up her hand fan that had dropped when she went flying against the wall. She spread open the fan and ced it in front of her lower face before she spoke, "The hunter is very strong¡­but not to worry, I don''t n to give up that easily". "Perfect, then get on with it." Divanchi said. Akeno went back to sit on the chair, she reluctantly held Sato''s hand which immediately made the orb glow. "Okay, let''s try this again." She muttered before she closed her eyes to begin her magic. Chapter 105 Force This Beast Out. "Ahhh!" Akeno''s body went smacked against the wall before she fell to the ground. Benihime and Divanchi both had unexcited looks on their faces as they stared at Akeno''s body. They''ve been scrutinizing as she kept soaring from her seat and hitting the wall for over thirty minutes and still she had not shown any results. "Damn that creature." Akeno affirmed as she slowly stood up from the ground and dust her clothes. Benihime sighed, watching Akeno sit down on the chair to try again. "Hey, Akeno? Are you sure you know what you are doing?" She asked. "Yeah, you''ve been falling a lot, it''s getting really embarrassing to watch." Divanchi chimed in, with her hands tucked and her back resting against the wall. Her eyes squirmed in aggravation but she didn''t react to it since she still wanted to focus on her magic. Akeno''s eyes were closed as she held on to Sato''s hand and went into deep Concentration, ''Come on, let it work this time.'' She muttered to herself. "What are you doing?". "Eh?" Akeno immediately opened her eyes to see Sato looking at her with a deadpan expression, "You''re awake". "Obviously, why are you holding my hand?" Sato asked, looking at his hand resting close to Akeno''s chest. "How are you awake? I ced a sleeping spell on you." Akeno stared at Sato with utter disarray written on her face. "Master!" Divanchi sprinted to the bed and knelt beside him, "So, how are you? Do you feel better now?" She soothed him with questions. With a weak smile, Sato responded, "Of course I''m alright,". He sat upright and his eyes immediately hit Benihime who was looking at him from afar. They both stared at themselves for a while. "Hey, about this morning¡­" "I shouldn''t have attacked like that.." Both of them uttered their words at the same time. Benihime''s face turned red which caused her to instantly turn around and stare at the door. She sighed and then looked back at Sato, "Listen, a deal is a deal, you won the duel fair and square, and I wouldn''t be much of a leader if I went back on my words." Benihime expressed. Her face was extremely red, Benihime had to mutter all the courage she had before she was able to say them out loud. Sato looked at her with a puzzled expression on his face, "Deal?" He muttered, "Oh?" Sato suddenly voiced out. "The marriage? Oh ¡­ I was just stating a ¡­." Whoosh! Benihime charged straight at Sato with her sword aimed at his head, "I''d choose my next words wisely if I were you." She said with a cold tone. Sato raised his hands, as he anxiously looked at the tip of the sword, "Wow chill, I didn''t mean it like that!". Benihime searched his eyes before she sheathed her sword back; she cleared her throat, "Once you are done here, you should meet me at the office, we still need to discuss our next step". "S..sure." Sato replied, a trial of sweat falling from the side of his head as he forced out a smile. "Very well then." Benihime uttered before giving Akeno the side eye, "Akeno will inform you about the ¡­ trouble you have currently¡­ good luck." She said and exited the room. Sigh! Sato was relieved as she left, "Divanchi, how long was I out?" He inquired. "Barely an hour." Divanchi responded. "I see," Sato muttered. <> ''Don''t be jealous.'' Sato uttered before he got down from the bed and walked to the middle of the room. Akeno stood up right after and walked toward Sato, "I should tell you about something¡­ you see you are being targeted by a hunter". "Yeah, I know." "Oh okay¡­ what?!!" Akeno eximed, "You knew and you didn''t do anything about it?". "Rx, I just found out about it myself, now do me a favor and step out of the room, unless you want to be its target too." Sato uttered with his back turned at Akeno. "Don''t tter yourself, I have the blood of a god in me, I''m off its radar." Akeno exposed with a smug look on her face. "Oh, in that case, feel free to stay and watch." Sato voiced out before stretching forth his right hand. Divanchi monitored him for a while before she asked out of curiosity, "Master, what are you going to do?". "I''m going to force this abomination out of me." Sato replied, ''Aril, ready when you are''. <> A huge wave of white shattered particles left Sato''s body from his head to his feet and formed into another Sato right in front of him. Both Divanchi and Akeno were surprised but they didn''t interrupt, instead, they just watched Sato do his thing. <> Aril shut off the magic inside Sato, and transferred the ones lingering around inside the body double. Since all creatures in this world needed magic to survive, Sato''s body began to dry up while his body double was glimmering with magic. "Master!" Divanchi cried out, she was about to run to his side when a huge force of wind suddenly fouled up around Sato. And like a storm, the whole ce began to shake as a dark entity crawled out of Sato''s head with a loud growl. Akeno moved back since she wasn''t about to risk herself being his target. The hunter looked around and paused when it spotted the body double. It immediately whooshed inside the body double and like that the wind blowing inside the room stopped. <> Sato''s eyes turned red and with his hand still stretched in front of him , he voiced, "Predator!". A huge force of dark mist whooshed out from his palm and coated the whole ratio of the body double before sucking it straight inside his hand. <> Gasp! Sato''s eyes went back to normal before he fell to his knees, coughing as he held his throat. "Master, are you alright?" Divanchi asked, kneeling beside him as she positioned her hand on his back. Akeno whobwas at the back, waspletely astonished by what she saw, she became speechless, the only thing her eyes could at the moment was Sato. Chapter 106 The Three Legendary Weapons <> ''Thank you Aril,'' Sato smiled before standing to his feet. He glimpsed behind him to see Akeno, dumbfounded on the ground, she still had her eyes pinned onto Sato. "Akeno? Are you alright?" Sato asked as a weird expression hit his face. She shook her head and stood up from the ground before snatching Sato''s hand and pulling it close to her chest, "You just got rid of a Hunter¡­ with ease". Akeno eximed. "I mean yeah, they aren''t exactly very bright you know". Sato replied. Akeno suddenly gave out a fading chuckle, "He doesn''t even realize how powerful he is .." She whispered, "Tell me how you did it!". "Eh? What?". "Yes master, I''d also like to know, hunters are god entities, it shouldn''t have been that easy." Divanchi chimed in, walking in front of him with a profound look on her face. Sigh! Sato scuffed his head, feeling vexed before he spoke, "Hunters only stick with people that have enough magic essence to sustain them while they mess with the mind, all I did was create a dummy of myself and transfer my magic inside". "Once it noticed I no longer had magic to sustain it, it immediately left and went inside the dummy, thinking it was me¡­ as I said¡­ they aren''t exactly the wisest". Akeno suddenlyughed, "Oh my, you are quite impressive." She uttered. "Not, really, anyone could have thought of that." Sato voiced out. "Well then." Akeno sprung open her fan and covered her face with it, "I have to give that, 80 points,". Once they were done inside, Sato went to meet Benihime at the office so that they could discuss their ns. ? So far, Sato had managed to team up with Valkyries since they were all focused on one thing, talking down the demon lord Jira. After fleeing Asgard with three legendary weapons in their possession, the first person to take them in was the demon lord himself, Jira. [sh back] "Quick, here!" I eximed as she walked in the sand. They were in a sandy area filled with broken down boats and buildings. There were alsorge rocks that surrounded the coast and a straight path that led inside a grand canyon. The Valkyries had been traveling from the East side of the Demon empire by sea, they were on the run from their hometown, Asgard, located in the inner part of the God realm. "Lady Hime, look a path!" Hina shouted excitedly as she pointed at the Grand Canyon. Her armor was looking torn down as she had just finished fighting a gruesome war, the same went for the rest of the Valkyries. A total of 32 Valkyries were present at the site, each of them having a look of relief on their faces as they fell to the ground. "Finally, it feels like we''ve been seeing only water forever ago." One of the female valkyries spoke before she let out a sigh. "Good workdies." Benihime voiced out as she stepped out of the boat with a golden-sheathed sword in her hands. "We can spend the night here and then move out toward the human region in the morning," Benihime uttered as she walked toward the canyon. "Human region?" Akeno questioned, "Isn''t staying in the demon empire leisurely since it''s closer". "Akeno, demons are not to be trusted, be wise." Benihime said as she walked away. The sun came down and the valkyries had already set up their tents and campfire for the night. Being the special elite soldiers for the god of thunder, Odin, they have been many times where they had to spend the night in unfamiliar ces, so it was already something they were used to. They managed to kill a temtipid, a giant insect with multiple legs and a long tail fitting that of a scorpion. They burned it in the mes and ate it; once they had filled their stomachs, they began talking about the events that led to them fleeing Asgard. The Valkyries were on a special mission to kill the armies of Demon King Flion, a demon king who despised Odin. While they were on the mission, Benihime was given three legendary weapons from Loki, Mijnoir, Dandufon, and the spellbook Liviton, all weapons used by legendary gods. The reason for this was unknown, but after Benihime had in the Demon king and was eager to go to her Homnd and report the news, she was immediately pped in the face by the queen. She was told that Loki was dead and that there was proof that Benihime ughtered him and ran away with his possessions. This rumor was only turned against Benihime when they searched her and found the weapons with her. Benihime was sentenced to death but before the execution date, she was rescued by Thor who told her to run away with the weapons. He said, "My mind is not settled, father and mother no longer have the same morals and I am certain it''s my brother''s doing.. take this and get as far away from here as possible, when the timees, I will call for you to aid me". Without hesitation, Benihime left Asgard with her amry insisting on apanying her no matter the consequences. And thus they began their journey and are now taking rest at the outskirts of the God realm and nning to move to the Human nation. ..... Benihime was asleep inside one of the tents when she suddenly heard the footsteps of someone walking past her tent. She immediately opened her eyes and picked up her sword, with one swoop, she dashed out of her tent and aimed her sword. "L.dy Hime?" Lilith, one of the valkyries, studded as she moved her neck away from Benihime''s de. "Lilith? What are you doing out sote?" Benihime sighed as she sheeted her sword "I heard some people talking and wanted to check it out ¡­ from their conversation, I''m guessing they are either scavengers or bandits". Chapter 107 A Nights Mission "Scavengers?" Benihime questioned as she hauled down her sword. "Yes, but I''m not quite sure, I was just on my way to check it out." Lilith replied. "I see." Benihime looked at the tent to confirm if the remaining soldiers were still asleep. "Let''s check it out," Benihime said as she followed behind Lilith. They both skunked to the right side of the tents before they halted after spotting a bunch of people at the edge of the water. "Are those¡­demons?" Benihime whispered as she observed. "Lord Jira, I''m sorry, I swear it wasn''t me." A demon cried, two other demons were pulling him to the edge of the water before he dropped him to his knees. Since they were demons, they had small tiny crystals in the middle of their forehead, a normal trait for low-level demons. Demon lords looked more human with no future other than their mythic eyes, same went for Demon kings and supreme Demons. Standing a bit far away from the demon, was Jira, wearing his usual royal outfit but this time he was holding a sword in his hands. He held the sword out as he strolled toward the sobbing demon, "You tried to frame me." Jira spoke. "N..No no no sire, it wasn''t me I swear¡­ I didn''t do it!" The demon cried even louder, as he struggled to free himself from the clutches of the huge demon soldiers holding him down. Sigh! "What a meddlesome demon you are." Jiro muttered, he halted as looked to the sky, "Do you realize how your actions have hindered my future ns?!". "You had one job. Kill his sister and leave a letter there, but you ended up running away with her¡­ for what?! Love?!" Jiro shouted before using his sword to slice the eyes of the demon. "Ahhhh!" The demon wailed in pain with his head facing the ground as blood dripped from his damaged eyes. Benihime gripped the handle of her sword as she watched, looking at Jira she could tell he might be in trouble, so she was ready to attack if need be. Jira walked toward the man and bent before using his finger to lift the Demon''s face up, "So tell me, where did you take the little maiden to?". The demon looked to the side, feeling reluctant to answer the question. "Ahhh, Runoq, you are really pushing me to the edge you know¡­ I don''t want to kill you, but you are very well pushing your luck at this point". "This¡­ love of yours is the key for me to raise the ranks of the demons. Do you not understand that this is important?" Jira sighed, "Look, just tell me where she is and I promise to let you go, hmmm?". Pant! "I''m sorry Sire, but I can''t tell¡­" "Don''t fuck with me!" Jira immediately punched Runoq in the face and his body went crashing to the ground. "Looks like I need to remind you who I am!" Jira raged as he stormed over to Runoq''s body before he grabbed him by the neck. Jira positioned his hand at the back of Runoq''s neck before he pulled him close. Without any warning, a hot red fiery beam left Jira''s eyes and directly scorched Runoq''s chest. Runoq screamed in pain but there was nothing he could do, the pain was so agonizing that no other thought urred to him. "Where is she?!.... Where is she?!" Jira asked aggressively as he kept gushing hisser into Runoq''s chest. "Witches! The forest of witches!" Runoq shouted his reply with tears dropping from his eyes. "Good boy." Jira rescinded theser and dropped Runoq''s body to the ground before he stood up. With a chuckle, he straightened his top and looked to his soldiers, "Well don''t just stand there¡­ toss his body into the water!". "R-Right away sire." The three soldiers said in unison before they carried the body of Runoq and began moving him into the water. With that taken care of, Jira sat down on top of a broken boat and observed the way his soldiers were going deep inside the water. "The forest of witches? Why do I get the feeling I''ve heard of that ce before?" Jiro muttered, he let out another sigh before he voiced out, "How long do you n to spy on me?". Benihime and Lilith looked at one another as they wondered if he could be talking to them since they were both in hiding. But just for the brief moment that they looked away, Jira suddenly appeared in front of them with no sound from him at all. "Who are you?" He asked, looking down at them with his eyes glowing red. Frightened, Lilith fell to the ground with a small squeak leaving her mouth, meanwhile, Benihime stood her ground as she stared Jira in the eyes. "Forgive me my rudeness, my name is Rougard Benihime, themander of the sacred knights, it is an honor to meet you." Benihime introduced herself, with her head slightly bowed before she continued. "During my eavesdropping, am I right to assume that you are a noble?" She asked. A smile hit Jira''s as he extended his hand to Lilith, "You have quite the good ears, yes, I am Jira, the first son of the Demon King of stagio Greed, Venkman". With one pull, he jerked Lilith from the ground and straight to her feet before he kissed her hand with a smile. Lilith was instantly flustered, she pulled her hand away and hid behind Benihime. "So you''re a prince?" Benihime raised a question, the fact that his father was a Demon King made her worry even more. Over the centuries, Demon kings have been known to be ruthless, snatching sovereignnds for themselves and the likes. And thanks to the demon ranking ritual, they had more excuses to do more horrendous things all for the sake of power. Among the demon ranking rituals was how to start from the lowest level of demon power, the demon lord. Chapter 108 The Soul Snatcher. ncing at Benihime, Jira asked, "I could have sworn I heard you identify yourself with two names, is that something ustomed to your homnd?". "You don''t have a surname?" Benihime raised her own question. "I''m not sure I know what that means, but if it makes you feel any better, you have a lovely name." Jiraplemented with a flirtatious smile on his face. "Sire! We are done disposing of the body." A demon soldier reported with his head bowed. "Very, good, ready the horses, let''s head back to Fiona," Jira said before excusing himself away from thedies. Benihime and Lilith both watched as Jira walked away with 5 soldiers following behind him. She sighed and released her grip on her sword, "That was way too close." Benihime muttered. "What do you mean, Mdy, the prince is quite the gentleman if you ask me." Lilith expressed, her eyes gleaming as if she had fallen in love. A slight chuckle left Benihime''s mouth before she walked away, "You have bad taste in men Lilith, get some sleep". ...¡­ Morning came and the Valkyries were already set out for the human region, which was right through the grand canyon. As they trekked through the grand canyon, an irritating feeling suddenly got them on their toes. "Shush!" Akeno hushed the team as she told them to stop moving. The sound of something hissing around them began to grow louder as time passed. Strrch! Benihime immediately pulled out her sword, "Ladies prepare yourself, something ising." She cautioned. All of the Valkyries began to pull out their weapons, as they arranged themselves in a circled formation. [What do we have here?] [Fresh meats invading my ground] A voice echoed inside the canyon, and although they couldn''t tell who was speaking, they could definitely sense the presence of something powerful. "We are travelers, just passing through, we mean you no harm." Benihime responded with her sword held in front of her as she used her eyes to scan the ce. Unlike her soldiers, Benihime stood alone, carefully scrutinizing the area to see if she could spot what was talking. Whoosh!. With a huge force of the wind, came a giant snake, looking Benihime in her eye with its tongue sticking out as it hissed. The valkyries behind Benihime immediately aimed their weapons at the gigantic snake. "Lady Hime, step away from it!." A valkyrie yelled with her bow and arrow aimed at the snake. "Listen to me, whatever happens, none of you should show any sign of fear, if you value your life do as I say!." Benihime voiced out with her face filled with boldness. Even when the snake emerged in front of her with no warning, she didn''t feel frightened, Benihime stood her ground and stared back at the snake. [Call me impressed, you are the second person to pass through here without feeling suspicion after seeing me.] The snake uttered, moving around Benihime with sharp moves. "I knew who you were the moment I heard your voice¡­" Benihime uttered. Baam! The snake appeared in front of Benihime, [Is that so, well now do tell]. "The fifth creation of the goddess Medusa, you are the soul snatcher and guardian of the garden of Eden." Benihime exposed tele keeping a calm presence as she didn''t want to risk showing any other emotion. Even the valkyries at the back had the same posture, they stood still and didn''t move a muscle or blinked. The snake changed positions away from Benihime and began swarming around the canyon, keeping its eyes on all the valkyries. [You''ve done your research, so you know what I''m capable of already] "Of course I do, but I humbly ask that you let us go, we have had no idea you had imed thisnd as your own." Benihime pleaded. The soul snatcher was known for two things, stealing the souls of her victim if they happen to show any sign of fear and the second was killing them with no mercy if they left without her exiting first. [From your dressing I''m guessing you are from the house of Odin¡­ quite the threat you are going to be] [So tell me¡­] The snake suddenly showed up in front of I, but I didn''t bat an eye, she remained extremely calm. [Do you know how long I''ve gone without a soul to snatch or a body part to cut off¡­ it''s been quite a long time] The snake moved around [Even after escaping the gates with hopes of having more victims, I am still deeply disappointed¡­. How do I fix that?] "Why would you escape the garden, isn''t that where your authority lies?" Benihime raised a question. If there was anything she had learned about the soul snatcher was that if the victim is about to keep a conversation with it, it will eventually grant them permission to leave. The snake whooshed back to Benihime and pulled its face closer. [Very good question, but I think I should ask the questions here¡­ don''t you agree.?]. "Totally" [As expected from the knights of Odin, you all are quite the pier]. [But one thing will always stick out, a sore thumb, the ck sheep¡­ one who will most definitely be the downfall of the rest]. While the snake was moving around, a part of its scales identally rubbed against one of the valkyries legs. "Ahh!" The girl screamed as she felt startled, immediately drawing her arrow and shooting it at the snake. The arrow bounced off the hard scales of the snake before it fell to the ground, leaving no damage to the soul snatcher. [Bingo.] A grin showed on the face of the snake. "Shit!" I voiced out, she immediately pulled out her sword and pointed it at the snake. A full pressure of ice wooshed from the tip of the sword and began pushing the snake back with force. "Run! Head for the exit, go go!" Benihime shouted as she pointed at the small lighting from the end. All the valkyries began running as fast as they could, while I struggled to push the snake away. Chapter 109 Escaping The Grand Canyon The snake pushed Itself against the coercion of the ice, working I who was struggling to keep the ice going. ''Its¡­ it''s too strong¡­ I can''t¡­'' Reaching her limit, the ice shattered into pieces as I fell to one knee, panting as she tried to catch her breath, and this left her wide open. The snake charged straight at I with its mouth open, only to receive a heavy sidekick to the face from Benihime. The snake went crashing into the wall of the canyon, crashing small rocks to fall to their position after the loud rumble. "Are you okay?" Benihime asked I, before facing the snake that was already moving toward them from the side. I moved back a bit, her right hand wrapped around her stomach before she stood beside Benihime, "I''m¡­ fine" She responded. "Good, if you have enough strength to move, then exit the canyon with the rest, I''ll hold the soul snatcher off." Benihime uttered, removing some armor around her body so she could move freely. "No, Lady Hime, I''ll fight alongside you." I insisted, imnting her Ice sword with magic as she watched the snake. "Listen this is not the time to¡­" [Very well done!] The snake boosted out of the dirt and straight at Benihime. Although it was with very little warning, Benihime was still able to deflect it. She instantly positioned her sword in front of her as a means to deflect the snake''s frontal strike. The snake''s head collided against the sword and with great force, propelled Benihime back till she hit the wall behind her. "Lady Hime!" I cried out, getting ready to move when multiple snakes began emerging from the ground. One of the snakes bit I on the leg and picked her up before mming her back to the ground. It wanted to make another attack but Hina showed up just in time. Hina camending right in front of I with a loud cry. "Ahhhh!" Hinanded on the ground with the bottom of her staff, hitting the ground and releasing a massive shock wave, strong enough to disperse the snakes around her into pieces. Once she had cleared them, she carried I like a princess and whispered, "Hold on tight". Boom! Her legs lifted up from the ground as she took a power jump to the sky and immediatelynded at the other side of the canyon where the rest of the valkyries were. Meanwhile, Benihime was still battling the snake that was verymitted to eating her whole. Her back was huddling against the wall, and the only thing blocking the snake from snarling her rib cage was the sword she ced in between its mouth. [Resistance is futile Valkyrie!] The snakeughed and it slowly began to increase its size and weight, crushing Benihime to the wall with force. A smirk suddenly showed up on Benihime''s face, "Got yah¡­e to me for your master needs you¡­ iron maiden!" She voiced out. The cloud above them began going dark as a giant prison containment with the statue of a maiden showed up in the sky. The snake instantly let go of Benihime with a look of surprise on its face, [Impossible! How does someone like you have the iron maiden!]. "That''s kinda the whole point of being the daughter of a god!" Benihime sent her knees straight into the jaw of the snake before she stabbed it on the ground with her sword. That was barely enough to kill it, but it was enough to buy her some time to escape the monster and flee the canyon. Although the snake was stuck to the ground for a while, after a few toils it got back up and chased Benihime. Benihime ran as fast as she could, moving so fast that every step she took was unintentionally causing another shock wave for the next. But the snake was moving just as fast; just in be the nick of time, Benihime ran out of the canyon and stood right in the middle of her soldiers "I knew you would make it out of there." Akeno said, a smug look on her face as she hid behind her fan. Panting, Benihime reached for the bag on the floor and was about to drink water when all of a sudden, one of the valkyries voiced. "Uhn, guys, it''sing." A red-haired Valkyrie spotted, pointing at the snake that was still charging towards them. "It''s going to stop soon, the soul snatcher can''t leave its assigned grounds." I informed. But looking at how the snake was speeding toward them with no sign of stopping started leaving doubts in their heads. One of them, out of panic, raised a barrier to cover them just in case the snake was to rush out of the canyon. But s they were wrong, the snake tried to multiple times, but every time it wanted to leave a huge force would push it back a few feet. With that taken care of, thedies could finally continue their mission toward the human empire. Butpared to when they escaped the God realm, they were even more confused now that they were in vastnd filled with nothing but rocks and dry grasses. "Uhn, do you know the next path to take?" One of the Valkyrie asked. "The map says nothing about these grounds." Akeno informed, flipping the map back and forth as she tried to find another path. ? Benihime could sight a Kingdom up ahead, only a huge gate with a view ofrge buildings which she believed to be a Kingdom. But considering that she was in the demon territory, she believed the kingdom had to be owned by a demon, and settling in the demonnd is thest thing she wants. Sigh!, "Let''s move toward the kingdom up ahead." Benihime said before facing her soldiers Looking behind her, Benihime was stunned when she noticed that she had been surrounded by demons and the one at the back seated on the horse was no other than Jira. Chapter 110 Greed On The Next Valkyrie "Jira, what are you doing here?" Benihime questioned, a a skeptical look on her face as she slowly looked at the demons surrounding her. "I''m amazed, you remember my name." Jira said with a smile, he leaped down from his horse and walked toward the Valkyries. They were immediately on their guard, reaching out for their weapons as they slowly moved toward Benihime. "Put your weapons down, I don''t mean any harm." Jiro let out with a smile on his face as he peeked at Benihime. "That''s kind of hard to believe when you have your men surrounding every corner." Said Benihime, reaching for the small brown bag tied around her waist. Jira sighed, "And here I thought we were already cozying up." He spoke, waving his hands back which in turn made the demons all fall behind him. The back nk of the valkyries was free, showing a a promenade that led to the kingdom up ahead with no demon obstructing them this time, but at the same time, right in front of them were about 50 demon armies. "Lady Hime, should we make a break for it?" Hima asked, she was behind Benihime with her mouth pushed close to Benihime''s ear, Benihime stared at Jira for a while before she started taking slow steps toward her, leaving the valkyries behind her confused. When she got close to Jira, she stood her ground before she asked, "Do you know anything about that Kingdom up ahead?" Benihime pointed at the direction leading to the kingdom. A smile touched Jira''s lips as he replied, "Oh that? That is my Kingdom, Fiona, intriguing is it not?". After a few more discussions, Benihime and her team were invited to stay a few days at the Royal pce at least until they got to their main destination. Benihime exined to Jira that she was heading to a ce called the forest of witches, and Jira''s response was that he would take them there after their second night, And thus, the valkyries were about to spend their first night at the kingdom, each one of them being given different rooms. Benihime''s room, on the other hand, was ced just opposite Jira''s room. She stood at the entrance, looking at the door before she swallowed her pride and opened the door. As soon as she walked into the room, she was filled with astonishment as she saw how the inside of the room looked like She strolled in and began to wander around the room with her hands touching everything she saw. Time passed and Benihime wasying on the bed in deep thought about what happened to her in the God realm. As shey on the bed, Jira suddenly walked in, still dressed in his royal attire and carrying a smile on his face. "I know this castle belongs to you, but walking in on ady is not very gentlemanly of you." Benihime enunciated, looking at Jira while she sat right on the bed. He approached her and sat on the bed with his legs crossed before he voiced out, "I''m guessing you are the leader of this team?"Jira raised a question. Benihime pushed back, shifting away from him before she responded, ''You knew that already, but for some reason, you still felt the need to ask¡­ what do you want?". Laughs! "You figured me out, you aren''t the same as the rest, are you?" Jira voiced out, "Call me crazy, but I can tell you have something hidden with you¡­ something exciting, I can sense it, a weapon perhaps". Gasping, Benihime jerked up from the bed and moved away from Jira. She ced her hand on the brown bag as she looked at Jira with an an uneasy gaze. Jira smiled and stood up from the bed before hd walked slowly toward her. "Come now, you don''t have to be afraid¡­ all I simply ask is that you show it to me." He insinuated. Benihime could see the scary smile on his face as he was slowly walking towards her, "Was that why you brought me here? Because you knew I had the¡­"... "Weapon of the gods!" Jira eximed, his hand spread as he looked to the ceiling, "The moment I saw you, I knew it right away, you had a special weapon with you! One I know I must have!". "What are you¡­talking about?" Benihime muttered, glimpsing at Jira act out his absurdity. "Don''t look so surprised, everything I see and like must be mine, it''s just the way it is. I know you have something special with you, and I''m sure as hell not letting you go without obtaining it." Jira imperiled, snapping his finger which immediately transported both him and Benihime to another ce. The ce was shaped like a cave, with red wet strings trialed from the ceiling to the ground. The ground was wobbly and the atmosphere was filled with a red thick mist that made it hard for anyone to breathe properly. Benihime was disturbed, looking around as she couldn''t make out where she was, and to top it off she had no weapon to defend herself with if Jira chose to attack her. Standing a few feet in front of her was Jira, seated on a red throne with two huge scorpions stationed beside him. "Wee Benihime¡­ to my world¡­" Jira announced with a sadistic smile on his face as he stood up from the chair. "Whatever you have with you must be something quite important, and I doubt you''ll bring it out if it wasn''t for a good reason, well if that''s the case¡­" Jiro pointed at her, "I''ll just have to force you to summon them.. Kio, Mio¡­ tear her apart!". The two scorpions immediately charged at Benihime at full speed, jumping with incredible deftness as they moved closer to Benihime. ''Damn it!'' Benihime dazed, she mmed her fist together and a blue bolt of lightning emitted from her hand before it gradually spread around her body. But just when the scorpions were close and she was ready to attack, the lightning suddenly disputes. Chapter 111 I Want You To Be My Bride With her right foot struck on the ground and her left foot ced behind her to maintain her bnce, Benihime crossed her arms above to block the attack from the scorpion''s tail. The stinger went deep inside Benihime''s hand before it flung her up so high that her body went mming against the ceiling before she fell t on her stomach. Snorting, Benihime slowly stood up from the ground, ''W.. why can''t I use my magic properly? She thought to herself. She suddenly spotted the scorpion, with its stinger up and ready to strike at her. Benihime instantly balled to the left while evading the multiple strikes of the scorpion. Benihime then used her hand to flip herself above the second scorpion behind her before clenching her fist and giving out a heavy rageful cry. Her fist was embedded with blue mana covering her whole hand as shended a heavy blow to the scorpion. Bassh! The scorpion''s head smashed against the ground, leaving only the blood from its shattered brains to drip from Benihime''s hand. She stood close to the dead scorpion before she faced the other one, "Just you¡­" Benihime uttered. Benihime sped straight at the scorpion with her whole body brimming with blue scorching magic energy, but just when she got close enough to strike, Jira suddenly showed up in front of the scorpion. He had an irritated look on his face when he easily snagged Benihime''s punch and gave her a powerful p to the face in return. The p fastened hard with her cheeks as her body went straight to the ground with ease. "Pathetic, I thought valkyries were supposed to be strong, immortal beings with unbelievable powers. But what I''m seeing in front of me is just another damn weakling." Jira abused, carrying the same irritated look with every word he spoke. Even Benihime was shocked by her sudden decrease in strength, and she had a rather vague idea of what could be causing it. The valkyries are known to be extremely powerful beings under the direct power of the god of thunder, Odin. But due to the fact that Valkyrie had now been ced as a criminal, the blessing from Odin was no longer with her, which carried almost 78% of her whole powers. And since she was themander and the rest of thedies were only following orders ording to Odin, they will not be losing his blessings. Scrowling, Benihime slowly stood up from the ground, "Listen here." She voiced out, "If it''s a fight you want, then be prepared because I don''t n to hold back anymore!". "Good! I was just about to say how boring you were, if you had let that slide." Jira mocked before he lifted from the ground and charged straight at Benihime. Benihime did a split on the ground, dodging both of Jira''s sped up punches before she grabbed his leg and pulled him to the ground. Jira fell to the ground and was immediately a bit startled when he saw Benihimending in his position with an elbow. A smirk suddenly formed on his face as he aimed his finger at Benihime. Benihime knew this was an attack, so she roared with her arms covering her face while she still kept her momentum. A fast glowing line left Jira''s finger and immediately caused a huge explosion that Benihime was caught in. And although she was right in the middle of the explosion, she kept her aim with her and didn''t stop for a second. Darting into the fire from the sky, Benihimended on Jira, causing the ground below them to implode on itself. It didn''t take long for Jira to leap out of the massive dust andnd on clearnd while he looked at the crater Benihime caused on the ground. "She''s quite tough, I''ll give her that." Jira muttered as he ced his finger on the blood spewing on his chest. Once the dust cleared, it revealed Benihime standing on the scattered ground, panting heavily as she held her right hand. The right side of her armor waspletely busted from the st and some parts of her face were having blood marks and dark burns. "I take back what I said¡­ you are not pathetic." Jira yelled from above the hole, "If anything, you fascinate me!". Benihime was so tired and damaged to reply that all she could do was nce up at Jira and attend to what he was saying. "How about I make you an offer you won''t refuse." Jira announced with a smile, "No doubt I still want those three artifacts you have with you, but why have only that, when I can have you too¡­ I want to be my bride". Benihime was still for a while before she was able to mutter up a word from the shock, "What?". "Think about it, you can leave the god realm and be my queen, ruling over demons instead of serving some god." Jira sighed as he spoke. Panting. Benihime let go of f her right hand and looked up at Jira, "I don''t think you understand the words that just came out of your mouth, if I were to marry an arrogant fool like you¡­ then I''d be an insult to the soldiers who I fought alongside with, to rid the world of fools like you to begin with". "For someone who was about to die, you sure have a sharp mouth." Jira uttered before he sighed, "Okay¡­ you leave me no choice then". Snapping his fingers, a round portal appeared on the floor and burst into multiple lights. Once the lights were dimmed, Lilith appeared on the ground, chained up with red glowing chains. She hummed on the ground, fear written on her face as she struggled to free herself from the bondage. "Lilith!" Benihime called out and wanted to run over to her aid. "No no no, stay where you are." Jira chimed in, with a Demonic looking de aimed at Lilith''s head. Benihime instantly halted, "Now, let''s do this again shall we¡­ show me the items you have with you, Benihime." Jira asked, a sinister smile on his face as he pushed the sword closer to Lilith''s neck. Chapter 112 Lilith, What Did You Do?! "Bastard!" Benihime shouted, fury written on her face as she inclined her hand close to the brown bag on her waist. Since she no longer had the abilities she once had, the thought of using the three weapons handed down to her was slowly throwing off her reasoning. ''Should I use it? Do I even know how to wield it?'' Benihime battled with herself while she kept a grimace stare at Jira. Jira sighed, holding Lilith at the back of the neck before he lifted her above the ground. Lilith wailed in pain as Jira''s fingers were sinking into her flesh. "Damn it," Benihime muttered, still feeling conflicted about the next move she should make. "Come now, don''t look at me like that, you brought this up, I wanted peace and you seem like that type who likes violence¡­ " Jira emitted, "I promise I''ll let her go if you just show me the item". "You''ve been ranting about items, I don''t even know what you mean by that." Benihime answered back. "Oh? You don''t?... I see." Jira uttered, "That''s too bad". He lowered Lilith to the ground and used his sword to shatter the chains around her, "You can go." Jira said as he walked toward his throne to sit down. ''He''s¡­ letting her go?'' Benihime muttered, baffled about the surprising move Jira pulled on her, ''The hell is going on in his head?''. Lilith immediately stood up from the ground after entangling the chains around her before she ran straight toward Benihime. As soon as she got close, Lilith fell straight into Benihime''s hand. "Lilith, are you okay?" Benihime consoled. "Yes Mdy, I just feel a little worn out." Lilith responded while she was still resting in Benihime''s arms. "Sorry, this is my fault." Benihime muttered to Lilith, she then gazed at Jira who was sitting calmly on his throne. "Jira, We are l.." Benihime instantly thrust Lilith to the ground before she took a giant leap back with shock written all over her face. "Awn, and I was going for the whole sac," Lilith spoke out, standing to her feet with a golden book in her hand. "Good job Lilith, well done." Jira cheered on his throne while he pped with loud chuckles escaping his mouth. Benihime nced at the small bag around her waist and noticed the inside was gleaming which only happens when something had just been pulled out of it. Still stunned, Benihime looked at Lilith and asked, "What the hell did you do?". Lilith replied with a smile on her face,pletely wiping out, "Don''t look so shocked, mdy, I simply did what I thought was proper¡­ if I marry him I can be a demon queen¡­ how could I possibly lose this opportunity". "What? You would betray your people and believe, for that?! Are you stupid? Do you even realize how powerful what you''re holding is?" Benihime yelled, her eyes glowing as her anger rose. "I know full well what I''m doing?!!!" Lilith yelled back, "I can finally have leverage, all my life it''s been Benihime this, Benihime that¡­ even god Odin chose you as his favorite soldier¡­ while I was ced always to follow in your footsteps, welI not anymore, I can finally be powerful and this time get you to watch you feel helpless". Benihime had a foreshadowed look on her face, as she slowly strolled toward Lilith, "Helpless? Right now¡­ the only thing I''m feeling is pure rage!" She shouted before sheunched herself toward Lilith. [shback end] Benihime stood at the window, observing as Sato and Divanchi walked inside their Carriage and drove off. She sighed before sitting on her chair and resting her head on the table, "Well, he''s gone." Benihime uttered. "Don''t tell me that strong and callous Valkyrie is feeling attached to a man." Akeno teased, walking toward Benihime with a cup of tea with her. "Shut up Akeno." Benihime mumbled, slightly raising her head to see the cup of tea seated in front of her on the table. Akeno giggled, "You''re so easy to read, well, valkyries are prone to fall in love with people they find amusing easily, so strong yet hopeless romantic". "Tch! You''re getting annoying." Sip! Benihime took a drink of her tea with a smile following after, "You still make good tea." Sheplimented before taking another sip of the tea. "Why thank you," Akano smiled as she sat down on the chair with her own cup of tea with her. "So, how is the nning with Sato? Are you on track or are you nning to do it yourself?" Akeno asked. "Doing it myself is out of the question, the book of will is still with them, that said¡­ Sato seems to have an incredible amount of powerful people backing him up, he is a helpful asset to have". Benihime responded. "Ehhh, are you sure you don''t have a crush on¡­" Peeww! Benihime sshed the tea she was holding on Akeno, "More tea if you don''t mind." She uttered, looking at Akeno who was wet from the tea. Sato and Davanchi were on their way back to the vige while Divanchi was trying to get Sato to eat the box of snakes she had when suddenly a loud thud hit their carriage. "The hell!" Divanchi voiced, getting ready to leave the carriage and check what caused the thud. "Wait, don''t stress yourself." Sato uttered, he opened the door beside him and a wolf girl rushed in.; "It''s that girl." Divanchi looked as the wolf girl slowly stood up from the ground while rubbing the bump on her head. "Ow! That hurts." The wolf girl sobbed. With a sigh, Sato asked, "You''ve been following me around, haven''t you?". "Heheh, impressive right?!" The wolf girl smirked with a smug look on her face as she stood up with her hands tucked. "What do you want?" Sato raised a question. "I-" Sato suddenly interrupted, "If you are here for food, I already told you, I won''t be giving you anymore". "Y-you won''t¡­" The wolf girl mumbled with a sad expression on her face while her tail wiggled behind her. Sato sighed again, reaching for the book of snacks and heading over to the wolf, "Here.". A smile hit her face before she snatched the box and began eating the snacks. Almost instantly, Divanchi smacked Sato on the back of the head. "What the hell Divanchi!" "Funny, my hand must have slipped". Chapter 113 Delta Joins The Team Sato arrived back at his vige after a few hours and immediately presided toward his room. Standing at the entrance, Ond appeared beside Sato with a gust of dust, "Sorry to disturb you, but I have found something at the hunting ground that I think you should know about". "Could we talk about this tomorrow, I''m very tired right now." Sato enunciated, resting his head on the door as a heavy sigh escaped his mouth. "Understandable my lord, you have been working for two consecutive days, so, of course, you''ll be tired, I''ll discuss this with you once you''ve rested". "Thank you, oh.. how is Elena, is she still¡­" "I''m afraid not much has changed, she still refuses to leave her room, she thinks you need her no more so she has been moping about it". "I see¡­ thank you." Sato replied. "My pleasure." With that Ond disappeared into thin air. ''How do I make her understand, the men phobia she has is going to affect her if she goes to battle like that.'' Sato thought to himself as he walked into the room, he hadn''t even been halfway in when someone yanked him and shut the door. Sato found himself on the floor with Yuri on top of him, barfly with some parts of her boobs uncovered from the loose Kimono she had on. Yuri held both of Sato''s hands to the ground and pressed her knee under his crutch while she pulled her face closer. "Why were you¡­ Kzuk!" Yuri hupped, "Gone for two whole days? Kzuk!". "Yuri, have you been drinking?" Sato raised a question. "No! No, I haven''t Kizk! Been drinking." Yuri replied, "I only had a sip of the Sak¨¦ the bloodsucker brought for you". "Kzuk! Now you answer me! Why did you leave your darling assistant all alone for two days¡­ shame on you master! Shame on kUZK!". A small smile hit Sato''s face before he ced his hand on Yuri''s head, "You''re right, I made you worry didn''t I?". "You sure did, mean¡­jerk, kuzk" Yuri mumbled, slowly rxing her head on Sato''s chest. "Seems that''s all I know how to do these days." Sato carried Yuri and ced her on the bed before covering her with the nket. He stared at her for a while as he sat at the edge of the bed. ''I can''t afford to go awry¡­ not now that I''ve met you guys.'' Sato thought to himself, ''I swear, I''ll stop everything from happening, if it''s thest thing I do. Sato stood up from the bed and walked over to Yuri beforending a kiss on her forehead and walking out of the room. Yuri was instantly flustered but she didn''t move from her position. <> ''Wow! Thank you Aril, somehow you managed to warn me about her but not Yuri.'' Sato muttered with a sarcastic tone. <> Sato snorted as he walked out of the door and the first person he saw was the wolf girl seated in front of the door. Sato let out a sigh, "What are you doing here?" He asked, walking away like he didn''t see her there. "Why else would I be here, I came to see you." The wolf girl answered back as she pursued behind him. "Yeah, sorry to disappoint you, but I''m very busy right now and I don''t have any food with me." Sato said as walked. The wolf girl grunted and ran to Sato''s front before putting both her hands in front to stop him from proceeding. "What is it now?" Sato raised a question as he stared down at her. "I..em¡­" The wolf girl stammered with her face beet red and her head facing the ground. "Ahhh, look, once I get back, I''ll n out food for you, Okay?" Sato patted her head and walked away. "That''s not it!" The wolf girl screamed, pulling Sato back with his clothes. Sato turned and looked at her, "Girl! What do you want?!" He eximed. Taking a deep breath, the wolf girl held her skirt shyly and yelled, "I want you to give me a name!". With a deadpan expression, Sato looked at her, "Eh?" Sato uttered nkly. "Look it''s not like I chose this on a whim, okay?... It''s just¡­ you''re the first person I''ve felt¡­ attached to¡­or whatever." The wolf girl muttered with her eyes ncing around. "Why do you need me to name you? Don''t you already have a name?" Sato asked. "Well¡­ no, I''m a wild wolf, never met my parents, so I don''t even know if I have a name or not¡­" The wolf girl expressed, "Sometimes I see my kind with their masters and I guess it made me feel¡­". "Lonely?" Sato chimed in. "Yesh, I guess so." The wolf girl muttered with a shy look on her face. Sato walked closer to her and ced his hand on her head, "Believe me when I say this, I understand how it feels like to feel left out, but don''t use that excuse to devalue yourself¡­ you shouldn''t pick me as your master based on the fact that you want a..". "I didn''t choose you because of that." The wolf girl voiced out with her eyes focused on Sato, "You have the scent, so I know you''re the one". Sighing, Sato smiled, "Sure, I''ll name you¡­ but, in return.. how would you like to work with me?" He called into question. The wolf girl smiled, "Hehehe, looks like you need me, very well, I''ll grant your wish." She uttered with a smug expression. Sato''s eyebrows twitched a bit with annoyance, "Okay ¡­ let''s see what name I can give you,.." He racked his brain. He observed as the wolf girl stared at him excitedly, awaiting to hear her name like a hungry man waiting for food. "Hmmm.. how about¡­ Delta? Yeah, Delta!" Sato named, looking at the wolf girl with a smile. "Delta?... Delta¡­ Delta¡­ my name is Delta¡­ yehhhh!" Delta shouted with excitement as sheunched a hug at Sato. Chapter 114 The Mysterious Cave Under Water Sato and Delta made their way toward the vige''s water bank to meet up with Giron and Divanchi. "Giron, where is it?" Sato asked as he approached them. "Lord Sato, very nice to see your face after so long." Giron enunciated with a smile on his face, leaving the river and walking toward Sato. His eyes were sharp to pick up on Delta''s appearance, "Lord Sato, is that a guest?" Giron asked. "Ahh,... Uhm, she''ll be staying in the vige from now on." Sato exined. "Ohhh, in that case, nice to meet you, littledy, my name is Giron, what about you?" Giron inquired with a nice tone. She immediately wore a smug look before she leaped and rested on Sato''s shoulder, "Delta¡­ My name is Delta." She let out, "Nice to meet you, Miss Delta." Giron beamed, he then looked to Sato and gave out the initial information he wanted him to know about. "Lord Sato, sorry this ising in a bitte, but during your trip to Rizaha, one of the water beast men noticed a small cave on the other side of the river that led to Nervek." Giron asserted. "Cave?" Sato asked, ''Could that be what Ond wanted to tell me about?''. Delta sniffed her nose and suddenly voiced out, "Uuuuu, I smell fishes!" She let go of Sato and sprinted into the water. Letting out a sigh, Sato switched his focus back to Giron, "Don''t worry about her, she won''t cause much trouble¡­ probably". "It''s not really a problem." Giton answered back. "Good, now, tell me, what cave are you talking about?" Sato and Giron discussed as they walked. "It was during the evening, we had some bandits trying to break into the supplies, thankfully, Deka and a fish beastmen were able to chase them away, but during the chase, the fish man came back with news of a cave underneath the water and apparently, he could also see a shiny object on the inside," Giron exined everything to Sato as they went to where the event happened. "Object? What did he say it looked like?" Sato raised another question. "Well about that, he made mention of some sort of barrier stopping him from entering." Giron responded, "But not to worry my lord, I''m sure if you speak to him directly, you''ll understand more". Standing at the Riverside was a fish-looking man, with gills on the side of his neck and fish features on his head, arms, and legs. The river was quite massive since it linked throughout the whole of the forest and even extended toward other kingdoms. A huge portion of the river was avable for the elves, it was so big that some parts had waterfalls and water-covering caves. Hearing that there was a hidden cave in the river was not so surprising since for thest few months, they had been discovering different types of herbs underneath the river. "Is that him?" Sato asked, strolling toward the fish man. As soon as he spotted Sato, The fish man bowed. "Lord Sato, this is the guy that found the cave, Crustave." Giron introduced. Sato stretched out his hand for a handshake, "Nice to meet you, Crustave." Heplimented. "V-very n-nice to meet you, sir." Crustave stammered as he shook Sato''s hand with a wide smile on his face. "S-sure." Sato replied with a nervous smile, "So, where is this cave?" He asked. "Right away, this way." Crustave uttered, running toward the edge of the water before he pointed at it, "Right this way sir, the cave is right here". Sato moved closer and looked down at the water, using his ultimate skill Perceive, he was able to see everything underneath the water and then spot the cave. He could see arge toad statue right at the side of the cave and three glowing lights shining from inside the cave. Blinking his eyes, Sato looks to Crustave, "Let''s go." He said. Crustave saluted, "Right away". "Good¡­ now." Sato voiced out, ''How do I swim underwater, I don''t think I have the ability to stay under for that long''. <> ''Was a sigh really that nesdercfery?''. <> ''Sure,'' Sato sighed, before he looked at Giron, "I''ll be going in now, don''t let anyonee here until I''m out of the water". "As you wish, my lord." Giron responded. Once that was settled, Sato descended into the water, and he was surprised to see that it was no different than breathing onnd. "This is pretty cool, I wish I knew about this sooner." Sato articted, looking around to see weeds and fishes swimming around. "Lord Sato! This way!" Crustave yelled from the other direction, close to the pack of weeds. "Give me a sec." Sato replied, ''Okay now, how do I¡­''. Boom! Sato''s body went zooming past Crustave with just a push of his left leg, he was so fast, the water started forming some kind of vacuum behind him. "Sir! That''s the wrong way!" Crustave followed him. They managed to make their way to the front of the cave, but their attention was drawn to the giant rock toad. Sato could also see the three bright blue lights shining from inside the cave and it felt more magical than how he saw it from above the water. "This is it Sir, but for some reason, I couldn''t go into the cave." Crustave informed. "Here let me try." Sato swam toward the cave, but as he was about to pass the giant toad, it suddenly spoke. [Have you finallye to im your belongings?] Sato propelled before he boosted away from the toad, "Did it just speak?!" He eximed. "Uhmmm, yes sir, I didn''t see this before when I came here for the first time." Crustave replied, slowly moving away from the small toad. "Great, a talking statue, that''s not weird at all." Sato voiced out. [If you are here for your belongings I''m guessing you came with my reward¡­ Sessor of the Overseer] Chapter 115 The Three Riddles Of The Statue. ''Sessor? What does it mean by that?'' Sato questioned as he gazed at the giant toad. <> ''It''s a spirit.'' Sato asked. [How dare you space out while I''m introducing myself you evil scum!] "Evil scum¡­?" Sato repeated, "For a statue, you sure have a big mouth". [And whose fault was it that I was forced to guide this stupid cave!] "The hell! What are you yelling at me for? It''s not my fault¡­ you''re a statue!" Sato shouted back. The statue stayed quiet for a while before it spoke out. [It seems you no longer remember what you were¡­ I don''t know if I should be grateful or frustrated] "What I once was? What do you mean by that¡­". Ignoring Sato the frog spoke, [Taking my reward from you is useless now that you are reborn so I might as well do this the old style¡­ if you wish to enter this cave, you must answer three of my riddles correctly]. ''It''s gonna give me riddles¡­?'' <> Sato peeked inside the cave and the first thought that urred to him was if there was a chance someone already tried the riddles and was imprisoned in the cave. ''Aril, is there a chance that someone already¡­''. <> ''Ahh, I see¡­ so one missed riddle and I could get trapped here forever¡­ nah, I''ll pass.'' Sato swerved around and began floating to the surface, "Come on, Crustave, let''s scram!". "O-Oh, right away sir." Crustave replied, immediately pping his legs as he tried to catch up to Sato. Crustave hadn''t gotten far when the statue dropped its jaw and a long tongue escaped its mouth. The tongue tied around Crustave''s leg before it pulled him straight inside the toad''s mouth with an incredible pull. As soon as Sato sensed it, he veered around as his eyes scanned the area for Crustave, but when he couldn''t spot him he immediately went back to the toad. Pointing at it, he yelled, "Oi! Give back my surbode!". [Denied] "What?" Sato muttered, "hehe, fine then¡­ I''ll break you and dig him out¡­ no Biggie!" His hand was embodied in a rotating water force. [That is a waste of time, I can''t be damaged as long as I am doing my services] <> Sato scoffed, "We''ll see about that!". Satounched himself toward the toad but as he was about to attack, Sato found himself back at where he started. He threw his hand and the water spiraled out of his fist and went digging straight in the ground causing arge hole. "What the¡­?" Sato mumbled in shock, looking at the toad in front of him. [I warned you, you dumb Sessor!] ''The hell! You''re telling me there is no way to hurt this dude?!''. < > Sato sighed, "Hey toad, please give me back my subordinate." He requested. [I will¡­ after you answer my riddles¡­] "Fine, I ept, what''s the stupid riddle". [Heheheh,]. The toad chuckled, [Very well, Prepare yourself for my first riddles¡­ Listen close and let the thrill move you along.] [Four warriors arrived at a river with a narrow bridge that can only hold two individuals at a time. It''s nighttime and they have one torch that has to be used when crossing the bridge. Warrior A can cross the bridge in one minute, B in two minutes, C in five minutes, and D in eight minutes. When two warriors cross the bridge together, they must move at the slower person''s pace. Can they all get across the bridge in 15 minutes or less?] As soon as the toad announced the riddle, Sato instantly replied. "Of course, they can," The toad''s voice shook in shock, [What?] "Well, since they moved in a group of two and each had small time apart, all they have to do is move at the same pace, follow each other''s steps and they''ll most definitely arrive at exactly 15 minutes," Sato exined. The toad was frozen in shock and disbelief, [You must be using some kind of cheat, nobody has ever answered that fast and gotten the answer Right¡­ spill¡­ you cheated!] "Look, just because I got your stupid riddle doesn''t mean I cheated, just get on with the next one already!" Sato articted with a profound look on his face. Although even he was surprised at how he answered the riddles so fast, he didn''t even need the help of Aril, for some reason it just felt like something he knew. This was a good thing because if he had failed the riddles, he was definitely going to be trapped under the river with the mysterious talking statue. The toad smirked, [Okay, that was just a fluke and you know it, no more nice toad time to push it up a notch¡­ this time I don''t n to hold back so be prepared.. heheheh] [You are walking down a road ande to a fork. One path leads to certain death; the other leads to eternal happiness. You don''t know which is which. In the middle of the fork, youe across two brothers who know which road is which. One brother always tells the truth and the other always lies. You can only ask them one question. How would you determine which road to take?] [You''re answer, hehehe I dare you to answer this that fast ] Chapter 116 A New World Under The River. Sato stared at the toad for a while before he gave his answer almost instantly, "Let''s see, I guess I''ll ask each brother, "If you were your brother, which road would you say leads to eternal happiness? Something like that". [What! How are you getting it¡­ admit it¡­ you''re using a cheat!]. "What''s there to cheat about? It''s quite logical," Sato argued, "Let''s assume the path on the right leads to eternal happiness. After you ask your question, both brothers will tell you the exact same thing: "He would say the left path leads to eternal happiness¡­ so there you have it, your answer". [There is no way you thought of this that fast! No way!]. "Hey, don''t me me, I''m even surprising myself." Sato said with a smug look on his face, ''Aril¡­ is this your doing? Cuz I know I ain''t that smart''. <> ''Wow, thanks for the motivation.'' Sato wore a deadpan look as he replied Aril. [You!!!... Fine, I''ll get you this time! Get ready for the third one.] [There are five bags of gold that all look identical, and each has 10 gold pieces in it. One of the five bags has fake gold in it. The real gold, fake gold, and all five bags are identical in every way, except the pieces of fake gold each weighs 1.1 grams, and the real gold pieces each weigh 1 gram. You have a perfectly urate digital gram scale and can use it only once. How do you determine which bag has the fake gold?] Sato sighed, ''This feels so easy even though I know it shouldn''t.'' looking at the cave Sato replied. "Well, simply, Take one gold piece from the first bag, two from the second bag, three from the third bag, four from the fourth bag, and five from the fifth bag. If the weight on the scale ends in .1, then you know the first bag has the fake gold. If the weight on the scale ends in .2, then the second bag has the fake gold, and so on and so forth.,". [Sessor¡­ well I am not surprised.. fine¡­ you may pass.] The mouth of the statue extended and Crustave came rushing out of the opening and straight out of the mouth. Once he was out, he looked around to see Sato heading toward the entrance of the cave and immediately followed. [Listen, once you enter these walls you must promise to never speak of what you see inside unless you are willing to take responsibility for them] Sato halted, "I give you my word." He dered before he continued his advance. Crustave made an effort to follow but since he didn''t partake in the riddle, he wasn''t allowed to swim through. As Sato entered the cave, he immediately felt his feet touch the ground with no water inside the cave. The ground was covered in grass and the sky was as blue as the ocean with nothing but a warm soothing breeze circting the area. The walls were opposite each other, connected to the exit of the cave in the middle of an empty field. There were three bright lights shining at a distance in the sky, and statue legs that grew from the clouds to the earth. The entrance to the cave had no water and was just covered in bricks and all around the cave were different drawings of three beautiful women with olden textures. Sato was intrigued by them, he wandered toward the walls and began observing the drawing on the walls. "Awesome, it looks like some kind of story." Sato blurted, walking around to take in the drawing. <> "So, this was written by the Aditopian? Even though I have no idea who they are, it still feels¡­ awesome." Sato got more excited the more he examined the drawings. <> "Instead of that, could you help me learn to read this¡­ I feel drawn to it." Sato expressed, but his eyes swayed toward the giant legs on the ground. He slowly left the walls and headed toward the legs, when he got there, he noticed they lengthened toward the skies so he flew up to check it out. After flying above the clouds, he noticed their female upper bodies facing each other, carrying different hairstyles and facial beauties. "Another statue? These ones look human, at least¡­ Aril, you done analyzing?." Sato asked. <> "They are all goddesses? Is this some kind of shrine?" Sato inquired. <> Sato moved closer to her statue and looked inside the eye, he was sure he caught a glimpse of a woman sleeping inside a huge blue orb but at the same, but at the same time, he felt an enormous amount of fear build up inside him. He made a decision to seal the cave back and not temper with something he didn''t understand, so he left the cave and spoke with the giant toad. Sato made a deal with the toad, he promised toe down to answer his riddles and in return, the toad should keep the cave safe and in from him if anyone passes through. Chapter 117 Leaving The Village Sato made his way out of the water with Crustave and met Deka and Giron waiting for him at the surface. He came out of the water and a warm steaming haze left his body which immediately dried the water on his body up. "Lord Sato, how was it?" Giron walked toward Sato with Deka following behind him. "He''s right, there''s a cave down there," Sato confirmed, he turned and looked at the river for a while. "Deka!" Sato called out. "Yes." Replied Deka, he walked toward Sato, his dark scythe resting behind his back which made him look more manly. "You called?" Sato looked at him, "Once I''m done here, I need you to get some men to keep an eye on this side of the river frequently." He asserted. "Understood." Deka agreed, "But, what are you going to do to the river, if I may ask". "You''ll see." Sato strolled toward the water and stopped at the level his feet could still touch the rocky ground. Taking a deep breath, Sato raised his hands to the air and all of a sudden, a long rumbling sound began to resonate throughout the ce. A huge wall grew from all four points of the river, gradually closing in on themselves till they were able to form a giant igloo to enclose the section of the river housing the mysterious cave. Deka, Giron, and Crustave''s jaws dropped in shock as they looked at how massive the wall covering the water was. Sato stepped out of the water with a heavy sigh leaving his mouth, "Okay, now that that has been taken care of, I should go check on Diana¡­ what is it?" He asked after seeing the looks on their faces. "Nothing, my lord, it''s just¡­ you." "Darling!!!". Giron was interrupted by the hurried yell that came from the right distance. They all looked to see Erza running toward their position and Sebastian walking behind her. "Erza? What are you¡­" Erza hugged Sato, before pulling back with her arms still wrapped around his neck, "Where have you been for the past two days?". "Well, you see¡­" Erza didn''t let him finish "Doesn''t matter, I came to get you,e, let''s go back to Nervek." Erza informed with a smile on her face. "Ehh?" At first, Sato didn''t understand what he was going to do at Nervek, butter on, Erza exined to him that the royal selection wasmencing the next day. Sato felt a bit overwhelmed by the information, but also knew it was the next step to take. So he took Yuri, Divanchi, and Delta with him to Nervek. Before he left, he made some rules for the vige to follow, mainly based on the bad senses he was having. Do not let any outsider inside the vige till I return. Stop all trade and work till I return. Andstly, was to send the vige''s slime, Celi, to patrol the outskirts of the vige frequently. Afterying down the rules, most of the vigers stood at the entrance as they watched Sato and the rest leave the vige for the royal selection. "Awwn, man, lord Sato is gone again, and he didn''t take me¡­ Again." Jiro let out, walking away with a sad look on his face. Diana, Latina, and Deka were both still standing at the entrance, discussing their thoughts with each other. "So, what should we do now?" Latina asked, "Do you think lord Sato is scared of something? Because I already nned on selling out the new fabrics I made". "We are talking about the same person that defeated the Duke of Nervek¡­ I''m sure has a reason for saying what he did." Deke assured, "Well, I''m off to control the guards, as lord Sato said, no one must enter the Vige". "Hold on there mister!" Daine grabbed the edge of the Scythe on Deka''s back and pulled him, "Lord Sato just indirectly said we should all take a break¡­ you can now focus on your pregnant wife". "D-daina!" Deka stammered. "She''s right, you know, remember, Lord Sato would be very disappointed if he finds out you didn''t take care of me." Latina teased, holding Deka close by the arm. Latina''s stomach had already gotten big since she was already 3 months pregnant. And for elves, the fourth month is usually when they finally give in tobor. Sato, one of the most anticipated people feeling eager to see the baby elf had made sure to do everything to make Latinafortable. Even so much so that some of the beast men started thinking he was the father, he was so enthusiastic about it that he didn''t even think that far ahead. Deka sighed before a soft smile left his lips, "Fine, let''s go". Deka and Latina both walked away, leaving Diana standing at the entrance with a smile on her face. She went toward the second building to her left and went in to see Elena sitting in the darkness on the bed. "Why is it so dark in here?" Diana voiced out, she swarmed her hand around the wall till she felt her hand touch a hard object. She then poured her magic inside and the lights came on. Diana was shocked when she saw Elena on the bed, gone in thought. The ground was scattered with sliced potatoes and on the bed was Elena''s short de. She was folded on the bed, looking at the short de as trauma and fear were written on her face. "Hey, Elena? Are you okay?" Diana raised a question as she approached Elena and sat on the bed. Elena didn''t reply immediately, she looked at Diana before she asked, "Is Lord Sato out of the Vige?". "Yes, he went to Nervek for the royal selection." Diana replied, "So you can..". "I wanna be alone for a while¡­." Elena voiced out. "Is this about¡­ the incident at.." "I''m not scared!" Elena jolted from the bed and leaned toward Daina, "I''m not scared¡­ I promise." She muttered. "O-okay, okay, you''re not scared¡­" Diana said with an anxious look on her face. "Exactly,... I''m not scared." Elena mumbled before she went back to folding herself on the bed. Chapter 118 The Mysterious Man Cometh. "Ahhh!" It was nighttime, and a naked man was standing at the edge of the river, just right beside the huge stone igloo, roaring to the heavens like a wild beast. He was bald and covered in mud with little vines growing at the back of his body while he took steps out of the river. He fell t to the ground with a crazyugh leaving his mouth, "I-I am free." The man muttered. "Free, free, free, free." He kept muttering these words as he wandered around. The man was still naked but that didn''t stop him from moving around. As he sauntered, he noticed a huge farm to his right. The man was feeling hungry so he strolled over there to get something he could eat. Right outside at the border of the river bank were two beastmen patrolling the area. One of them spotted the naked man walking toward them and immediately walked toward him, "Can I help you?" The beast-man asked. The naked man didn''t reply, he kept walking and when strolled past the beast-man. Feeling ignored, the beast-man held the arm of the man. "You are in the wrong residence, we are not having any visitors." The beast-man asserted, stopping the man in his tracks. Slowly tilting his head, the man uttered to the beastmen, "You should remove your hand". "What?" With no warning, the beast man instantly wildered away after his body turned into dust from the contact with the man. The other beast man who saw this wanted to immediately alert the vige to get back up, but the naked man wasn''t going to allow it. The man sped toward the beast man as the sand on the ground began to construct a de around his hand. Once he was close, he held the back neck of the beast man before he drove the sand de into the beast-man''s stomach. The sand de dispersed after it hadpleted its task and the beast man fell to the ground. The man raised his head a bit to the sky as a warm satisfying smile hit his face before he voiced out, "Ahh, I almost forgot this feeling~". He began again his advance toward the farm but this time, the man wore some of the guards'' clothes to coat his private parts. Upon getting to the farm, the man saw Elena, selecting some apples with a basket in her hands. Since the farm was protected by huge wooden fences that encircled the whole farm so no one from the outside could get in. The man held the fence with his hand and rested his head on the fence, "Excuse me." The man called out. Elena peeked at where the voice came from and caught a glimpse of the man wearing only trousers standing outside the fence. "A man?" Elena muttered, she lowered the basket she was holding and moved toward the fence. "Do you need something, sir?" Elena pulled close to get a good look at the man. "S-sorry, I..em, I''m a traveler from far away¡­ I haven''t had anything to eat for days¡­ I¡­would really like some food and a ce to sleep for the night." The man expressed, scratching the side of his neck with every word he said. Elena looked at her basket and sighed before she went over to pick it up and handed two of the apples to the man. As soon as the man made contact with the apples, Deka suddenly yelled from afar, "Elena! What are you doing?" He asked. Elena replied, paying no attention to the man, "it''s a hungry traveler, I''m just giving him some apples". "Traveler?" Deka scrutinized the man for a while, but then his eyes widened when he noticed the trouser the man was wearing. "Wait Elena don''t¡­.!" Elena immediately plunged to her knees when a dark sand-like virus fed from her fingers to her arm all the way to her neck. She began shivering on the ground as the dark sand was spreading all around her body. Deka ran as fast as he could toward Elena, "Elena!" He called out, gliding on the ground to ce Elena''s head on hisp. "Hey! Elena! Elena!" He tore her shirt to see that the sand had already gotten so deep inside her body that it was modifying her skin color. Deka panicked and began calling for help, he also noticed that the man was no longer at the fence which made him feel more furious. ...¡­.. Sato had already arrived at Nervek and was in his room with Divanchi and Yuri staying in the room next to his. Heid on the bed when Aril suddenly threw a message his way. <> ''Yeah¡­ so? I already gave the order to not let anyone in the vige¡­ you don''t always have to inform me of every tiny detail''. Sato said, rolling to the side of the bed as he tried to get some sleep. <> Sato slept off and woke up the next day. His first encounter was with Erza who barged into the room andy beside him, watching him sleep with a smile on her face. Sato opened his eyes to see Erza, "What are you doing here?" He asked. "Hmmm, let''s see¡­ oh right." Erza stood up from bed before she held Sato''s hand and pulled him from the bed. "Father wants to speak to you, the event is today, so chop chop and get ready." Erza pulled Sato''s clothes off as she spoke before hurling him into the bathroom. It was the day for the royal selection, and the sounds of people cheering for their favorite contestant were reverberating throughout the whole of Nervek. And since the contest was built to determine new leaders for the city, a lot of people registered, each wanting to take the spot of being the next council member after about 50 years of d, Puma, and Gudan ruling. ........ A/N Please consider joining my Discord channel if you wish to speak with me and find more information. https://discord.gg/MEjRwYtA The server. Chapter 119 Royal Selection Knock! Knock! Erza banged on the door of Sato''s dressing room, "Darling! Hurry up, don''t be shy, ande out already!" She shouted before she continued mming on the door. "I''m not shy!" Sato eximed from inside the room. A few minutester, Sato walked out of the room, wearing a ck royal outfit that made his red shining eyes pop. Erza was left speechless when she saw him, she explored his body from head to toe and a single word couldn''t leave her mouth. "Erza?" "Uhm¡­, it''s just¡­ you look¡­ handsome." Erza chose her words before she took slow steps toward him. "... Thank you?" Sato looked to the left to hide the flustered expression on his face. Erza helped him straighten the cor of his jacket even though she was blushing so much that her ears were beet red. Both of them avoided eye contact, they both looked away with extremely flustered looks on their faces. The tension in the room broke when Xanxia sauntered in on them and they both had to move away from each other. "Oh?..." Xanxia voiced teasingly with a smug look on her face and her left hand ced in front of her mouth. "Were you two getting steamy in here?" Xianxia continued. Erza suddenly cleared her throat, "What are you doing here Xianxia, I thought I asked you to wait in the carriage?" She tried to keep herself together. Xianxia and her sisters had been serving under Erza as her personal maids ever since Sato left Nervek. Shuna whooshed in too and was immediately astonished when she saw Sato, "Oh my gosh, Lord Sato, you look perfect!" She exaggerated. "Thanks¡­" Sato ambled out of the room to avoid any more eyes, but on his way out, he met Luna walking toward him. Unlike her sisters, she was the only one that wore a maid outfit, which made her look cuter than she already was. "Lord Sato." Luna called out before she halted. "Luna?" Sato uttered, looking at the maid outfit on her, "You know you don''t have to dress like that, right?". "Eh?" Luna emitted with a shy look on her face before she continued, "D-does it look weird on me? Miss Erza was the one that chose it". "Of course she did." Sato muttered with a smug look, "You look great, Luna, well, I''ll see youter." He walked away. ''Dammit, why do I feel so tense.'' He thought to himself as he walked and headed toward d''s room. Erza sighed as she sat on the bed, covering her face to hide the flustered look she had on, "He''s just too much." She murmured. "Lady Erza? Are you alright?" Shuna asked, walking toward her. Erza raised her eyes slightly to look at Shuna, "Have you ever fallen in love before?" She asked. Shuna suddenly smiled, "Oh? Is this about Master Sato?" She questioned mockingly. Erza jerked up from the bed and immediately changed her expression to an earnest one, "Enough of that, we should go to the hall before he gets there¡­ I''ll be the perfect bride, waiting for her husband to win the royal selection with a proud smile on my face". "The carriage is ready, I only came to call you because Sebastian was getting impatient." Xanxia tucked her hand and rested her back on the wall. Erza sighed, "Alright fine, let''s go, he''s my butler, nothing to do about that." She walked out of the room and Shuna and Luna followed. Meanwhile, Sato was already inside d''s room. Even the vampire lord of Trinity was dressed for the auspicious event. "Lord Elf!" Vald voiced out excitedly as he sat on his chair with a smile on his face after spotting Sato. "Duke Vald, I see you''ve been drinking alot." Sato looked to his left to see multiple empty Sak¨¦ bottles packed to the side of the room. d replied, "I''m retired, I believe it''s time I leave like the old man I truly am, in due time you''ll take my role as the Duke of thisnd". Sato dragged on the chair and pulled it opposite d before he sat down on it, "You truly believe I can win this royal selection". "And you don''t think you can?" d asked. "Well, I don''t exactly know who I''ll be going up against, it''s normal you feel a little¡­." "A man who knows his strength but disregards his weakness is a fool, but a man who embraces his weakness and disregards his strength is a bigger fool." Vald spoke, "You''re strong, do not let yourself believe otherwise". Sato was a bit surprised at how d was able to say that with a straight face. Sato smiled before he uttered, "If I do win the royal selection, and I be the Duke of Tamron, your people may not ept me". "That is unavoidable," d continued as he stood to his feet, "Even now, the three races haven''t fully epted themselves, if a new racees to rule over them, they will definitely have a hard time epting it". "I initially formed the council to help strengthen the bond between the three races, and it slowly showed its effect," Vald exined, "So do not panic, in due time, they will ept you and you''ll have the new council behind you". Sato smiled, "I adore how you have so much faith in your people¡­ I, on the other hand, can''t help but fear something bad will happen if I leave them to handle things on their own". "Trust is the first step to building a stable foundation, remove that and all that''s left is a toxic ground to step on." "Trust." Sato muttered before he stood up from the chair and extended his hand toward Vald for a hand shake. "I will win the royal selection and be the Duke of Nervek¡­ this I, Sato Inuhami swear to you." Sato dered with a sure look on his face. With a smile, Vald shaked him, "I never had a doubt in my mind, Lord of elves". Chapter 120 Royal Selection II Ava and her maids went inside their Carriage and presided toward the City''s center halls, d also got inside a different Carrier and followed behind his daughter. Sato was right in front of his carriage, waiting for his personal attendants toe out of the building. Unexpectedly, Delta came rushing out of the mansion with a long blue transparent scarf with her as sheughed. "Delta! You small bitch!" Yuri whooshed out of the door with a frustrated look on her face but immediately went calm when she saw Sato. "Master master, how do I look?" Delta asked, twirling in front of him in the orange dress she had on. Sato replied with a smile, "You look good in that," "Yeyy!" Delta hugged Sato with loud giggles. Yuri walked over to Sato and grabbed Delta by the ear, "Give me back my scarf!" She eximed. "Ow! Ow! Here, here, take it!" Delta handed the red scarf back to Yuri. Yuri snatched the scarf andplimented it around her neck with a smile showing on her face as she looked at Sato, "So, what do you think master?". Sato''s face turned a bit red before he looked to the right and replied "You look good". "Good?... Master? Don''t tell me that''s all you are going to say." Yuri uttered, carrying a dissatisfied look on her. "What do you mean?" A heavy sigh left Yuri''s mouth, "You know¡­ stuff like.. how you wouldn''t mind running away with me". Sato was still for a while, "Well, I mean if you want I could¡­". "Hey, jackass!" Divanchi yelled as she stepped out of the mansion, "Were you guys really nning on leaving me behind?!". She made her way toward the squad, wearing a red dress, opera gloves, and a red clean high heel. Sato was astonished when he saw her, "Divanchi, you look amazing." He blurted out without thinking. <> ''Hold on, once we get to the venue.'' Divanchi gripped her dress with a shy look on her face, "Lord Sato, don''t tter me." She muttered. Yuri, with a foreshadowed look on her face, grabbed Sato by the hand and dragged him inside the carriage. "Hey! Meanie!" Delta ran straight inside the carriage. Divanchi smiled, leaving where she was to enter inside the carriage before the driver sped away from the mansion. As the carriage was on the road, Sato and his people were seated inside, waiting patiently to arrive at the center hall. There were two seats opposite one another, Sato and Delta were seated on one, while Divanchi and Yuri upied the other. While the carriage was moving, Sato had his attention focused on the carriage''s window as he looked to the far distance where his vige was located. ''Hey, Aril¡­ tell me what the warning was about.'' Sato requested. <> ''Hold up! What kind of disease are we talking about?'' Sato asked. << It seems like some kind of virus that weakens the victim''s cell and turns it into sand with time>> ''How the hell did this happen? I thought I made it clear to them not to let anyone into the vige.'' Sato sighed. Snapping his finger, his personal slime, Celi appeared out of a tiny portal. Unlike before, it already had a body and was looking more human. She had the color of a human and took the form of a female but her hair and other parts were still slimes. "Fuu!" Celi voiced out as she posed lewdly on the floor with a lot of her skin exposed. Yuri and Delta couldn''t help but look at her with disgusted expressions, as they wondered who she was. "Celi, I need you to go over to Riojas kingdom and get Latina back to the vige, if she puts up a fight¡­ take her back by force." Sato gave an order. "Fuu! I''m on it." With a ssh, Celi disappeared. With that settled, Sato thought of how he could go check on the disease that caught Elena. ''Aril, send a message to the vige, if the sickness gets worse, they should contact me immediately.'' <> The carriage arrived at the main hall which was not too far from d''s mansion, a reason why Sato was able to hear the chants. Stepping down from the Carriage, the beautiful scenery caught all their attention. There were three huge statues of the former council members being carried around in the festival. Multiple shops at every corner and a lot of royalties from every kingdom, and every noble in the country were present. ording to the information Sato got from Vald, the contest will range between 1-2 days and will cover a total of 3 stages. The first stage will be when random people enter the huge arena, 20 vampires, 20 ghosts, and 20 werewolves, although there could be fewer. They battle each other in a battle royal for about a 30 minutes countdown to see which side has the most contenders. And since Sato was neither Vampires nor ghosts, he was forced to fight alone, meaning unlike the rest he couldn''t afford to lose in the first stage. Sato and the rest, made their way toward the left side of the event since everyone was seated there and patiently waiting for the fight. He sat down beside Ava and d while Divanchi and the rest sat down behind, where he could get a clear view of the stadium. The stadium was divided into multiple sections, each section was filled with different kingdoms who came to watch the event and meet the new Duke. Of all the things that shocked Sato, only one managed to get him to his feet, which was the grand appearance of Demon lord Jira and his attendant, Lilith. Sato''s eyes widened in shock when he saw Jira casually walk in and seated at one of the sections that were filled with demons. ''Jira! What the hell is he doing here?!'' Sato thought to himself as he kept his eyes on Jira. Chapter 121 Royal Selection III : Triple Threat "Wee! To the greatest event in all of Nervek¡­ The Royal selection!" A man dressed in a ck and white outfit spoke inside a magic cone that echoed throughout the stadium. "It''s your host again, Gekaji, and as usual I''ll be here to make sure the selection goes smoothly and fairly." The man continued, seated on a hoveringmentary box which made it easier for him to get a bird''s eye view of the arena. "As you can see, we have the contenders all stationed in the ring, even the Hikiku family''s hair wants to run for council again, pretty dang interesting if you ask me. But this time, the rules have changed, just a bit¡­ ehehehe, this time we have a new contender,peting for the spot to be the new Duke¡­ he is not a vampire but since he is engaged to thedy, he has every right to participate in this." As thementator spoke, all eyes immediately fell on Sato, who was already inside the ring with the rest of the participants. He stood in the midst of the vampires and was still getting death stares from them since most of them were envious about the fact that he was engaged to Erza. "Oi! You don''t belong here¡­ you should turn back before you get hurt, consider this me being generous." Rulios, the son of the Trunrua family, spoke as he looked at Sato on his left. Another female hair to the vampire family, Surama, Nico added, "I don''t understand how you got to enter the d family, but I can assure you winning this won''t be that simple." She proimed with a cold expression. Sato didn''t reply to any of them, at least not until a vampire, with a scar on his face approached Sato and stood in front of him. "So, you are the outsider that got engaged to the daughter of the Trinity lord¡­ you''re really not much to look at." The huge vampire hinted as he stared down at Sato. Sighing, Sato looked up at him, "If you wanna fight so badly, then why don''t you wait for the dance to begin¡­.I''ll be sure to take good care of you." He responded without making any eye contact with the man. The man scoffed, "Let''s hope you don''t chicken out and run." He walked away and stopped when he got to the back of the crowd. <> ''You think so? Nah''. Erza picked up on it and was feeling worried that the match might not be in his favor, so she turned to her dad and gossiped, "Father, I don''t think it was wise sending him down there alone." She fretted. "Sweetheart, have faith in your future husband, it''s true his appearance is deceiving, but that man has the greatest cheat I have ever seen¡­ he can''t be beaten that easily". "Okay! Do not worry, the rules are simple, the winner is decided when the opponent gives up or is incapable of fighting¡­ killing your opponent is not allowed¡­ Are we clear people?¡­.. Perfect¡­. Now you''d be paired with your opponent as soon as the battle begins, which is now..T-The battle begins now!". Multiple colored lights touched down on every single person in the arena. Those who were going to go up against each other had the same color of light fall on them. Back at the stadium, there were multiplerge temtes appearing in the sky, showing live footage of the different battles happening in various ces while thementator supervised. A total of 20 matches were going on at the same time, each teleport took 3 different races, The ghost race, The vampire race, and The werewolf race, making it a triple threat battle. Sato, who had the red lightnd on him, immediately found himself in a different ce. He was teleported to the top of a very huge mountain with nothing but other mountains surrounding him. "So, this must be where my battle is going to be held." Sato said to himself, looking up to see a small crystal soaring around his position. <> ''That was quick.'' Sato muttered, glimpsing at the rock beside him as a smile hit his face before he walked toward it, "I''ll wait for them toe to me". Jimmy, a werewolf, with ck fur covering most of his body, found himself wandering around the mountainside. Just like Sato, he was also teleported with the red light, which meant Sato was going to be his opponent. "Where are they? I''ve been walking for a while now, and I haven''t seen anyone other than these stupid rocksl!" Jimmy eximed before he halted his movement. He suddenly picked up a scent from the giant mountain right in front of him. Jimmy smiled, "Gotcha ." Lowering his legs a bit, Jimmy took a huge leap to the sky and bounced past the height of the mountain. While he was still in mid-air, he looked at the top of the mountain and caught a glimpse of a person posing on a rock with a hood covering their face. "Finally¡­ I can get this party started!" Jimmy had an excited smile on his face as hended on the ground with a loud boom. He walked out of the hole with one of his legs on the edge as he yelled while pointing at the person, "Hey, you there¡­ you''re my opponent, quit sitting there ande at me already!". "Oi! Are you listening to me¡­. I said.." Jimmy suddenly hung back in fear when the person stood up from the rock with an enormous ripple of magic leaving his body. ''W-What kind of power is this?... I''m really going up against this guy?'' Jimmy spoke to him, as he stared at Sato who was ring back at him. A smile hit Jimmy''s face before he clenched his fist with his purple eyes gleaming, "You''re strong, I can tell that much, and I¡­ freaking love taking strong people down¡­ let''s do this!". Chapter 122 Royal Selection IV : Sato Vs Jimmy Jimmy, with a crazy smile on his face, darted from where he stood and charged straight at Sato with a powerful punch following right after. Sato put up his hand and protected the side of his face from getting damaged before he sped the hand of Jimmy and tugged him close. Jimmy shrieked as his body was pulled with pace before he felt his face getting smashed by Sato''s fist. Jimmy''s body went tumbling on the ground beforeing to a stop after he pummeled against a mountain. "Dammit¡­ I''m not done yet!" Jimmy dashed out of the rubles he wasying in and charged straight at Sato again. ''I thought that punch would have done it, I guess he''s tougher than he looks.'' Sato stretched out his hand and a huge fireball began to form. As soon as Sato felt that the fire wasrge enough, he sent it flying straight at Jimmy. The fire burnt the ground so much that coals were slowly forming from every distance it passed. Even after seeing this, Jimmy didn''t wobble. He proceeded with his advance, running straight toward the fire. Once he was close enough, he yelled, pulling out his ws and slicing the fire in two while sending a w-shaped wind toward Sato. The fire took off in different directions, exploding against distinct mountains and causing them to crumble to the ground. Using the distraction, Jimmy suddenly appeared in front of Sato and gave him a boot to the stomach. Sato''s feet slid a few feet back from the force. "Hahahah, how does it feel to be the one getting smashed." Jimmy mocked, standing in front of Sato with a smile. <> ''No, I can handle this without additional magic energy.'' Sato raised his head and smiled, "You''re quite strong." He voiced out. "Uhn? Are you mocking me?" Jimmy snorted as he massaged his left hand, "Look here pal, I know you''re strong so quit holding back and fight me like a real man!". Jimmy mmed his palm in front of him and a huge sonic boom left his hand and pinched Sato from his feet. Jimmy raced, following Sato''s body so he could attack him as soon as hended but things didn''t go as nned for him. "The bigger fool is the one who embraces weakness¡­." Sato muttered before he suddenly stopped mid-air. "Shit!" Jimmy slid after the sudden stop Sato made. ''Aril, I n to go all out, so I need you to control my strength to a limit. I don''t want to identally kill him.'' Sato spoke to his angel. <> "Great¡­ this time, no empathy." Sato, hovering above the ground, raised both his hands in front of him. "What the hell are you doing up there?!" Jimmy shouted, carrying a small boulder that was beside him and throwing it at Sato. "Now begin¡­ Eruption!". Everywhere began trembling as the ground suddenly started blowing up withva squirting from the ground and dropping from the sky. He smacked the boulder away from his front before he pointed at Jimmy, "Let''s dance." Sato voiced out with a calm look on his face. Jimmy made sure he was standing on the highest boulder he could find so he could avoid getting burned by the sea of Lava. "If you think thisva is going to stop me then you''ve got another thinging!" Jimmy yelled, "I ain''t holding back too!". "Second form!... Hell wolf!!!" Jimmy''s body slowly started altering, red fire enveloped his body as different kinds of fire des started appearing around him. He took out a different shape that made him look like he had just walked out of the pit of hell. "I hope you''re ready, cuz I know I am!" Jimmy''s voice echoed as he looked up at Sato while Sato was looking down at him. ...¡­ The third opponent, son of the Wind n, Sanjo, showed up just when Sato and Jimmy were about to fight. He had on an all-white clothing with a white hat topliment his mysterious look as hid behind one of the boulders to spy on Sato and Jimmy. "These guys aren''t messing around." Sanjo muttered resting his back on the rock as he tried to calm himself. Ady in the same white attire was sitting on a small rock as her veil was dancing in the wind. She had white pupils and long silver hair that fell behind her as a white snow tiger was resting beside her. "Are you afraid? Even with me with you? I feel insulted." Thedy uttered calmly, patting the back of the tiger beside her as she smiled. "That''s not it, Daphne, can''t you sense the intense Manaing from those two?" Sanjo replied before he stood up from where he was seated. He could see theva flowing below the boulder and as now bits of the hot liquid were raining on the ground. "Drop the act Master, I know you far better than that¡­ you n to wait for one of them to fall before youe in, is that right?" Daphne asked. "That''s so touching, you know me so well." Sanjo walked to the edge of the boulder where he could get a good view of the fight. "The red guy might be a problem, but not so much that I can''t win against him, he shouldn''t be a problem." Sanjo exined. "But¡­" Daphne chimed in. "The dude in ck is another story entirely, one wrong move with him and I''m dead¡­ that said, he is failing in a little something, he doesn''t have the heart of a warrior". "He doesn''t?". "Yes Daphne, he doesn''t, and I n to use that to my advantage, trust me, he wouldn''t kill me even if I spat in his face," Sanjo smiled, "So to win against him, I just have to ce him in a state where he couldn''t kill me but has to¡­ yes, I can already see myself winning this". Chapter 123 Royal Selection V: Satos New Opponent Sato touched down with his legs sliding against the ground; a ck oozing power energy circting his body as he tried toe to a standstill. While Sato was still in motion, Jimmy in his hell wolf, ran up the high stone and leaped above Sato before sending down a pour of fire to the ground. Sato, still skating on the ground, put up a razor of water above his head to block the fire from touching him. Once the fire had ceased rushing down on him, Sato rescinded the water razor he had around him only to see numerous ming swords charging at him from all directions. "He has freaking swords?!" Sato stood in the center as all the swords were speeding towards him. He instantly dematerialized his body into the air before he came together in mid-air to see Jimmy on top of a rock. "Nice." Imitating a bow and arrow, Sato formed a water arrow so big the shadow darkened the ground below him. "Go ahead! Bring it on!" Jimmy yelled, holding two des in his hands as mes danced on his body. Sato sent the swirling water arrow speeding toward Jimmy. The arrow kept breaking sound barriers the further it went. Jimmy was fully prepared to take the attack head on, or so he thought. The closer the water arrow got the more Jimmy realized it was more than he could handle. "Dammit." Before Jimmy could move from his standing, the massive water arrow had already connected with his body and caused the ground to implode on Itself. A huge pit formed where the arrow impacted, with Jimmyying inside the pool of water that had filled the pit. Sato levitated above the pit, looking down at it as his eyes gleamed and his hair danced in the cool wind that blew. A look of wonder hit Sato on the face when he could still sense Jimmy moving in the pit of water, ''Are you for real? The dude is still moving?'' He voiced out. While he was slightly unconscious, Jimmy sank deep inside the pit, slowly healing the injuries on his body. Completely healed up from the previous attack he took from Sato, Jimmy suddenly sprung open his eyes before giving a silent yell underwater. Fire heated up around his body which caused the water to boil. Sato nced down at the boiling water with a calm look on his face; with a sigh, hended on the ground and walked toward the pit. The water kept simmering up with a red gleaming fire showing on the bottom. With an eruption of water, Jimmy''s head popped out of the water''s surface. But before he could get the rest of his body out of the water; the water froze, leaving only Jimmy''s head sticking out of the ice. "W-what the hell!?" Jimmy shouted, struggling to move his frozen body. His eyes wandered to the left to see Sato bent at the edge of the pit with his middle finger positioned above the ice. "You! You''re so dead when I get out of here!"Jimmy threatened, trying to burn his way out but the mes couldn''t get past the middleyer of the ice. A sigh escaped his mouth, "I have you trapped, this would be a good time to give in." Sato advised. "Give in? Ah!" Jimmyughed, "You''ve got to be kidding me, like hell I''ll give in¡­I still have a lot more to give you asshole!". "Oh, well I tried." Sato stood up and stepped back with his hand raised to the sky. "What the dush are you doing?" "I mean, I''d rather not do this but you''ve really given me no choice." His hands raised to the sky, and lightning began tearing out from the ground and forming a spear above his head. The spear grew lengthier with the tip pointed at Jimmy who was already panicking at the sight. Flicking his finger, Sato sent the spear straight at Jimmy, scattering the ground to pieces with a grand explosion adding to the effect. Once the smoke and destruction had cleared, Sato stood in front of Jimmy''s unconscious body and sighed. ''Aril, I told you to reduce the damage,''. <> ''Can you ever admit you are wrong¡­ just once.'' Sato stretched his hand toward Jimmy and a bright green light began to glisten on Jimmy''s body which was recuperating the werewolf. <> ''Cute face but a bossy attitude¡­ Tch!'' Sato scoffed, looking up at the boulder to his left. <> ''Yeah sure.'' Sato faced the boulder that he had his eyes on for a while before he voiced out, "You can stop hiding now, show yourself". Silence took over, light from theva shining in the background while the pool of water made puddle sounds that echoed throughout the ce. Finally making up his mind, Sanjo walked out of hiding and revealed himself as he peeked down at Sato from the boulder. "This is supposed to be a triple threat, were you nning on hiding all through the fight?" Sato emitted with his head slightly lifted to get a good view of who he was speaking to. "I wasn''t hiding, I was simply conserving my energy, totally different things." Sanjo responded, "And besides, thanks to my patience, I now know how to defeat you". Sato red, "Is that so?". "Oh yes I do," Sanjo jumped down from the boulder andnded a few feet away from Sato, "The question is, how long is it going to take to bring you to your knees". A white tiger slowly came out of hiding from behind Sato and right beside him was Daphne sitting on a rock with a smile on her face. Sato grinned as magic energy started emitting from his body, ''Is it me, or Am finally enjoying this?''. Chapter 124 Royal Selection VI: The Second Battle Jira spectated the whole fight between Sato and Jimmy and was feeling irritated at the results. His eyes rolled over to d and was even more annoyed at the excited expression d had on his face. With his fist resting under his jaw, d whispered to Lilith who was seated beside him, "Did you do everything as asked you to?". Lilith replied, "Sorry, not yet¡­ she is being heavily guarded." She looked at the Erza and saw the three mermaids beside her. "Are those her new bodyguards?" Jira asked, keeping his eyes on the fight happening on the temte. "Appears so, but not to worry, I already sent Lit and darkness to carry the task, I''m sure it will be done soon." Lilith reassured. "Better, do not disappoint me." Jira voiced out, ncing at d again who in turn stared back at him. d sighed once Jira shifted his attention away from him; looking at Erza, he issued to Erza,"Do not get up from this ce for no reason". "Uhn?" Erza questioned with a puzzled look on her face, she knew her dad to be protective but not to the point that he''d want her close at all times . "What do you mean don''t move?!" Erza whispered back. "Don''t overreact, there is something going on here and until I figure it out, I don''t want you moving from where you are." d insisted, looking at Erza with a profound expression on his face. She pouted, tucking her arms together before she rested her back on the chair, "I hate this." Erza muttered to herself. On the right nk of the stadium, were the ghost empire, who was desperately hoping for their race to win. Amongst the crowd, were the Yokai n, and its leader Rumpa, whose son, Shiver was participating in the Royal selection. He was feeling excited as he focused all his attention on the temte above him with anticipation of his son winning. [Battle 2: Environment open war zone] The second battle had already begun and the vampire who was amongst the triple threat had been taken out. Leaving only Striver and the werewolf named Dorio to face up against each other with no one to interfere. "The face that you were willing to take out the Vampire showed that you are indeed a warrior." Dorio uttered, standing a few feet away from Striver. "Don''t get ahead of yourself, I simply did that because I detest these so-called vampires¡­ I just can''t stand to have them near me, so taking care of him seemed like the smartest decision to make." Striver replied. As they stood facing each other, a fierce wind blew through the field, stirring up the tall grass and leaves. Striver raised his hands, and a dark cloud formed above his head, crackling with electricity. Dorio flexed his muscles, his veins bulging as he prepared for the impending battle. The two men charged towards each other, Striver sending bolts of lightning towards Dorio, who deftly dodged and weaved around them. As Striver continued to hurl spells, Dorio closed the distance between them andnded a powerful punch that sent Striver tumbling backwards. But Striver was not defeated yet. As he got back on his feet, he summoned a swarm of shadowy tendrils that slithered towards Dorio. Dorio grunted as he felt the tendrilstch onto him, draining his strength. But just as it seemed like all hope was lost, Dorio''s healing powers kicked in, and he felt his wounds start to close up. With renewed vigor, he wrenched himself free from the tendrils and charged towards Striver once again. Striver conjured a shadowy portal behind him, and disappeared into it. Dorio followed closely behind, and found himself in a dark and eerie realm, filled with shadowy creatures. Striver stood at the far end of the realm,ughing maniacally as he unleashed a barrage of spells at Dorio. But Dorio was not one to give up easily. He gritted his teeth, and with a mighty roar, he summoned all his strength, breaking free from the spell''s hold. He lunged towards Striver, his fists glowing with a golden light. Striver tried to defend himself with his magic, but it was no use. Dorio''s punchesnded with an incredible force, sending Striver reeling backwards. But just before Striver could hit the ground, a shadow showed up on the ground and his body sunk in. "You''re not going anywhere!" Dorio shouted following Striver inside the shadow before it closed up. Striver stood in the middle of a dark and misty forest, his hands crackling with dark energy. His opponent, a towering werewolf named Dorio, snarled at him from across the clearing. "You think you can defeat me, human?" Dorio growled, his voice deep and guttural. "I am a werewolf, imbued with strength and speed beyond your wildest dreams." Striver smirked. "You underestimate the power of shadow magic. Let me show you what I can do." With a wave of his hand, Striver summoned a swarm of shadowy tendrils that snaked towards Dorio. The werewolf leapt into the air, dodging the tendrils andnding gracefully on a nearby tree. "You''ll have to do better than that, human," Dorio taunted. "Your magic is no match for my strength." But Striver was not deterred. He raised his hands again, and this time, the tendrils turned into dark spikes that erupted from the ground. Dorio snarled as he tried to avoid the spikes, but one caught him in the leg, tearing through his thick fur. "Argh!" Dorio howled in pain, before charging towards Striver with incredible speed. But Striver was prepared. He conjured a wall of shadows that stopped Dorio in his tracks, and then sent bolts of dark lightning crashing down upon him. The forest shook as the lightning struck the ground, causing trees to splinter and rocks to crumble. Dorio roared in rage as he pushed through the wall of shadows, but Striver was too fast for him. He danced around the werewolf, weaving intricate spells that sent Dorio stumbling and tripping. "You cannot defeat me, werewolf," Striver spat. "Your strength is nothingpared to the power of shadow magic." But Dorio was not one to give up easily. With a ferocious growl, he lunged towards Striver, his ws glinting in the dim light. Striver dodged and weaved around him, but Dorio''s speed and strength were too much for him to handle. In the end, Striver was overpowered, and he stumbled backwards, panting heavily. Dorio towered over him, his eyes zing with fury. "You win, I admit defeat" Striver gave up. "Your strength simply surpassed mine, I lost". With that, Dorio turned and disappeared into the misty forest, leaving Striver to nurse his wounds Chapter 125 Royal Selection VII: Aois Win. On a remote ind surrounded by water, a battle was being fought. People were watching through a magic screen hovering above a stadium, eager to witness the sh between three skilled fighters. Each contender was fighting to win but also to impress their father''s who will be watching with anticipation of their victories. The first fighter was a female vampire named Aoi, a sadistic and strong woman who enjoyed fighting and making her opponents suffer. She had mastery in ice magic, light magic, and copy magic. Her ability to counter attacks made her a formidable foe. Standing across from Aoi was Stormer, a werewolf with superhuman strength and wielding a sword capable of cutting anything. He had respect for women but would do anything to win. Stormer''s father''s name was Simvic, who was the head of the farming division of Nervek. Thest opponent was Rupa, who was only super fast and had no background. As the three fighters prepared to face off against each other, the audience watched in awe, eagerly anticipating the sh that was about to take ce. The stakes were high, with each fighter putting everything on the line to prove their worth. Aoi was the first to make a move, charging toward Rupa with lightning-fast speed. Rupa, who was known for his superhuman speed, was caught off guard by Aoi''s sudden attack, but managed to dodge her blow just in time. As Rupa evaded Aoi''s attack, Stormer made his move, swinging his sword toward Aoi''s neck. Aoi quickly countered with a st of ice magic, deflecting Stormer''s sword and sending him staggering backward. Rupa saw his opportunity and lunged toward Aoi, his speed allowing him to move faster than the vampire could react. Aoi was forced to use her copy magic to create a duplicate of herself, confusing Rupa and allowing her tond a powerful blow. As the two fighters shed, the audience watched in awe as the battle raged on. Aoi and Rupa were evenly matched, with each fighter using their unique abilities to gain the upper hand. Stormer watched from the sidelines, biding his time and waiting for the perfect moment to make his move. He knew he had to be careful, as Aoi''s ice magic and Rupa''s speed made them formidable opponents. As the battle continued, Aoi and Rupa exchanged blow after blow, each one more powerful than thest. Aoi was starting to tire, her magic draining her energy with each st. Rupa saw his opportunity and lunged towards Aoi once again, but this time he was prepared. Hended a powerful blow, sending Aoi flying backwards and crashing into the ground. Stormer saw his chance and charged towards Rupa, his sword raised high. Rupa was caught off guard, his superhuman speed not enough to evade Stormer''s attack. With a powerful swing of his sword, Stormernded a blow that sent Rupa flying across the arena, unconscious. As Aoi struggled to get back to her feet, she saw Stormer looming over her, his sword raised and ready to strike. She knew she had to act fast if she wanted to survive. With a flick of her wrist, Aoi conjured a copy of herself, confusing Stormer and giving her an opening to strike. Shended a powerful blow, sending Stormer flying across the arena. As Stormer struggled to get back to his feet, he looked up at the hovering magic screen and saw his father, Simvic, watching. He knew he couldn''t lose, not with his father watching. He charged towards Aoi again, his sword glinting in the sunlight. Aoi countered with a barrage of ice and light magic, but Stormer''s strength proved too much for her. Hended a powerful blow, sending her flying across the arena. Aoi struggled to get back to her feet, but she refused to give up. With a determined look in her eyes, she conjured a blizzard of ice around Stormer, freezing him in ce. She followed up with a st of light magic, shattering the ice and sending Stormer flying backwards once again. The audience cheered as Aoi emerged victorious. She looked down at Stormer, feeling a twinge of sadness for him. "I''m sorry it had to end this way," Aoi said softly. "But it was either you or me." With that, Aoi turned and left the arena, leaving Stormer to nurse his wounds and contemte his defeat. But as hey there, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of respect for the female vampire who had defeated him. "I can''t believe a woman can defeat me." Stormer uttered in shame as heid on the ground. "You put up a good fight, but not enough to defeat me. Sadly, maybe one day you''ll find a woman that you can suppress." Aoi replied before she walked away. A portal that led back to the stadium showed up in front of her and with a deep breath; She walked through, only to meet 7 more contenders standing outside on the stadium. Three vampires, two wolves, and two ghosts, each having a tiring look on their faces which indicated that they had just finished fighting. But none of them caught Aoi''s attention, she looked around her as she was desperately looking for a particr person. ''Where''s he?'' Aoi thought to herself, looking at the floating screens in the sky one by one till she found who she was looking for. "There you are." Aoi smiled, looking at the screen where Sato was battling with Sanjo in a very intense match. Every vampire in the stadium was cheering for their favorite contender but only the forever knight, who knew what Sato did to save them when Gudan and Puma ambushed them, prayed for Sato''s victory. With seven participants, although done with the first stage, they waited for the remaining 13 to finish so they could move to the next stage. The next stage that would determine who would qualify for the final, one vampire, one werewolf, and one ghost wille out as the winner and next council members of Nervek. Chapter 126 Royal Selection VIII: How Do I Beat Him. His foot touched the ground, eyes glowing red; As Sato unleashed his powers, a powerful red beam shot out from his eyes, illuminating the surroundings with its intense light. The beam was so powerful that it could melt even the toughest of metals. "You''re going to have to try harder than that!" Sanjo, who was in mid-air, saw the attacking and quickly constructed a shield from his massive ck hammer to block it. The shield crackled and strained under the immense pressure of the beam but held strong, shielding Sanjo from harm. Sato continued to shoot the beam, trying to overpower Sanjo''s shield. Suddenly, Sanjonded on Sato with incredible force, and the ground beneath them imploded with a loud boom. The impact created a massive shockwave that sent debris flying in all directions. The surrounding area was engulfed in chaos as the ground shook violently and buildings crumbled to the ground. mes erupted from the wreckage as explosions ripped through the air. Sanjo stood inside the dust as looked at his shield, "Damn, it cracked?" He reconstructed the shield back to a hammer. Sato was on his knees, slowly standing to his feet, his body oozing with steam from the fire. Even though his head was facing the ground, one could still see the red glowing lights emitting from his eyes. "That was pretty good." Satoplimented "You think that was good? "Sanjo smiled, "No worries, there''s alot where that came from!". As Sanjo raised his hammer to strike Sato with all his might, Sato suddenly disintegrated into a cloud of dust. The dust reassembled itself behind Sanjo, "You should rest, you''ve had enough fun for one day¡­ very bad habit." He said with a powerful blow to his back, Sato sent Sanjo flying across the ground. "Shit¡­ I was careless." Sanjo tumbled uncontrobly,nding hard on the ground and rolling over several times beforeing to a stop. He struggled to get back up as Sato approached him, delivering a series of kicks that sent him skidding away. "You can give up now, or you can end up like thest guy, your pick," Sato taunted, "I really can''t see myself holding back on you, so if I were you, I''d choose wisely." Sanjo struggled to catch his breath as he looked around at the destruction wrought by Sato''s powers. Buildingsy in ruins, and the ground was torn apart, with sonic booms still echoing through the air. "How can one person be this strong? None of my attacks have worked so far¡­ damn it." Sanjo wondered to himself, his mind racing as he tried toe up with a n. But he knew that he had to act fast if he was going to stop Sato''s rampage. "You may think you''ve won this, but you haven''t¡­ Sato," Sanjo grunted as he got back to his feet, "but I wonder, how far are you willing to take it?". Sato sighed at Sanjo''s bravado, "How far am I willing to take it?" He repeated, ''To be honest I''d rather win this without hurting anyone but even I know it''s impossible¡­ so if hurting you let me win, then that''s exactly what I''m going to do". "Now you''re just getting cocky!" Sanjo darted toward Sato. Sanjo charged towards Sato, hammer in hand, ready to strike. Sato braced himself, preparing to counter Sanjo''s attack. But just as Sanjo was about to strike, two straight white veils suddenly shot up from the ground, blocking his path. Sato''s ability to see into the future kicked in, giving him a split-second warning of the impending danger. ''What the?...''. Reacting quickly, he leapt back to avoid the veils. But just as hended, Sato felt a sharp presence in his side. Looking to his left, Sato saw a massive white tiger charging towards him, its ws extended. Sato had no time to react as the tiger''s w raked across his side, leaving a deep gash in its wake. Sato stumbled backwards, ''Damn, I didn''t expect they''d be fighting too.'' Hended on his feet and stared at the open wound in his hand. He could feel his injury starting to heal, but he knew that he was in a hole as he looked at the three opponents standing a few distance away from him. ''Is this even allowed?'' Sato questioned. <> ''So they are cheating?'' < > ''Now I just feel cheated on." Sato sighed, ''Is this how you n to duel me?! I expect more from you." Sato shouted, taking a slow steady step toward Sanjo. Sanjo looked at his tiger and bodyguard and couldn''t help feeling a bit insulted, "I thought I told you two not to interfere." He argued. "If Tomoe and I hadn''t showed up, you would have already lost and you know that." Daphne responded, "Quit being stubborn and let us help you". If there''s one thing Sanjo liked about her is that, she would do anything it took to protect him, regardless of who''s in front of her. He made up his mind and stepped to the front, "Alright fine, what about the eyes watching us." Sanjo asked with his attention focused on the screen above the battle ground. "I''m in spirit form right now, they can''t see me through a magic source, so we are cool." Daphne replied, the white vail dancing around her body like a snake. "Alright, let''s show this guy why the wind n is made up." Sanjo spoke out with a crazy smile on his face. "If you say so," Daphne uttered while the tiger beside her roared. Sato was fully ready to begin the battle, and from the smirk on his face, anyone could tell he was enjoying himself. <> ''Time''s almost up, so I have to end it soon anyway,... Let''s do this''. Chapter 127 Royal Selection IX: Anticipated Rivalry Sato''s eyes zed with intense focus as he unleashed a ferocious st of fire from his right hand. The scorching mes licked at the air, casting a warm orange glow that illuminated the battlefield. On his left hand, a torrent of ice frost poured forth, freezing the ground and sending shards of ice flying in all directions. He spun around with dizzying speed, his body moving fluidly as he dodged and weaved through the attackers. But despite his best efforts, Daphne managed to slip past his defenses. She quickly wrapped her veil from afar around his hand, extinguishing the mes and leaving his right nk exposed. "Any time now," Daphne said through gritted teeth, struggling to maintain her hold on Sato. "Great, keep him there!". Sanjo saw his opportunity and sprang into action, running in a tight circle as a dark cloud began to form above him. The air crackled with electricity as he channeled his powers, summoning a bolt of lightning to strike at their enemies. ''Aril, increase the magic circuit.'' Sato said, grabbing the veil and yanking Daphne close before wrapping the veil around her hand and tossing her to the side. Sato seized the moment, summoning all of his strength and unleashing a powerful burst of elemental energy. mes, frost, lightning, and even light magic intermingled in a dazzling disy of power, illuminating the battlefield with a brilliant light. Daphne and Sanjo stood steadfast by Sato''s side, their own powers at the ready. The trio fought as one, moving with a fluid grace that belied their immense strength and skill. The tiger suddenly showed up from the back, Sanjo charging from the front, and Daphne from the side, all in favor of taking down Sato. Taking a deep breath, Sato suddenly sprung open his eyes and all around him were rotating lights spinning around like a starting engine whose main goal was to distract those behind it. "What are¡­" Before Sanjo could continue his sentence, Sato had already lifted from the ground with a boom before appearing in front of Sanjo andnding a powerful blow to his stomach. The force of the blow sent shockwaves through the air, shaking the ground beneath their feet. ''H-How¡­?'' Sanjo''s body convulsed in pain as he was sent hurtling backwards, crashing to the ground with a sickening thud. "Sanjo!" Daphne cried out, both she and the tiger immediately stopped their approach as they watched Sanjo''s damaged body tumble on the ground. Sato stood tall, looking behind him as he spoke to Daphne, "I believe I''ve won, but of course, you are free to retaliate, in which case I''ll dly obliged". Dephen moved back, showing Sato that she doesn''t want to put up a fight anymore since she could already see the oue. Back at the arena, everyone who watched the fight had their jaws dropped in shock as they wondered how Sato won against two contenders. A mare individual, whose race is unknown but someone manages to defeat both a ghost and vampire, top ranking monsters. Kings and even Lords were discussing amongst their advisers, asking them to get more Intel on who this Sato fe was. A portal opened up in the middle of the arena and Sato walked out of it with a worried look on his face. As soon as Erza and Yuri saw him, they sprung up from their chairs with a smile on their faces. "Haah, you did it master!". "Darling, great job!". Hearing each other''s cheers cancel out one another, Erza and Yuri red at each other while still carrying a forced smile on their faces. Divanchi was in her seat, her arms folded with a proud look on her face, knowing her master won the match easily. All around, portals started opening up, since the time was up, some had no losses and others had just one. This meant before they could move to the next stage, they had to rate them ording to the damage taken. Those with less damage will be the ones to move to the next stage and participate in the second round, as thementator announced. Everyone went to their respective houses giving them to stay in until the royal selection was over. Sato was backstage, walking toward the exit of the stadium so he could meet up with Erza and his attendants. But as he strolled, he had constant burdening thoughts in his mind, feeling unsettled about the vige. ''Aril, has no one issued an update about the sickness?'' Sato asked as he walked. <> ''I see.'' Sato sighed, ''Why can''t I shake this feeling in my chest?''. < > ''Yeah, true, that was the first time I actually found thrill in fighting, it''s a pretty good feeling.'' Sato replied. But he was quick to halt his movement when he noticed Jira and Lilith standing in front of him from a distance. Sato red at Jira before he continued walking, he didn''t stop after he got close to Jira. "So, The Lord of Elves is participating in the tournament? That''s news to me." Jira spoke, with his back still turned to Sato. Sato halted and did the same, not turning his attention toward Jira but still replying. "Oh, are you nning on having Nervek also?". "Don''t be ridiculous, Nervek already belongs to me." Jira asserted, "And the same will be of the witch''s forest when I crush you with my bare hands". "Can''t wait to see your face after I defeat you and take the title of demon lord from you¡­ then you''ll truly be left with nothing". Boom! Divanchi suddenly sped behind Sato, using her hand to hold the huge metal fist that materialized from the magic book that Lilith was holding. The punch was supposed to have crushed Sato, considering the size, but Divanchi was quick to step in. "We''ll meet 2 weeks from now, you can bet I''ll be ready to take you on, Let''s go Divanchi," Sato uttered before he walked away. Divanchi let go of the hand and it went back inside the book, all Jira and Lilith did was watch Sato and Divanchi walk away while carrying frustrated looks on their faces Chapter 128 We Just Want You To Feel Good. After his unexpected encounter with Jira, Sato was called to an interview with one of the biggest kingdoms in the demon empire. The meet-up took about five hours, and by the time Sato was done, it was already night time and he was heading toward his given apartment. He was exhausted, and his n was to go inside and have a good rest. The best stage didn''t start until the next two days, so he knew he could use those spare time to dig up some nning. Reaching for the door, Sato sighed, "I''ve never been this tired before, feels like my inside is breaking apart." He uttered as he turned the doorknob. The inside of the room was pitch ck with only red glowing rose petals positioned on the ground giving the room a bit of light. Sato closed the door and the light immediately came on. To his surprise, he found Erza and Yuri posing sexually on the bed. They were both wearing ck and red lingerie which was enough for Sato to be dumbstruck. "Wee back, Master~." Yuri voiced out before she slowly got off from the bed and strolled toward Sato. "Ehh? What is going on here?" Sato muttered, looking at both Yuri and Erza approach him in their colored lingerie. Erza went to his back and began pulling his coat off, "You''ve been through stress already, let us help you feel good." She said as she tossed the coat to the side. ''Feel good?'' Sato froze up from the tension, but at the same time enjoyed where it was heading. Yuri went to her knees and pulled down his trousers, exposing Sato''s dick print to her and leaving her face beet red from the shock of its size. Davanchi also walked out of the bathroom, wearing the same lingerie, except hers was white and she had her hair packed in a ponytail. "Divanchi? You also¡­" "I haven''t done this before, so bear with me." Divanchi spoke over Sato''s words as she walked toward him. As soon as Yuri stood up from Sato''s legs, Divanchi took over, cing her hands on the brinks of Sato''s underwear. ''Wow wow wow. wow,'' Sato screams internally, ''Is this alright¡­'' He looked to Erza behind him, "A-Are you alright with this?" A seductive smile appeared on Erza''s face as she wrapped her arm around Sato''s back, "I decided this¡­ wouldn''t be fair if you don''t have concubines for yourself¡­ all Lords have one". "I see¡­" Sato murmured. "That''s why we nned this night, to make you feel good~". Divanchi pulled down Sato''s underwear, and his dick sprung out, hitting Divanchi on the face before it began bulging from the immense erection. Sato felt a great sense of pleasure rush past his blood streams when Divanchi grabbed hold of his dick and sunk her whole mouth in. She began sloping it, pushing her head back and forth as her saliva covered the dick to the lower part. Erza watched, her juices dripping from her pussy as she felt her lust growingrger by the second. She ced one of her fingers inside her G spot and began railing it up, "Haaa~," Erza moaned, one of her arms still wrapped around Sato''s chest. "S-Sato~." Erza used her hand to tilt Sato''s head to look at her, "Kiss me Sato~." She moaned. Wasting no time, Sato grabbed her by the neck and pushed his lips onto hers, smooching and leaving Erza running mad on ardor. They slowly moved from the ground toward the bed, where Sato had Yuri in a doggy style, Erza was being fingered by him on the bed and Divanchi had her ass shot out as she patiently waited for his dick. "Hhh~ Master''s dick is inside me~" Yuri moaned, having an asshole pounded from the back. One by one they all had Sato fuck them, till they were leftying on the bed with a creampie leaking out of their ''Little sisters''. ...¡­. The next day, Sato woke up to the early morning sunlight streaming through the window. As he slowly opened his eyes, he realized that he was sleeping alone on the bed with only Erza beside him, still fast asleep. Sato couldn''t contain his excitement from the previous day''s adventure, and his heart was racing with happiness. "Yesterday was incredible!" Sato eximed as he jumped out of bed, feeling a rush of energy surging through his body. He ran over to the window and gazed outside, where he saw the beautiful morning sky and the busy people below. He turned back to the bed, where Erza was still sleeping peacefully. Sato couldn''t help but smile at the sight of her, looking so calm and serene in her slumber. He tiptoed over to her, leaned down, and nted a gentle kiss on her forehead. ''Okay¡­ now back to business.'' Sato thought to himself walking straight into the bathroom. Once he was done bathing and freshening up, he walked out of the bathroom to meet Yuri and Divanchi seating in the room while Erza was upright on the bed. "Yuri, Divanchi?" Sato had a towel around his waist and another on his hands that he was using to dry his hair. He sat down on the couch, looking at their beaming faces, ''I guess I wasn''t the only one feeling happy this morning¡­ but of course, this uneasiness is killing me''. "Master." Divanchi suddenly voiced out, "Are you feeling better now?" She asked. "Uhn?". "Well, yesterday after the match, we noticed you didn''t look too happy, actually I''ve noticed it for a while now, that was why we thought we could help relieve your stress ¡­ with sex." Yuri chimed in, a grin showing on her face when she said thest word. ''They''ve been watching me?'' Sato smiled, "Thanks guys, I won''t lie and say something that isn''t bothering me. But I don''t even know what". Yuri stood up from the bed, "Is it about the vige?" She raised a question. Sato sighed and rested his back on the chair, "Seems like it ¡­ I heard Elena had a sickness and Latina had left the vige even after I said not "Fine, I''ll go". "Uhn?" "I''ll go check on the vige ande back with news, that should cheer you up." Yuri repeated with a smile on her face. Chapter 129 The Deathful Encounter Yuri helped Sato and decided to go back to the vige to check up on things ande back with the report. She didn''t take any means of transportation, instead, she chose to fly which was much faster. "I don''t understand why he''s so worried, it''s not like we don''t have strong guards securing the vige¡­ he''s such a worrywart," Yuri muttered to herself as she soared through the sky. Just when she had gotten to the first district in Nervek, Yuri looked to her right and noticed a path leading to the Riojas kingdom. Yuri halted and looked at the kingdom, she then remembered Sato mentioning, Latina going to the kingdom, so she went over to check. Arriving at the kingdom, she used her magic to search the ce, but she couldn''t sense Latina anywhere there. So she left to continue her advance toward the vige, but just on her way there, she caught a glimpse of a beast man,ying on the ground injured close to dismantled carriages. Yuri took the initiative and went to check up on him since she was sure she had seen his face in the vige before. Touching down on the ground, Yuri knelt beside the man and ced her hand on his chest to feel his heartbeat. "He''s still breathing." Yuri uttered, she immediately ced her hand on the beast-man''s forehead and used her healing magic to patch him up. The beastman suddenly sprung up from the ground with fear written on his face, "Please, don''t kill me, please don''t kill me!" The man repeated over and over. "Hey, calm down!" Yuri yelled, grabbing the arm of the beastman. "He''s going to kill me¡­ kill me¡­!". Paaa! Yuri sent a fast p to the beastmen, "Get yourself together and tell me what happened!". The beastman looked at Yuri, his eyes widened in terror like he had just witnessed a traumatic scene. "Ldy, you have to get out of here¡­ he''s going to kill you too¡­ he killed everybody, everyone died!" The beastman sobbed. "But somehow you managed to escape the massacre¡­" Yuri muttered before she stood to her feet. "I-I barely survived, he was so strong and mighty, I only got lucky¡­ but my friends." The beastman sobbed even more as he spoke. "Is that so?" Yuri nced down at the beastmen, "It''s more than luck.. you managed to get out unscathed and even had time to mimic fake injuries on yourself, faith must be on your side". The beastman paused for a while before he beganughing, standing to his feet as he covered his face with his palm. "Looks like you got me." The beastman said with a huge grin. His body started to transform into a human man, with a bald head and wearing only trousers with no top. "Ahhh, all my acting went to waste¡­ damn you for ruining it." The man said disappointely but with a happy smile on his face. "I don''t know you and you don''t know me¡­ good enough to let our fist do the talking." Yuri uttered with her eyes set on the man. "Don''t get too pushy, let''s chat a bit." The man said, reaching inside one of the carriages and pulling out a woman whose neck had already been snapped. Some parts of her body had already darkened and a ck sand-like substance was trailing out of her eyes, mouth, and other open areas on her body. Yuri watched with disgust as the man used his hand to rip the woman''s hand from her shoulder. p¦Á§ád¦Á-¨¾?¦Í¨º|¡¤§ã¨®§® "Do you want a piece?" The man asked, raising the severed hand toward Yuri while the blood dripped on the ground. Yuri sighed, "At first I thought you were an enemy, but considering the woman you brought out is a human, it''s of no use to me." Yuri walked away, looking around to see more dead bodies scattered on the floor, and every one of them having the same features, ck substance dripping from every open area on their faces. The man raised the arm above his head and opened his mouth for the blood to plnge inside his mouth. After having his fill, he tossed the arm to the side and smiled, "Still fresh¡­" He uttered before standing to his feet. He took his time, cleaning the blood in his mouth and dusting the dirt on his body. "An, I can''t believe I let her go¡­ she looked so interesting~". Baaam! Yuri suddenly showed up with a punch straight to the man''s face as fury embodied her eyes. The man''s body went tumbling on the ground, over and over again till his body came to a stop. Even though his face had been broken and his jaw had dropped, he still had a happy expression as hey t on the ground. "Heheh, you came back." The man mumbled, standing to his feet while using his hand to pack up his jaw. Yuri was standing a few feet in front of him, with seven pink giant tentacles, growing out from the ground beside her. "You have no idea what you''ve gotten yourself into," Yuri hinted. "Oh?". "I''m about to make you wish you never crossed paths with me." Yuri threatened, her hair rising as purple-glowing magic coated her body. "Perfect¡­ I was getting depressed already." The man''s arm dematerialized into sand before constructing itself into arge de, the man smiled getting ready tounch himself at Yuri. Just a bit further behind Yuri, was a broken carriage, and inside the carriage,id Latina, her inside split open as her organs were plunged outside. ...... A/N Author here, Kirito_K5, I want to inform about the Discord server I have been working on. If you''d like tomunicate with me, know more about the book and stuff like that, please do join the server. I''d really appreciate it. And also, please check out my new book for wsa, The cursed daemon: Retribution of the lightning Meta. Thank you. Chapter 130 Betrayed By The Humans "Before we begin, I just have to ask you something." Yuri said with a death stare focused on the man. The man replied, "Why, what could that be?". "How did it feel when you killed innocent people? Did you feel good knowing you took another life for no reason?" Yuri asked. The man who had his back leaned, ready to fight, immediately stood upright when he heard Yuri''s question. "Did you just call the humans¡­ innocent?... Hahahah." The manughed, "Innocent, don''t make meugh¡­ they are anything but that". p¦Á§ád¦Á §«?¦Í¨º|,§ã¨°§® The man continued, "Seems like the right time to tell you my story¡­". "Keep it short, I can''t kill you if I don''t know what to tell my master¡­ so you''ll be doing us both a favor if you just skipped to the important parts.'''' Yuri asserted, slowly pulling her tentacles back into the ground. "Ahhh, feels like yesterday, I was just a normal being, you know, and baam! I was here, summoned and told to take down the demon lord who I have never met in my entire Life. Of course, I did so since they promised me, woman, fame oooh my, the fame through me off. I yed the demon lord and was given the title Darkness, the Sand Hero. I became one of the most popr heroes known to the kingdom. I was so loved that every woman wanted me, but imagine my surprise when it was time to take down another demon¡­ and they betrayed me to save their skin and trapped me under the freaking water." The man exined, anger slowly showing on his face. Yuri sighed, "So you decided to kill more than a dozen people because your kingdom betrayed you¡­ why not just destroy the kingdom instead, seems reasonable". "Ahhh! Why didn''t I think of that!" The man yelled with frustration, "Well it''s understandable, I was trapped for so long I barely remember my own identity". "Oh well, now, you are looking thirty, I''ll think about wiping the vige off the face of the map, but right now¡­ I''ll have you for dessert". Darkness''s whole body turned into sand and he disappeared into thin air with no trace of him for Yuri to pick up on. She could sense his unstable energy, his thirst for battle, and his twisted joy in pain. But Yuri was not afraid. Being the witch of envy and master of elemental magic, dark magic,and all kinds of magic, she was determined to defeat this man, no matter the cost. Darkness suddenly emerged from behind one of the broken carriages, his body already beginning to shift and transform. Yuri watched as his arms and legs became sand, and then reformed into sharp des and deadly spikes. "Taadaa!" He rushed towards Yuri, his sand body leaving a trail of destruction behind him. "I''m disappointed, all that for such a pretty show," Yuri uttered as she raised her hands, calling forth a powerful gust of wind that pushed Darkness back, but he quickly regained his footing and charged again with a crazy smile on his face. Yuri responded with a surge of dark energy, sending tendrils of shadow wrapping around Darkness, but he broke free with a flick of his sanddes. The battle raged on, eachbatant using their unique abilities to gain the upper hand. Yuri summoned lightning bolts that struck the ground around Darkness, while he responded by turning his sand body into a massive golem, crushing everything in its path. Yuri used her elemental magic to create a shield to protect herself from the sandstorm that Darkness created, but it soon became clear that she was stronger than he had anticipated. Then, in a moment of desperation, Darkness charged out of the ground and grabbed Yuri by the hand. "Shocker!" Darkness sang before he injected Yuri with his sand. She felt the poison coursing through her veins, threatening to overwhelm her. Yuri sent a fast blow to Darkness'' face which sent him flying before her knees buckled, but she managed to catch herself before she fell. With fierce determination, she fought back, using her magic to heal herself even as Darkness continued his assault. The fight continued, with both Yuri and Darkness exchanging blows that were equally matched. Darkness transformed his sand into a pair of jagged swords, and Yuri countered by creating a whirlwind that knocked him off bnce. Darkness responded by turning his sand into a massive hammer, pping it into the ground, and creating a shockwave that sent Yuri gliding on her feet. Yuri, a bit tired, struggled to get up, but Darkness was already upon her. He raised his sand hammer for the killing blow, but Yuri reacted quickly, utilizing her dark magic to create a cloud of darkness that obscured his vision. Darkness swung wildly, but Yuri managed to dodge his attacks andnd a critical blow with a bolt of red sharp lightning. Darkness stumbled backward, clearly injured, but he was not done yet. He raised his hands to the sky, summoning a storm of sand and debris that pelted Yuri relentlessly. She gritted her teeth and focused her power, using her elemental magic to create a barrier that shielded her from the onught. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Yurinded a decisive blow, sending Darkness tumbling to the ground. Hey there, panting and defeated, while Yuri stood over him. But even in defeat, Darkness was not finished. With an outcry of anger, he fled, leaving Yuri alone on the road, surrounded by the broken carriages and the corpses of his victims. Yuri knew that she could have killed him, but she let him go, knowing that he would return someday, stronger and more determined than ever before. As Yuri looked out over the destendscape and heaved a heavy sigh, "Ahhh, Master is not going to be happy about this." She uttered. Wandering toward the carriage where Latina''s body was. She used her magic to lift the carriage and push it to the side before slowly moving Latina out of it. Yuri ced the body on the floor and sighed again, "Dammit, how the hell am I supposed to tell him about this." She thought to herself, looking at Latina''s dead body. Chapter 131 Our Secret Till Then. Yuri arrived at the vige with Latina in her hands; she touched down on the ground and was met by Giron. "Lady Yuri, is the royal Selection over already?" Giron asked as he approached Yuri. He suddenly froze up when he saw Latina''s dead body in Yuri''s arms, "Latina." Giron cried out with a sad voice. "Giron, listen, we have to talk now." Yuri voiced out with a serious look on her face, and she wanted to leave where she was before people saw her. Giron heeded her and they went into the building to discuss, but Yuri made sure to bring Latina''s body inside with her. p¦Á§ád¦Á-¨¾?¦Í¨º|¡¤§ã¨®§® Once she was in, Yuriid Latina''s body on the couch before sitting on the table while Giron stood at the window. "Do you happen to know how she was killed?" Giron asked with his eyes still focused outside the window. "A man named Darkness, and from the little he told me, he imed he was summoned¡­ something along those lines," Yuri replied. "Why would anyone¡­ I can''t believe we''ve lost two lives in a span of two days." Giron muttered disappointedly. "Two?" "Just yesterday, Elena caught a massive illness from some bandit¡­ she¡­she just died this morning." Giron exposed, unable to contain the sadness he was feeling. ''Another life lost, what the hell is going on here¡­ is this some kind of sign?'' Yuri thought to herself in silence. When he sensed the tension brewing up inside Yuri, Giron spoke, "Lord Sato had told us to send an update on whatever happens¡­ but¡­". "That is exactly why I said we should speak here¡­ Giron." Yuri stood up from her table and walked toward Giron, "You are not to tell Master about any of this". "Are you implying we hide this from Lord Sato?¡­ I can''t and besides, he would still find out eventually." Giron argued. "Yes, you''re8l doing just that, think for a second¡­ he''s currently in a royal Selection¡­ something he has been nning for from the beginning¡­ and knowing him, Master won''t think twice to abandon it if he hears about this." Yuri expressed with her face close to Giron. "Lord Sato was looking forward to the baby Latina was going to have, I can imagine him getting heartbroken from this." Giron uttered before he continued, "That said¡­ he is still going to find out, and might make him more furious knowing we hid this from him". "I understand that, but I''ll be the one to take the me when thates, for now¡­I''m willing to wait for him to win the royal selection before I let him know about it." Yuri dered, looking at Latina''s body on the couch as she began to feel frustrated. ... Sato was on the chair and it was the next day for thepetitors to go through the second stage of the royal Selection. Sato was still uneasy but he disregarded it with the mind that Yuri had gone to take care of things. He knew he couldn''t win if he kept thinking about the vige, so he focused on the new stage he was supposed to pass. The next round was trickier than the first. Every participant was ced in a space, filled with different kinds of obstacles. They were told to pass these obstacles while battling one another; the battle had a y with strategy. They could only pick 10 winners regardless of which race if more numerous, during the event, along the way people noticed there was no wolfman standing. So to even the scores, thest wolf to get knocked out was allowed to join the final stage. A total of 5 vampires, 4 ghosts, Sato, and 1 werewolf moved to the next stage and were ready to face off in the final stage. For this, all of them were teleported to a desertednd, it was wide so basically hard to see anyone until you start looking for them yourself. ''So, I have 9 opponents.'' Sato said to himself, looking at the far end of the field. <> A vampire suddenlynded on the ground in front of Sato. He had a huge de in his hands and a scar on his face. "Hey old friend, we meet again." Sato uttered, a smile appearing on his face as he stood in front of the huge vampire. "I''ve searched for you, the man who got engaged to thedy¡­ I''d like to see what you are made of with my own eyes" The man said with a grin on his face. ''He looks strong¡­ is he the strongest here?'' Sato questioned. <> ''Good to know¡­'' Ssto said before a ck sword formed in his hand. "Are you ready, you are about to go up against, Lazurus¡­ the strongest vampire in all Nervek!" The vampire yelled, charging straight at Sato with incredible speed. ''Damn, he''s fast.'' Sato muttered, surprised by how quick Lazarus was moving, every step he took was causing the ground to vibrate from the pressure. With a quick stop, Lazurus used both his hands to grip the handle of his sword before he shed it at Sato. Sato used his sword to block the de at thest second, this caused the ground around them to break down, the more they kept swinging their weapons at each other, the more the ground got destroyed. Both of them were equally matched in terms of swordy, and they both could see that in themselves. They moved around the ce, striking and blocking their sword against one another, until Sato outsmarted Lazarus and booted him in the stomach. Lazurus fell to one knee, with the tip of his de plunged into the ground while he used it to maintain his bnce. Sato was looking at him from afar, fire swirling around his arms as he got ready to continue the attack. "Blood hell." Lazarus uttered as he stood to his, "Come then, let''s do this!" He shouted, his de aimed in front and magic emcoting his body. Chapter 132 Winner Without A Calm Mind Sato punched the ground, causing the ground to crumble so Lazurus could lose his footing. But Lazurus didn''t fall for it. He shed his de vertically on the ground, this led to the ground splitting in two before it could implode. "Come on, you can do better than that!" Lazurus yelled, positioning his sword to the back as he got ready to unleash a rush of magic. sh! Lazarus swung his de, sending a huge amount of magic toward Sato. The magic exploded upon colliding with Sato''s position. Sato rushed out of the dust with fire rushing out of his hands and aimed at Lazarus, who was quick to shield himself with his de. Lazarus struggled to hang on to his de as the fire kept impacting, it was so powerful that the de was slowly melting. Sato suddenly stopped his attack, but not for the reasons Lazurus had hoped. "My instinct was right¡­ he''s a worthy opponent." Lazarus said with a warm smile. With his de still ced in front of him, Lazarus peeped to see where Sato was. He was startled when he suddenly found Sato in front of him. Before Lazurus could even think of making another move, Sato had alreadynded a punch to his face. Lazarus went flying without his de, while he was still in mid-air, Sato punched him again, mming him into the ground. Sato went after Lazurus and punched him again while he was still on the ground, making the earth implode on Itself. Not letting go and standing above him, Sato groped Lazurus''s clothes and began raining a series of punches on his face. Each punch connected with Lazurus face, bruises, blood, and fear all stered on Lazurus. Sato kept going and didn''t quit, but when he did, Lazurus was in a state where he couldn''t move or make out what was going on around him. Knowing he had won, Sato stood upright, looking at the blood on his hand with a horrified expression. "Aril?... W-What''s going on with me?" Sato muttered, "I feel so¡­". Out of nowhere, a wall of magic sped toward Sato''s position, but with no worry, Sato stretched his hand towards it and sent a light beam to shatter the ice into pieces. "Ahhh, who would have guessed, so it''s you, who would have guessed." A man in a dark coat uttered as he walked into the setting. "An outsider carrying the whole show, now that''s just sad." Another contender spoke with a smile. All around Sato were different contenders, surrounding his position, including Aoi. "Don''t take this the hard way, we just felt taking you out will be the wise thing¡­ you are simply a problem." The young girl spoke with a wipe in her hands. Sato stood in the middle, his eyes widened in shock as different images of Latina and Elena''s death were appearing to him. ''What is this?'' Sato thought to himself, his eyes covering his face, he looked to the left and spotted one of the vampires holding a longsword that resembled the one he saw in his visions. "It was you?...." Sato uttered, with his eyes widened in anger, he flickered toward the male in an instant. The vampire shook in fear when Sato was suddenly in front of him,please visit "Hey, don''t ¡­" Before the vampire could say a word, Sato gave him a punch to the stomach, a loud boom following before the Vampire''s body went flying and rolling on the ground. Everyone had shocked expressions on their faces. "Damnit, you bastard!" One of the werewolves yelled before heunched himself toward Sato. "Don''t interrupt me!" Sato looked at the werewolf and the werewolf was immediately hit by arge falling fireball from the sky. The weight of the fire mmed the werewolf to the ground, as more fireballs kept raining on him. The fire didn''t stop even when the rest of the team began to take on Sato together, but their luck didn''t grow any bigger. Sato gradually started defeating them, one by one they kept falling, some even running when they could sense Sato''s killing intent. The fight kept going with each person giving it all they''ve got, but after what seemed to be forever, Sato defeated thest person and imed the victor. But due to the anxiety he was having, Sato didn''t wait to hear the announcement, he immediately went to his room and began packing his clothes to head back to the vige. "Sato!" Erza stormed inside the room with Delta following right after. "Sato!" She called out again, "Why did you leave like that?" Erza asked. "Listen." Sato pulled Erza close, "I need you to go back home and do not leave without Shuna and her sisters with you". "What do¡­.hold on are you leaving?!" Erza eximed, "The royal selection is still on, why leave now? Sato¡­ is something wrong?". Sato paused, "I.. don''t know." He replied, his eyes on the ground as he himself was bewildered. Erza sighed, cing her hand on his cheeks, "You''re just tensed, here, I''ll let father postpone the next round so you can rest okay¡­ don''t go anywhere." She ran out of the room. Sato fell to the bed, ''What''s going on with me?... It feels just like that time.'' He said as he recollected when the Hunter messed with his mind. "Do you have to go back to the vige?" Delta asked, sitting on Sato''s gut as she stared at him. Sato paused, "Probably". "Okay then, let''s go¡­ I can tell you don''t feel calm about being away¡­ so if it makes you feel okay, then let''s go". Her words convinced Sato, so he tiptoed out of the apartment so Erza wouldn''t stop him from going. Once he was outside, he picked the nearest carriage and paid the driver to take him to the Witch''s forest with Delta following him. As the carriage moved, Sato''s feet kept jiggling with his eyes focused outside the window, "I''m sure it''s fine, I''m sure it''s fine." Sato kept murmuring while Delta stared at him with a worrisome expression on her face. Chapter 133 I Swear To You Lord Sato The people all stood in front of the med house, a building that Sato built to substitute the hospitals. It didn''t take up to two days for the news about Latina and Elena''s death to quickly spread throughout the vige when Jiro started telling people about his eavesdropping. They all gathered in front of the med house, while Yuri and Giron stood at the entrance, watching the people moan about the death of theirrades. They had already had a discussion about what to do about the killers of Elena and Latina, but since no one knew anything about them, they knew it was going to be difficult. Some of the elves were extremely angry and wanted to avenge the death of their fellow elves, it was so problematic that a fight almost started. But thanks to Yuri, the people calmed down and decided to moan their bodies, while Yuri promised not to tell Sato about any of it, at least until when he had won the Royal Selection. Unknown to all of them, Sato was already on his way back to the vige with a heart of confusion clouding his heart. As soon as Sato arrived at the vige entrance, he began pacing toward the vige square to check up on the people. A smile hit his face when he saw all of them gathered at the center of the vige. "Ahh, great, they''re alright." Sato took a sigh of relief. "Look, it''s Lord Sato!" One of the kid elves shouted before she ran toward him. "Trixie, how are you doing?" Sato smiled, going to his knees to pat her head while more children swarmed him. The rest of the people who saw Sato were immediately frozen in shock, especially Yuri, who was stunned by Sato''s sudden appearance. "M-Master." Yuri stammered, running through the crowd and straight toward Sato, "What are you doing here?". "You should have been back like 3 hrs ago, what the hell were you doing?" Sato asked, looking up at Yuri while holding the children close. "Well¡­ you see about that¡­" "And also, what''s going on here? Why is everyone standing outside like this? Is something going on?" Sato kept throwing questions at Yuri. She was so surprised that she didn''t know how she was going to answer them without hinting Sato at the lies. Sato began getting suspicious of his surroundings when he saw the saddened expression on their faces. He stood up and walked toward Yuri, "What happened?" He asked. Yuri looked to the ground, unable to make any eye contact with Sato, and this in itself made Sato worry. He walked toward the crowd, trying to get to the bottom of what was going on, but little did he know it was something he had rather not known about. As he got to the front, his eyes widened in shock when he caught a glimpse of Elena and Latina''s dead bodies on the ground. A subtle chuckle left Sato''s mouth before he proceeded towards them, "It''s alright, I''m sure I can fix this". Kneeling beside Elena, Sato reached for head before he spoke to Aril, ''Aril¡­ quick, tell me there''s a way to revive them''. <>please visit ''Wrong¡­ What the hell do you mean by that?... I used it on all of Nervek¡­ how can I not have it when I already used it!'' Sato''s calm voice suddenly turned into a pit of rage. <> "Well then figure something out!" Sato yelled, startling the vigers who were watching him. "Who killed her?" Sato stood up from the ground before he faced the vigers, "I want the truth¡­ how did this happen when I made it clear to stay in the vige!!!". None of the vigers could say a word, they all had their eyes lowered including Giron and Yuri. "Deka¡­" Sato called out calmly but his expression was sending a different message, "Who did you let into the vige?". "We didn''t let any¡­". A full force of magic essence rushed out of Sato''s body and went past the vigers, leaving them in fear of the immense powering from him. Deka instantly went to his knees with his head bowed, "It''s the truth Lord Sato, I was on my way to check on the water bank when I saw Elena handing a man outside the fence apples¡­ he never stepped foot into the vige, I swear!" He exined, with sweat dripping from his face as he tried to keep himself together from the rush of magic passing him. Giron did the same, going to his knees and exining the little he knew about the incident, "I was aware of Latina''s departure, but all she said was she wanted to get some water from the next vige, she never said she was going to another kingdom". Of everything that he heard, Sato only picked up the one line Deka uttered, ''Elena gave a man apples''. "Did you see the man?" Sato asked. "Y-Yes sir, I wasn''t able to see his face fully," Deka replied. "That will do." Sato walked over to Deka and ced his hand on Deka''s forehead which led to a bright white light shining under his hand. The rest who were watching were so terrified that they assumed Sato was punishing Deka for disobeying. But Sato wasn''t doing anything of that sort, he was using his skill record, to track down the image of the man who killed Elena. After a few minutes, Sato finally found the man, ''Aril¡­ track him down.'' He ordered. < Sato let go of Deka''s forehead and walked toward the dead bodies¡­ a look of despair showed on his face before he stretched forth his hand. "Predator!" A thick dark mist rushed out of Sato''s hand and oveid both dead bodies before swallowing them and paying back to Sato''s palm. After he had done that, Sato looked at Deka and uttered, "Do not let anyone into the vige." He said with a scary look on his face before he sped off. Chapter 134 We Might Never See The Same Master "Ahh, Looks like a hot bath?" Darkness voiced, standing on the rock as he stared down into the smallke. It was evening and he was currently in a small town somewhere in the Riojas Kingdom. After he received a loss from Yuri, he had been taking shelter on the small ind there, and since no one lived there, it was the perfect ce for him to stay. "Weeee!" Darkness jumped inside the water with a smile on his face, causing a huge ssh when he made contact with the water. A sigh escaped his mouth as he rested his back on the rock and enjoyed the calming sensation of the water. [Why not destroy the kingdom instead?] Yuri''s words suddenly urred to him, Darkness stared up at the sky and immediately gave out another sigh. ''Why didn''t I think of that?'' He muttered, "Damn, that Kingdom and its people¡­ what was the name again¡­ Gi¡­ Nah, I can''t remember". "Now I''m starving just thinking about them again¡­ maybe I should go kill some vige or something, that always cheers me up." Darkness said before standing up from the water. He was about to move out when he suddenly noticed something strange. From the woods came thick dark mist that was gradually covering the area and making it hard to see. "Who''s there?~" Darkness sang, his left hand slowly morphing into a spinning razor de. He kept looking around, suspicious of every corner as the mist grew thicker by the second. "You took two innocent lives but somehow have the nerve to have a bath." Hearing the voice behind him, Darkness leaped back, jumping away from the water to gain some space away from the person behind him. Afternding on the ground, Darkness looked in front of him to see Sato walking inside the water and heading toward him. "Attacking a guy when he''s taking a bath? So not cool!" Darkness charged toward Sato, the des on his hand spinning. But when he got close to attack, Sato quickly formed a sword and sliced off Darkness''s arm before holding his head while he was still in mid-air. "I wasn''t done talking." Sato asserted, pping Darkness down to the ground with a boom following right after. Darkness''s body went stered on the ground, with his left hand somewhere in the woods while he was busy holding his severed arm, trying to stop the blood rush. Sato bent, holding Darkness by the hair before lifting him with it, "Tell me, how exactly did you kill them?" He asked. "Hahaha!" Darkness suddenly startedughing, "Chill, I already told you I¡­". Before Darkness couldplete his words, Sato shoved his hand into his mouth and pulled out his tongue. Darkness screamed in pain, watching as Sato held his jiggling tongue in his finger. His eyes were filled with disbelief as he tried to feel the missing tongue in his mouth. "Oh?" Sato voiced, looking at the dark sand spreading from his wrist and heading toward his shoulder.please visit "Is this how you killed her?" Sato raised another question, his eyes dead set on Darkness. << This is the same disease that was inflicted on Elena¡­ it''s a very tricky and powerful poison>> "Ahhh, she was killed by this¡­ Self-heal!" Sato voiced out, his hand healing up and the sand pouring to the ground. With his hand in mouth and covered in blood, Darkness'' eyes opened in shock, wondering how Sato was able to heal himself from the poison. Darkness used his leg to push himself away from Sato beforending on his knees after doing a one hand flip. He was panting heavily with a pale look on his face, ''How does this guy keep throwing me off¡­ doesn''t matter, this time I''ll kill him for sure''. Darkness positioned his hand to the back, leaving his arm to turn into another weapon. But before he could even think of using it, his hand fell to the ground. Sato sent a sharp air wave that sliced off Darkness''s second hand. Blood Squirted from his hand as he fell to the ground screaming in pain. ''Hey¡­ you''ve proven your point, you''re stronger than me¡­ so please leave me.'' Darkness begged but with a forced smile on his face. Sato suddenly started moving closer, carrying the same evil look on his face as the sword he was holding scraped against the ground. Darkness'' fear grew the closer Sato got and without any warning, Sato used the sword to cut off one of Darkness''s legs. Tears rolled down Darkness''s eyes as he tried to fight the pain. Again, without a single word, Sato sliced off Darkness''s second leg, leaving him to look like a terrified doll on the ground. ''No way, am I going to die like this?... Not yet¡­ I haven''t gotten my revenge on the kingdom yet¡­ damn it¡­ damn it ¡­ damn it¡­''. Sato''s sword went straight into Darkness''s neck, severing it from his shoulder asid in his own pool of blood. Sato fell to his knees, his eyes focused on Darkness dismantled before he looked to the sky and gave out a raging scream. Back at the vige, everyone was on edge about the incident, mostly Yuri who was seated on the floor inside Sato''s room. She had been mopping ever since Sato left, she couldn''t get the image of Sato''s angry expression before he left. "I shouldn''t have kept it a secret¡­what if he stays mad at me forever¡­ I can''t stand the thought of that." Yuri muttered with her head buried on the bed. Paa! The door suddenly sprung open and at the entrance stood Divanchi and Delta. "Yuri?! What the hell happened here? Where is master?" Divanchi stormed inside the room and stood in front of Yuri. "Where have you been?". "At the Royal Selection¡­ where Master is supposed to be¡­ but I couldn''t find him away¡­ what''s going on?" Divanchi asked, trying to fill her curious mind. "Do you remember when you warned me about how fragile master''s heart is?... I just understood what you meant¡­ we may never see the master we knew". Chapter 135 A Wifes Duty "Erza!" d called out, knocking on her door numerous times, "Sweetie, are you in there?" He asked. d didn''t get any response, a sigh escaped his mouth as he sought to open the door and see for himself, but that was when Sebastian showed up. "Duke d." Sebestain called out with a tray of wine in his hands as he bowed his head. "Ahh, Sebastian, is my daughter in there?" d raised a question. "She is¡­ but ever since yesterday, she refused to leave her room, and she has been drinking non stop." Sebastian exposed, slightly raising his head to look at d. d scratched the back of head before he walked over to Sebastian and took the tray of wine from him. "Don''t worry, I''ll give this to her¡­ instead, I want to send a message to the Lord of elves." d ordered. Erza was folded on her bed with her nket covering her whole body while multiple empty bottles of wine were scattered on the ground. The door opened and d walked in with the tray still in his hands. He was immediately stunned when he saw the state or the room. The curtains were closed, Erza''s dresses were on the floor and even bowls of soap on every furniture. d walked past the dirt and strolled over to Erza before cing the tray on the shelf beside the bed. "Sebastian¡­ what took you so long." Erza mumbled under the bed sheet before she stretched out her hand, "Here, hand me another wine". "Okay, that''s enough wine." d reached for Erza''s hand and pulled her up from the nket. She had only her underwear on, her hair was a mess and her eyes were swollen which hinted she had been crying. "Sweetie, what have you done to yourself?" d said with a worried expression before gently cing her on the bed. Erza sniffed her nose as her eyes caught a glimpse of the wine. She leaned forward to grab it but d held her hand, stopping her advance. "Erza." d called out again this time with a very serious tone. Erza sat back down on the bed, her face swollen from sleep, "Have you heard from Sato?" She asked. "The Lord of elves?" d sat down on the bed near his daughter, "I came here to ask you about that¡­ he just vanished after the second stage". "Well that''s because he left¡­back to his small tiny vige and abandoned his beautiful fiancee here." Erza sobbed, grabbing the bed sheets tighter with every word she said. d couldn''t help but smile, ever since Erza met Sato, d had noticed she had been developing new emotions that she''d normally not feel. He ced his hand on her hand and uttered with a warm smile, "If you want him to stay, why not bring him back?" d hinted. Erza''s facial expression suddenly changed to a serious one when she heard her father''s suggestion. "Are you telling me to bring him back against his will? Like kidnap him?" Erza questioned with her eyes sparkling in anticipation. d suddenly burst intoughter, "Of course not, Listen sweetie," He quoted, "A wife who truly knows her husband is a priceless treasure. She holds the key to his heart and can bring out the best in him. But it takes patience, understanding, and genuine love to unlock the depths of his soul and truly know him".please visit d continued, "If he''s feeling down then you have to light him up¡­ he will one day carry all of Nervek on his back, and when that dayes you have to be there to be his support". "Like mom?" Erza asked. "Like mom". Back at the vige, Sebastian rode in a carrier to deliver the message that d gave to him. While he was getting close, he noticed two beast men standing at the entrance with a spear in their hands. "Stop!" One of the beastman yelled, before aiming their spear at the carriage. The wagon suddenly stopped and Sebastian stepped out of it. "I havee with message from the Duke of Nervek." Sebastian announced as he strolled toward them. "We have been given orders not to let anyone into the vige, tell us whatever the message is about and I''ll deliver it to Lord Sato myself." The other beastmen spoke. Sebastian had a puzzled expression on his face when he saw the amount of guards aiming their arrow at him. ''What the hell is going on here? Have they forgotten who I am?'' Sebastian thought to himself. "What''s going on here?" Divanchi asked, walking out of the vige, she was immediately surprised when he saw Sebastian, "Sebastian." She called out. Divanchi let him into the vige after Sebastian exined why he needed to speak with Sato. As they strided towards Sato''s office, Sebastian raised a question, "Why did he increase the amount of guards guarding the border?". Divanchi replied, "Something happened recently, an intruder killed one of the elves here". "An assassin?" Sebastian asked. "We don''t know, although I won''t be surprised if master had already taken care of it, he came home covered in blood yesterday." Divanchi replied, standing in front of Sato''s office. "You''re joking right? You expect me to believe the Lord of elves took a life?" Sebastian was left in disbelief. Divanchi reached for the door knob but she paused and looked to Sebastian before advising him, "If you value your life, you watch whates out of your mouth as you enter through this door." Divanchi switched her attention back to the door before she opened it. "Master, you have a guest." Divanchi informed as she walked inside with her legs crossed on the couch. Sebastian stepped in and was immediately filled with fear when he looked at both Yuri and Sato. While Sato was seated on his office chair, petting the Celi slime on the table, Yuri was standing behind him. "Master, I didn''t know you nned on having guests over." Yuri voiced out. "I didn''t." Sato replied with a cold tone, "Sebastian, sir¡­ what brings you here?" Chapter 136 Pay A Visit To Death Sebastian gulped down his saliva before having his seat on the couch facing Sato''s desk directly. "So, what is it you wanted to tell me?" Sato asked, his hand softly caressing the back of the Celi slime. "Uhn¡­ Duke d told me to deliver a message to you regarding the Royal Selection and the¡­". "If you are here to tell me I can no longer participate in it, I totally understand¡­ I was the one that left halfway through." Sato hinted before Sebastian could finish his words. Sebastian spoke back, "It''s the opposite actually¡­ he told me you won the selection after the second stage". Sato''s eyes broadened in surprise but he made sure not to show it, "What do you mean by that? Are you saying they all forfeited at thest stage?" He asked. "I wasn''t provided that information, all I was told was you won and¡­ The Duke told me to tell you he is ready to give his support in the war". Sebastian informed Sato, revealing everything d told him. A smirk showed on Sato''s face as he spoke, "Looks like the old man kept his promise¡­ very well!" He jerked up from his chair, "It''s getting dark, you can spend the night here and then tomorrow, you and I make our way to Nervek". "A-And there''s something else he also told me to tell you." Sebestain also sprung up from his seat. "There''s more?" Sato asked. "Regarding the war, Duke Vald said to tell the Lord of elves, The demon lord Jira ns to attack in one week time¡­ be prepared, I will help as much as I can, and the people of Nervek are behind you." Sebastian quoted d''s exact words. "The Duke said this?" Divanchi chimed in, "Why would the Demon lord tell his ns to the Duke?". "It''s a game¡­ he knows d is on my side so he''s trying to mess with me¡­" Sato uttered, a grin showing on his face as magic essence escaped his body, "I''m going to strip that title off him with my Goddamn hands". "While we are on that matter, Master, I should remind you the witch''s council wants to have a word with you." Yuri uttered from behind. Sato sighed, "Change of ns, I''ll have to speak with the witches first thing tomorrow morning and then, I''ll head off to Nervek right after that". "I-I understand." Sebestain replied, sighing from the intense tension he was feeling. ... As Sato said, Sebastian spent the night in the vige, patiently waiting for the next day so he could head back to Nervek and stay by Erza''s side. Sato on the other hand was rxing in his hot bath, he built the ce specifically for himself, anytime he needed to cool off. ''Aril? Any report now?'' Sato raised a question as heid in the bath. <> ''Reconsider?... You knew about the death and chose to hide it from me¡­ and now you are telling me to reconsider?''. << Your sess in the Royal Selection seemed more important than the loss of a single viger¡­>>please visit "Two innocent lives!!!" Sato yelled in anger before taking a deep breath to calm himself down, ''Just.. tell me what you found''. <> ''Perfect¡­ I can go alone¡­ get their souls and be back before the war could even begin.'' Sato smiled, knowing he had found a way to bring back Elena and Latina. <> Sato suddenly put on a deadpan expression on his face before replying, ''I''m sure I''ll think of something¡­''. <> "Simply, I''ll ask¡­ and if she ignores¡­ well¡­ then I''ll take it back the old fashion way". ... *Main capital of Fiona* Jira was seated in his throne room, he had just finished attending to some military matters and was trying to rest a little before he continued. "Demon lord Jira." Lilith walked into the room with the legendary book in her hands. "Urrrgh, Lilith, I thought I told you, I wanted to be left alone for a while, whatever you want to tell me can wait tillter." Jira spoke without hearing what she had to say. "It''s about the Lord of elves, Sato Inugami." Lilith hinted, "But I understand, I''lle backter." She held the book to the side and began to walk away. "Hold on." Jira voiced out, "On second thought, tell me what''s it about". Lilith gave out a smirk before she turned and faced Jira, "The book just informed me on The lord of Elves next move." She uttered, walking up to Jira as she flipped open the book. The book that Lilith had, had been known to tell its users whatever step the person written in the book is about to take, and this is what Jira and Lilith had been using for a while. "What did it say?" Jira asked. "Well, it says¡­ Sato Inugami is nning on visiting the goddess of death¡­ nothing else but that." Lilith informed, "Do you want to ignore these ones like you did the rest, or are you finally going to make a move?". Jira chuckled, "The goddess of death uhn?... I wonder, what are you nning, Sato Inugami?" He muttered to him with a glued grin on his face. Chapter 137 We Met At The Gate Way The next day finally came and Sato had already headed out toward the witches first thing in the morning. He went alongside Yuri and took a single horse that both he and Yuri rode on to the center of the forest, also known as the Gateway and the home of the 7 witches of Lilivil. "Is this the ce?" Sato asked, stopping his horse in front of a very big tree, probably the biggest tree in the whole forest. The tree was decorated with different kinds of colorful flowers, there were fugs covering the ground and also sounds of animals echoing in the bushes. And even though there was sunlight, the area surrounding the Gateway was only about 15% of the main light, the ce hardly absorbed any of the sunlight, making it look like it was sunset all the time. Yuri leaped down from the horse and walked toward the tree, "Looks like they aren''tplete, just two are around." She said before looking back at Sato. "Are you sure you didn''t mix the time up, Yuri?" Sato asked. "Master¡­" Yuri sighed, "Have a little faith in me". "If you say so, let''s get this over with quickly, we still have¡­" Sato suddenly tilted his head backward, dodging the stray arrow that was aimed at him. The arrow went directly at Yuri who caught it before it could damage her face. "Great¡­ another idiot." Sato got down from the horse andnded on the ground, fire burning around his wrist as he got ready to attack. Walking toward the bushes, Sato could see multiple tiny wooden creatures, holding weapons in their hands with clicking noisesing from their mouths. The creatures were slowly moving away from Sato, at least up until the point the witch of Sex Selfy showed up. "Children, calm down¡­ what did I tell you about attacking people without telling me first you naughty woodsmen." Selfy voiced out as she strolled out of the bushes. She noticed Sato standing a few feet in front of her, with red hot mes spirling around his arms as he carried a stern look on his face. "Oh my, what a handsome young man~," Selfy said seductively, her finger on her lips as she smiled. Sato uttered, still carrying a stern look on his face, "Why did you attack me just now? I take it you are one of the witches I''m supposed to meet?" He asked, the mes extinguishing around her hands. "Oh my~, are you the Lord of elves I''ve heard so much about?" Selfy said with a smile, "Well well well, talk about the jackpot¡­ you look totally editable". "Selfy, that''s enough already, you should learn to restrain yourself sometimes." Yuri walked forward, "Been a while, Selfy". "Yuri!" Selfy ran toward her and gave her a hug that pushed her to the ground, "You bad girl, left mummy all alone by herself~" She rubbed her face on Yuri''s boobs. "Get off me Selfy, I told you I don''t do¡­ women!" Yuri forced her way out of Selfy''s grasp before she stood behind Sato. "Awwn, why are you running away?" Selfy sobbed, walking on all fours toward Yuri with puppy dog eyes.please visit "Look, we came here because you asked for it okay? No messing around." Yuri voiced out, desperately trying to get away from Selfy. A sigh escaped Selfy''s mouth, "Oh well, it was worth the try." She stood up from the ground and dusted her dress, "Let me introduce myself". "My name is Selfy, and I am the witch of Sex¡­ feel free to call me when you have a boner." Slefy introduced herself with a smile. "Sato Inugami, nice to meet you." Sato replied. "Selfy, where are the rest of the witches, I can only sense two inside the Gateway." Yuri spoke out. "Yeah, about that." Selfy began to walk toward the tree, "Terafona got into some issues with Kirah, turned into a hassle, and now they are currently in a battle¡­ it''s been going on for days now¡­e in." She walked right inside the tree with two of her small minions following behind her. Sato sighed from afar, "You have interesting friends," He uttered, leading to Yuri responding with a weird chuckle. They followed behind Selfy and walked right inside the tree too, only to arrive in a narrow way with lightmps hanging on the ceiling. The rocky path was long and dark, but a bright light could easily be spotted from the end of the tunnel. Selfy snapped her fingers, and her small minions suddenly lit up from the fire burning their bodies. "Does the Lord of Elves know anything about us witches?" Selfy raised a question as she walked. "I''m afraid not." Sato replied, "I only recently found out about you wanting to meet up with me if that makes any sense". "Well now, I''m hurt, Yuri didn''t tell you about her best friend? That''s just cold sweetheart." Selfyughed. "Enough with the jokes Selfy, Master has something to do right after this, if both Terafona and Kirah are absent, how are we going to discuss this?" Yuri asked. "Hmmm, I haven''t thought of that." Selfy replied, looking at the bright light up ahead. Sato stood at the back, just observing everything around him as he walked, ''Aril, these witches¡­ do they fall under some kind ofw guarding the forest?'' He asked. << They are thew, the forest was created by them so they ruled over everything within it and have been doing so for the past 100 years>> ''Now I find that funny, if Jira does happen to defeat me in this war and someone takes im of the forest, will the witches let that happen?'' Sato raised another question. <> Sato smiled, ''You know what, I might actually gain something from this¡­ y my cards right and I could have the witches dancing in my palms''. Chapter 138 Why Does He Look So Familiar? Levia [Witch of hunger] Ava [The witch of destruction] Selfy [ The witch of Sex.] Kirah [Witch of Rage]. Terafona [Witch of authority] Yuri [Witch of envy] ....... After a while of walking, Sato suddenly arrived at the main meeting center where the witches always gather to discuss. There was a round table at the center with seven white chairs surrounding it. On the walls were pictures of every witch and flying tiny creatures roaming about. Sato noticed two witches already seated on the chairs, The witch of hunger Levia, and the witch of destruction Ava. "Besties! You guys are early, I wonder why?" Selfy voiced out, before sitting down on one of the chairs. "Selfy, why did you bring a stranger into the Gateway?" Ava uttered with a cold voice, staring at Sato who also stared back. "He''s with me." Yuri chimed in, "And I should add he''s also the Lord of Elves you wanted to speak to". "Oh?" Ava suddenly appeared in front of Sato, a huge force of wind following after her incredible speed. Her face was so close to Sato''s that they could both feel each other''s breath touching one another. "You don''t look scared¡­ I take that offensive." Ava uttered with a crazy stare on her face. "Then get your emotions in check¡­ I came to hear what you have to say, not to y rizz the witch." Sato replied. Ava suddenly smirked, "Would you look at that? You''re getting eaten by darkness¡­ what? Did you lose someone you love and now you me yourself for it? What a cowardly move". Sato''s eyes suddenly bulged in anger, but before he could react, Yuri cut in, holding Ava''s hand as she uttered, "Go back to your seat¡­ or we are going to have a problem". Ava''s eyes swayed toward Yuri, with red lightning suddenly sparking around her body, "Just because you beat me once, doesn''t mean you can do it again." She asserted. And Yuri replied with a straight face, "Try me". The tension in the room rose as both Ava and Yuri stared at each other with their magic colliding. But the tension was broken when Terafona walked inside, "You guys are so annoying, do you have to causemotion anytime we call a meeting?" She said, walking toward her chair to have a seat. Yuri let go of Ava''s hand and looked at Terafona, "Sorry, about that." She uttered, "But what are you doing here? I thought you were fighting with Kirah?". "Oh, that¡­ she should being in any time from now," Terafona replied with her back resting on the chair. Not long after she said it, Kirah walked in, her body battered like she had been run over by multiple running horses. She had a frustrated look on her face as she walked over to her chair to sit down, with her arms folded. "Oh my Gosh, Kirah, you look terrible." Selfymented, using her hand to cover her mouth so she could hide herughs. "Shut up Selfy, I don''t want to talk about it. Hmm¡­" Kirah suddenly caught the nce of Sato standing beside Yuri, ''Is this the Lord of Elves? Why does he look so familiar?'' She thought to herself. "Okay!" Levia spoke out, "I''ve been quiet long enough, since everyone is here, shall we begin the meeting?". Everyone took their seats, including Sato who sat down beside Yuri. But even though everyone had different opinions about Sato, they were thinking the same confusing thing¡­. "Why does he look so familiar". ¡­.. >> The Kingdom of Warthniq>>>> The sword hero, Shinya Hiragi, was at his ritual site, a holy river where the priest/priestess in the hero''s parties perform a cleansing ritual to increase the hero''s stats so they could grow faster. The priestess of Shinya''s party was Eri. She had himy in the water while wearing only a white fabric around his waist while she wore a white alluring gown. Her hand was ced on Shinya''s head as she began chanting a spell which in turn made the water glow from the bottom and caused it to bubble up. After a while of that, Shinya rested his back on a rock while still in the water and ced a hot napkin on his face. "Uhm Sir Hero, I don''t think you should be bathing in the holy river." Eri uttered, drying her hair with a towel while she stood on drynd. "Rx, I literally just helped the kingdom and yed the Demon lord, I''m sure they can overlook this." Shinya replied. "There you go again, misusing your hero statues for your own benefit." Eri voiced back, packing her hair in a ponytail after she had finished drying it. "Hey¡­ I just remembered something." Shinya jerked up from the water and his towel immediately loosened from his waist andnded inside the water, exposing his dick to Eri. Eri stared down at it with a disgusted look before she scoffed and looked away. "Oi! Don''t just look away!" Shinya shouted. "What was it you remembered?". "Oh right!" Shinya grabbed his towel and stepped out of the water as he tied it back around his waist, "Do you remember that one time, we went to talk to the dude with the Phoenix?" He asked. "You mean, the young man who was ruling over the small vige in the Witch''s Forest?" Eri tried to confirm. "Yes, him, what was his name again?" Shinya asked. "Sato Inugami, if I remember correctly." Eri answered. "Yes! I knew it". "Knew what?". "That dude is just like me? He''s a transmigrator!" Shinya spoke with an excited look on his face. Eri sighed, "You think he''s a Traveler like you?" She asked. "Yes," Shinya responded, before sitting down on the rock beside him, "Back in my world, people with names like his are mostly from Japan¡­ did you not see the way his servants were dressed? No way he''s not from my world". "There''s a chance he just happened to pick up that name from someone, like the way you named me Eri." Eri added. "True, but aren''t travelers like me blessed with angels aftering here?" Shinya raised another question. "Yes, every traveler has a guardian angel". "That just proves my point¡­ he has a guardian angel too¡­ my guardian Excalibur warned me about it after the meeting". Chapter 139 I Think Ive Finally Found Him Eri finished putting on her clothes while listening to everything Shinya had to say about Sato. "Okay, I admit, you do have some point to your im,..." "Yes!" "That said, it''s not rare to see travelers these days, the king did a summoning ritual not too long ago, he could be a product of that." Eri hinted, picking her magic staff on the ground. Shinya sighed, "I was only excited because other travelers I have met were either from a different world than mine or from a different country, but this guy is from Japan, I can feel it". "Excuse me." A female hero, with long purple hair, and purple eyes with her priest, a man in a Western Chinese outfit behind her, spoke out. She was standing in front of Shinya, looking down at him with a cold stare. "Uhm? May I help you?" Shinya asked, looking back at her. "The boy you mentioned just now, Sato Inugami, can you direct me to where he is?" The female hero requested. Shinya was quiet for a while before he suddenly stood up from the rock he was sitting on, "Hey I remember you, aren''t you the Elemental hero Kimiko Suzuki?" He hinted. His towel loosened from his waist and fell to the ground, revealing his dick to the public again. Kimiko nced down at it disgustedly before sighing, "Yes, that''s me." She replied, ignoring the sight of Shinya''s crotch. A nervous smile showed on Shinya''s face as he picked up the towel and wrapped it around his waist. "If I remember correctly, we fought the demon lord together, right?" He asked. "Yes, we did," Kimiko replied. "I see, I see, nice to meet you again, I knew I could never forget a beautifuldy''s face if I saw one." Shinya voiced out, his hand stretched out for a handshake. Kimiko stared down at his hand and ignored it, "Sato Inugami, where is he?" She asked again. Shinya slowly pulled his hand in with a sigh, "Are you perhaps looking to battle him or something? I should warn you he is not very strong". "I believe that is my problem". "Pfft, okay then, but it''s not in the Human empire mind you, it''s somewhere in the Demon empire, the outskirts of Fiona if you know there," Shinya exined. "Fiona¡­." Kimiko muttered, "Thank you for the information," She said before walking away with the western man following behind her. Shinya watched as she walked away and couldn''t help but sigh, "Man, what a weird girl¡­ right Eri?" He turned to his priestess. "Please just put on some clothes, we have a meeting with the king today". Kimiko was heading toward her inn, an apartment she had rented a while back in the kingdom. Every Kingdom had a relic called the Summoner Stone, this relic can be used to summon people from other worlds after powering it with lots of magical powers. When they are summoned, they are immediately given the title rookie, but after getting a party andpleting a few tasks and missions, their rank is lifted by their priest/priestess to Hero. Kimiko was also a victim of the summoning stone, the kingdom that summoned her was a small Kingdom on the west side of the nation, but due to important reasons, she came to the Warthniq kingdom and was living in one of the guild''s inn. Kimiko walked inside the inn and headed toward the guild''s secretary, she ced a bag of money on the table without uttering a word. "Oh, Miss Kimiko, you''re here again." The secretary voiced out, leaving the paperwork she was working on to attend to Kimiko. "Yes, I''ll be staying for two nights." Kimiko informed before walking away with her priest behind her. She headed toward her apartment, it was rather big for a room that cost 4 silver coins per night. Walking inside, Kimiko first rested her sword on the wall before opening the window andying down t on the bed. "Are you burdened about something?" Garfield, Kimiko''s priest asked, staring down at her. "Garfield, I think I''ve found him." Kimiko said with a weak smile on her face, "After all this while, I finally have a lead I can go with". "Are you talking about the guy you had feelings for in your other world?" Garfield asked. "Yes." Kimiko gave a short reply. The sword resting on the wall suddenly turned into a woman wearing, ck pants, ck boots, and a white top. "Hold on Kimiko, are you talking about the sword hero?" The woman raised a question, walking toward the bed beforeing to a stop beside Garfield. Kimiko sat upright on the bed with a sigh leaving her mouth, "Of course not." She replied, "But the name he mentioned, Sato Inugami¡­ it''s just the same as the guy I knew back in my world". "Then again, it could all just be a coincidence," Garfieldmented. "Yes, what Garfield said, you don''t really n to travel to a different nation just to check if the man could be your man, Do you? " The woman asked. "I won''t know if I don''t try." Kimiko uttered before she stood to her feet, "Once I''m done with my current quest, I''ll proceed toward the Fiona Kingdom and search for him". She had already made up her mind, and both her priest and guardian angel, Eril, knew they couldn''t change her mind, so they obeyed and carried on. Meanwhile, Shinya and his priestess Eri were already having a meeting with the king of Warthniq [Limbari Nation], Terence. Although people called him a king, he ruled over three different Kingdoms, making him an emperor after most nations recognized hisnd as a sovereign Nation. "Yo, king!" Shinya voiced out as he approached the throne. "Sword Hero, it''s nice you showed up, I heard about your sess victorying the demon lord ruling the Terra Kingdom." Terence uttered. He had long blonde hair and was seated on his throne with a crown and multiple seductivedies around him. "Yes, I did." Shinya responded, "But I didn''t do it alone though, I had help from the Elemental hero". "Oh? Next time bring her here, I''d very much like to pay my gratitude." Terence grabbed a grape from the bowl and tossed it in his mouth. "Now that that is settled, I need you to do something for me." Terrence hinted, "I''m willing to lend you, 2000 of my men, to help you in taking the witch''s forest for my keep¡­ I believe it''s time toy cliam to it". Chapter 140 No One Recognized It Shinya stood in front of the king with a perplexed expression on his face. They had just finished going to war with Terra Kingdom in the demon nation and now the king wants to go to war again after just a week''s rest? That sounded absurd. "Uhm.. are you sure about this? The forest is home to another Traveler like me, so I don''t think he is just going to let another kingdom take his home." Shinya tried to reason with the king. "Another traveler? And from what summoning stone did hee?" Terrence asked. "Erm¡­ I¡­ got no idea, but!" Shinya continued, "Why would you need to own the witch''s forest, your kingdom is like miles away from it, and not to even speak of you already own three additional kingdoms¡­ is the forest that important?". Terrence sighed, "This is the first time you''ve questioned me this much, I thought you enjoyed war". Shinya looked away with a nervous expression, he enjoyed war but couldn''t tell the king his reason for not wanting this is because he met another Japanese hero like himself. "Considering you are one of my best heroes, I''ll exin it to you, for a long time now the witch''s forest has been a diplomatic setup for different nations and kingdoms. The forest is filled with riches and every natural resource you can think of, gold, oil, nts, even magic cores¡­ but that''s far from why most military states want it". "If not for resources, why else will another county want it for?" Shinya asked. "For two things¡­" Terence said, rising his finger as he mentioned them, "One, for strategic defense and offense static, the forest in an unimed territory if a war were to break in, the forest will most likely be a backup, and not to mention whoever owns the forest has every angle of both the human and demon territory held down to a lock". "And secondly, the story of the goddess alliance being sealed in the forest has been spreading throughout the kingdom for years, anyone who ims them will most likely have the strongest military force in all four territories". Shinya sighed, trying to process the information as little as he could, "Okay then, no biggie, I''ll just infiltrate the forest and get the goddess for you". "And you think I hadn''t thought of that?" Terrence picked another grape and tossed it in his mouth, "If you even hope to put a dent in that seal, you have to be the sole owner of the providence, many have tried what you said, and we haven''t seen them return, there has to be a reason". "I think I understand now¡­" Shinya uttered, "Fine, I''ll help you with this, but on only one condition¡­ you let me speak to the people in the forest first". ...¡­ Back at the Gateway. While Sato was sitting on his chair, he noticed all the witches had their eyes on him, like they were looking at some kind of mythic object. *Sigh* ''Why are they looking at me like that? I don''t have time for this.'' Sato muttered to himself. <> ''Eh? Been a while since I heard you call me non-existent¡­ '' "Sato Inugami was it?" Levia raised a question, she was able to have a good look at him since she was opposite him at the table. "Yes, I already made it clear." Sato replied. Levia clicked her tongue before she looked down at the table, "When did you arrive at the forest and begin building a vige?". "I don''t remember." Sato gave a quick response. "What do you mean by that? You don''t remember the day you decided to make the forest your home?!" Kirah chimed in angrily. "Precisely". Yuri carried a nervous expression on her face because she could feel some of the witches getting irritated by Sato. "I''m willing to let that slide¡­ but then another question hits me¡­ why did you decide to cut down the trees of and that doesn''t belong to you?". "I didn''t know anyone was in charge of the forest at the time." Sato answered back, ''And also because someone decided to hide that fact from me''. <> "You expect us to believe you haven''t heard of the witches of Lilivil?" Ava added, ring at Sato from afar. "If I did, I would have found you myself and made you work for me, the fact that I didn''t, proves I know nothing of your existence." Sato replied back. "If you thought I wanted to kill you before." Ava stood up from her chair and pulled her longsword, "I wanna kill you even more now". "Ava, don''t cause a scene, sit down." Terafona spoke out. Ava gritted her teeth before she sheathed her sword and sat back down on the chair, but her ring didn''t stop. "I don''t know how and where you got the idea that the forest belongs to you, just like every other person, you found this ce." Sato said, keeping a straight face, "Sure you arrived first and named the ce, but did you take any necessary approach to prove thend was yours?" "You must be very ignorant," Levia hinted, "Thisnd was given to us by our Sessor and he left it for us to look after¡­ we don''t need to prove anything to anyone". "You''re the ignorant one." Sato asserted, "You don''t have a clue of the world outside this forest, do you? regardless of if you created this, if no kingdom or nation recognizes this ce as a sovereign state or nation, then it''s still open for other nations to grab¡­ how can you not know this?". "You don''t¡­" "And while we are on that note" Sato spoke before Levia could say anything, "Did you even know, a few years back the Kingdom 0f Ond and Sint Vuis, fought over who wouldy im to the forest? Or even now, I and my vige are helping you defend this forest from falling to The Fiona kingdom?" "Yeah that''s right, I didn''t think so" Chapter 141 The Successor! "Pfft! Why do we have to believe the words that leave your mouth?" Kirah argued. "My master is speaking the truth." Yuri spoke in, "When I first arrived here, the demons from Fiona dide in an attempt to register master''s vige". "Register?" Selfy asked. "If every kingdom has its cities, towns, and any other viges registered in the kingdom''s record, That was the king''s way of securing the future, if he had every vige registered under him, getting people to recognize it as a sovereign state that his owned by him would be easier, regardless if you witches" "Although this method is mostly used when two Kingdoms are at war, and the other Kingdom is determined to have the losing Kingdom for Itself," Sato exined to them. "If that was the case, howe he hasn''t done so, why was it that it was when you arrived that all these started happening? Don''t think you can just manipte your way out of here." Kirahmented again. Sato sighed in response to her words, "You guys are naive, do you have any idea how many Kingdoms have the viges here registered in their kingdom''s record?... Why do you think they fought wars? Maybe you haven''t noticed, but the Valkyries staying here have also helped in keeping outside kingdoms away". "You''ve met the valkyries?" Ava asked. "Met them? We are both aiming for the downfall of Fiona," Sato responded. The witches went quiet and looked at each other for a while. "He''s right, we have been rather irresponsible toward the forest." Terafona admitted. "Tera!" Kirah eximed. "You agree with this madman?" Ava asked, ncing at Terafona. "Every word that left his mouth has been the absolute truth¡­ for the most part at least." Terafona replied, "And if you think about it, we only cared about what happens in the forest and nothing about the outside". ''She can tell when a person lies?!'' Sato yelled in his mind but he still kept a calm expression on the outside. "Okay then, that''s not a problem, if anyone tries to intervene with the forest then we''ll bring them down by ourselves, we don''t need his help." Ava hinted again. "For a beautiful woman, you sure are stupid," Sato insulted. "That''s it!" Before Ava could pull out her sword all the way, Sato whooshed away from where he sat and appeared behind Ava. Her eyes widened in shock when Sato held her hand from behind before pushing the sword back in, "You just love aiming your sword at people". Feeling startled, Ava jumped away from Sato andnded a bit far from him, ''What was that just now?'' Ava thought to herself. The rest of the witches were on their chairs, getting ready to attack even though their faces were saying otherwise. "These memories¡­. Who the hell are you?" Ava yelled, tears falling from her eyes as she gripped her sword while her hands shook. Sato looked at her feeling confused, he couldn''t help but recollect if he identally crushed her hand or something. "Ava? What''s the matter?" Selfy stood up from her chair and knelt in front of Ava to understand what was happening to her. As soon as she got close, Avaunched herself onto Selfy, "He¡­He made me remember the Sessor." She sobbed. All the witches in the room suddenly gasped in surprise. Kirah yanked up from her chair, "Ava, don''t say such stupid things¡­ we get it you felt scared-". "I''m not making this up!" Ava shouted, she stood up and began cleaning the tears from her eyes, "I really did see the Sessor when he touched me". "Impossible." Levia muttered, staring at Sato in disbelief. Yuri was busy sending signals to Sato, but Sato himself was still confused about what was going on. "Tera, who the hell is this guy?!" Ava questioned. Terafona replied, with her umbre still over her head, "Why don''t you touch him again and find out for yourself". Ava grunted, staring at Sato before she began to stroll toward him. She came to a stop in front of him and uttered, "Give me your hands". "What for?". Ava''s eyebrows twitched in anger, "Please give me your hands." She repeated forcefully. ''Why do they all look like they are expecting some miracle to happen?'' Sato thought to himself before he lengthened his right hand toward Ava. Ava gulped down her saliva before she slowly touched Sato''s hand and almost instantly, tears fell from her eyes again. [shback] Little Ava was running around on the green grass, ying with her other little witch sisters, while a man dressed in a ck coat sat on a rock and watched them. All of a sudden, Ava fell and began crying, which caused the remaining small witches to me each other for it. "Tera! You told her to fall so she did, Meanie!" Little Kirahmented, pointing at Little Terafona. "I did not." Terafona defended herself. "Did too!" Kirah and Terafona began arguing, but the tension was cut when Selfy suddenly hinted, "Look, Papa''sing!". All the girls immediately ran toward the man, including Ava, even though she still had tears in her eyes. "Papa!" Levia hugged the man''s leg before her sisters could join in. The man sat down on the floor, with all the small witches hugging a part of his body while Ava just stood and watched. "Ava, what''s wrong?" The man''s ominous voice echoed. "Uhn hmm." Ava shook her head with a smile, but tears were still rolling down her cheeks. The man smiled, "Come here." He said, "Let me tell you a story, but sad girls won''t get to hear me tell it". Hearing this, Ava immediately cleaned her eyes and sat down in the middle of the man, shaking her legs while she waited for the man to tell the story. "Papa, I don''t want to hear about the scary one." Selfy uttered. "Yeah¡­ I don''t like the white man." Levia added. The man chuckled, "Don''t worry, this is not about the scary man or the devil, this is about papa and how papa found you beautiful girls". Chapter 142 The Story Of The Successor In the beginning, there was nothing but emptiness - a vast and endless void that stretched out in every direction. No stars shone in the sky, nos orbited around them, and no life stirred in the darkness. There was no light, no sound, no movement, and no purpose. For eons, this emptiness persisted, untouched by any force or being. But then, something changed. Slowly and imperceptibly, the void began to stir, as though rousing from a deep slumber. A faint vibration rippled through the emptiness, barely perceptible at first but growing stronger with each passing moment. As the vibration grew in intensity, it coalesced into a single point of light, a bright spark that hung in the darkness like a beacon. From this spark emerged a being, a formless entity that hovered in the void like a god. This being was the Overseer, the entity charged with overseeing the world and everything in it. From its vantage point in the emptiness, the Overseer gazed out upon the void and saw that it was vast and empty, a nk canvas upon which anything could be created. But he wasn''t granted any power to work with, other than the ability to see distant possibilities of the world and to destroy any part of the world if it would serve no purpose. Even though the Overseer had this power, he had no way of using it, it can''t destroy something that hasn''t been created. So the Overseer began, using the raw material from the empty voids, he shaped stars,s, multiverse, and so on, till he was satisfied and could no longer use the materials of the world. Eons passed again, and the Overseer was left with a beautiful world but no one to share his sess with and no live living to adore his works. Thus he split into three paths, each part of him taking a different task over the world, The Creator, The Observer, and The Punisher. The creator was more open minded and her imagination was vast, surpassing even that of the Overseer, so she began her quest to create living beings in the world, which she called gods, dragons, and so on. The Observer was one who was obsessed with bnce, he observed everything and made sure there was a bnce from the strongest creatures to the weakest. While the punisher was one who embraced right and wrong, he made the rules and regtions of the world and made sure every living thing followed this. But not everything was going smoothly, the entities began to flee from one another, when they felt their ideals sh. The creator detests The Punisher for torturing what she created. The Observer hated the creator for makingplex beings that made it harder for him to create a bnce. And the Punisher hated the Observer for making it bnced that most don''t have any choice but to break his rules for power. Unwilling toe to an understanding, they separated into different parts of the universe. The creator was left on her own, looking down at the children she created for eons and watching as they evolved into happy, peaceful yet deadly and negative creations. Ever since the Observer neglected his duties, and the Punisher decided to let the creations do as they please, the gods began to take charge,ing together to birth humans with the help of their collective powers. But even with all the evil that roamed the world, one thing caught the eye of The Creator, motherhood. She noticed the women the gods had created for the men felt an extreme amount of joy when they gave birth, something the creator had never felt before. Feeling lonely, The Creator decided to check and investigate what was so special about having children, since thew of having children was brought in by The Observer. Like a huge force of fire falling from the heavens, The Creatornded on the ground in an open field. Her body was gleaming with magic and her presence was so powerful that everything around her bowed, including the tallest of trees and the hardest of rocks. "This form¡­ will not work." The creator uttered. A bright light glowed around her and her form immediately changed. She had long silver hair, red pearly eyes, and was wearing white peplos with brown sandals and a sun hat. "This should do". After making her body fit into her creations, she began to make her way toward the nearest county she could find. >>>>> Careline >>>> She walked into the country and her amazement didn''t stop growing when she saw the inventions and structures her children had made. During her journey, she got to a huge river where she met some fishermen, hunting for fish in the ocean. "Quick, rail it in?!" A man with red hair yelled, supervising the rest of the Fishermen who all had fishing rods in their hands. They are all stood at the tip of the river and from the looks of it, it seems like he was teaching them how to hunt for fishes "Excuse me, may I get a moment of your time?" The creator asked, walking toward the fishermen. "Uhn?" The man paused, looking at the Creator, "Who are you?" He asked. "Who am I?" The creator repeated, ncing around, her attention was quickly drawn to therge barrel of dead fishes in the boat. Although bothered, The creator fought to control her emotions. Watching her creations suffer is something she despised but she also learnt about the food chain and knew it was a necessity that had to take ce. Sighing, she looked at the man and noticed that the students also had their eyes on her, mostly because they were drooling from her beauty. "Excuse me, do you not have a name?" The man asked. "Unfortunately not." The creator replied, "I named everything in this world but I never thought a day woulde when I''d need a name". They all looked at her feeling confused, "Look, if you are here to¡­" . "Oh I know." The creator hinted, "You should call me Izanami." She said with a smile. Chapter 143 The Story Of The Successor II "Your name is Izanami?" The man asked. "You doubt me?" Izanami questioned back. The man nced at his students before he looked back at her, "No, there''s no problem, so, my name is Hunter, so, what? is it you want?" Hunter left his students and moved closer to her. Izanami peeked at the river with her hands behind her back, "What are those?" She raised another question as she strolled toward the group of students. "May I see?" She asked one of the male students, using her hand to pack her hair behind her ears with her back leaned forward. The male student immediately handed her his fishing rod, with a flustered look on his face. "Thank you." Izanami took the rod from the male and began analyzing it with her eyes, "This is quite impressive, and you use this to catch the fish in the sea?" She asked the male student. "Y-Yes mam." The male student stammered, causing his colleagues tough at him. A smile formed on Izanami''s face before she handed the fishing rod back to the boy, "I feel proud seeing you children make instruments of your own¡­ let me lend you a hand". Izanami began to walk inside the water, the students and even Hunter, all watched as she continued to walk further and further into the water. She suddenly stopped when the height of the water had gotten to her stomach and her legs were slowly losing bnce from the water''s buoyancy. Hunter sighed as she watched from afar, "Who is this woman anyway, from her dressing, I''m guessing she''s the concubine of a demigod". "Teacher look!" One of the students shouted. As the student called out, Hunter''s eyes widened in awe at the incredible disy of power before him. The air crackled with energy as she raised her hands towards the heavens, and the very elements obeyed hermand. The water around them began to churn and boil, rising towards the sky in a towering wave that blotted out the sun. The sheer force of her magic was almost too much to bear, as if the very fabric of reality was bending to her will. And then, with a flick of her wrist, the water erupted into a fountain of life, teeming with thousands of shimmering fish. The creatures leaped and danced through the air, their scales glinting in the sunlight, before crashing down onto the ground below like a shower of stars. The students and Hunter stood transfixed, their mouths agape in wonder at the divine power before them. It was as if they were witnessing a miracle, a manifestation of the very forces that governed the universe itself. At that moment, they knew without a doubt that they were in the presence of a true god. As soon as Izanami turned to look at them, they didn''t waste any time before falling to their knees and bowing their heads. "Please ept our deepest apologies!" All the students yelled in unison. "Please goddess, we had no idea you were a god¡­ gods don''t normallye to this part of the kingdom." Hunter said, shaking as he began sweating from the nervousness he was feeling. Izanami looked down at them and couldn''t help but feel proud when she saw how well her children''s creations were. "Raise your head." Izanami spoke out. They slowly raised their heads but didn''t dare look Izanami in the eye. The gods they knew were scary and powerful people, who could kill a person just for looking at them. But Izanami was one who was filled with love and joy for all creation that roamed the earth. She told them to take the fishes in return she stayed with them until they arrived in the next country. And thus their journey began, a bunch of humans riding the same horse and camel with a goddess, whose identity is unknown. But even though they were scared of her, they were also slowly getting attached to her warm and cheering character. So much so that Hunter even fell in love with her, it isn''t weird for a human and a goddess to fall in love, but it''s also seen as dirt in the eyes of higher gods. Unwilling to keep it hidden, Hunter made up his mind to speak to Izanami and try his luck with her. It was night time, and everyone had already fallen asleep, camped outside in a cold desert. Hunter approached Izanami who was sitting on the sad, watching the stars and the moon with a smile on her face. "Goddess?" Hunter called out, standing a bit further behind her. Izanami turned to see Hunter and uttered with a smile, "Hunter, why are you not asleep, I give you my word no harm shalle to you as long as I''m here"She imed. "No, I''m not worried about that." Hunter said with a nervous smile before he began to walk toward her. Once he was close, he knelt down beside her, with his head facing the ground and both his hands on hisp. "Do you have something to tell me?" Izanami asked when she could sense the tensioning from him. Hunter began panting heavily, every motivation he had given himself immediately vanished from his body the moment he sat down beside Izanami. And this was starting to make Izanami worried, so she moved closer to him, "Something seems to be bothering you". "It''s just¡­ I was wondering." Hunter closed his eyes before he finished his sentence, "Are you taken by anyone?". "I do not belong to anyone, I belong to myself and no one else." Izanami replied with a straight face. A sigh of relief left Hunter''s mouth before he chuckled, "Then, goddess¡­I would like to tell you¡­ I fell in love with you¡­ and regardless of the circumstances I want to stay with you till the end". "Love¡­ you men in a romantic way?" Izanami asked, she never understood that concept of love which was her reason foring to earth. "Yes¡­ I''m in love with you¡­romantically". Chapter 144 The Story Of The Successor III Izanami''s eyes were immediately sparkling with amazement when she heard Hunter''s love confession. "Love? The romantic kind?" She repeated, holding Hunter''s hands close to her chest as she pulled closer. Hunter was able to get a clear view of her cleavage which made him flustered and caused him to look away, "Y-Yes." He replied to her. "Really really?" Izanami asked excitedly, "How does it feel? Is it warm? I once heard my children say love makes you warm". "Children?" Hunter muttered beforeing to a realization, "You have children, goddess?" He inquired, moving closer to her subconsciously. He was so eager to find out that he didn''t know his face was already exceptionally close to Izanami. Searching his eyes, Izanami slowly pulled closer with her lips slightly opened as she got ready to kiss Hunter. "God-dess. hmmm!" Izanami closed the distance between them, she had never done this before but she knew the steps after watching countless of her creations mating. She drew in and pressed her lips against him, bit his lower lips and she slowly began to caress them. At first, Hunter seemed hesitant, almost shy, but as she deepened the kiss, his reserve melted away. His hands found their way to her hips, pulling her closer to him, as they lost themselves in the sweet warmth of each other''s embrace. They fell to the ground with Izanami on top of him, kissing and massaging each other''s bodies on the crunchy sand. This kind of act wasn''t that rare during those times, as men would often bang their wives outside their houses just to boast about their beautiful wives to the neighbors. After a moment of sexual pleasure emitting from both their bodies, Izanami pulled away, sitting on Hunter''s crutch with both her hands resting on his chest. Hunter was breathing heavily with a red face, unable to control the lust that was building up inside him, while the creator was curious to take the act all the way. She began undressing, revealing her bobbies to Hunter before she pinned him to the ground with her hands. Hunter''s cheeks were extremely beet red, even his pants couldn''t hold the sexual urges he was feeling at the moment. "Oh?" Izanami uttered, slightly raising her hips when she felt something poking her butt. When she looked down and saw that it was Hunter''s erection, she couldn''t help but smile at the sight. She focused back on Hunter before she voiced out, "I have not done this before, but have seen this ritual a lot of times¡­ do not worry". She touched Hunter on the chest with her finger and his clothes suddenly disappeared from his body. With nothing to hold it down, Hunter''s dick sprung up and pped Izanami on the ass. But before it could bounce back, she held it and positioned it at the tip of her butthole. Hunter''s eyes rolled over with immense pleasure when he felt his dick go all the way inside Izanami. Setting herself right, Izanami began riding Hunter''s dick, her juices squirting from her inside with every thrust. The more she moved, the more the pleasure built up inside her and she slowly started losing her grip on Hunter. But Hunter was too far in to let the pacing slip, so he grabbed Izanami roughly, flipping her onto her back. He loomed over her, his eyes dark with desire, and she knew that he was going to take her hard and fast. As they moved together, lost in the throes of passion, Izunami couldn''t think of anything else. She reveled in the pleasure coursing through her body, every touch and thrust pushing her closer and closer to the edge. Breathe to breathe, they both reached their climax, ending with Hunter, thrusting his dick further in and releasing a huge load of semen inside Izanami. ¡­. The sun had barely risen on the new day when Hunter awoke, feeling as though his very soul had been drained from him. Hey alone on the soft sand, his body exhausted from the night before. As the sound of whispers and giggles reached his ears, he opened his eyes, momentarily blinded by the bright light of the sun. Slowly, he sat up, taking in the scene around him. His students were up and about, eagerly making their way towards the nearby river, each clutching a fishing rod. Normally they should have been with their learning tools, but at the moment it was of no concern to Hunter. But it was another sight that caught his eye and held him captive. A little further away, he saw Izanami, sshing and ying with the younger children in the ocean. The way she moved was like a dance, graceful and effortless, and he couldn''t take his eyes off her. As he watched, he realized how fortunate he was to have her in his life. Not only was she breathtakingly beautiful, but she was also kind and caring, with a heart full of love. And to think that he had been given the honor of confessing his love to her, and spending a night with her, filled him with a sense of gratitude that was almost overwhelming. At that moment, he made a silent vow to himself, to cherish every moment with her, to love her with all his heart, and to never take her for granted. For he knew that a woman like Izanami was a rare treasure, one that was worth more than all the riches in the world. Hunter slowly stood up from the ground and observed her every moment from afar, almost like the world hade to a standstill and it was just he and Izanami alone in the world. Suddenly, Izanami looked his way and smiled, waving at him before she was distracted again by the children who were eager to y with her. Hunter waved back, ''If this is some kind of d ream¡­ then¡­ I don''t ever want to wake up again, not even for a minute''. Chapter 145 The Story Of The Successor IV A few months passed and Izanami already gave birth to the baby she had been carrying ever since the first sex she had with Hunter. Happiness filled her mind, knowing she experienced the joy and thrill of childbirth and this was her whole n from the beginning. Izanami had no attachment to Hunter, her all-purpose for being with him was to have a child and understand the joy of having a little one to take care of. A day finally came, when Izanami nned on returning back to her realm, she sat Hunter down in the room and told him about her leaving, but nothing about her being the Creator of the world. "Goddess¡­ I don''t have any issues with you leaving." Hunter uttered, "It''s just, I thought we were supposed to be together¡­ we even had a child". "You understand little of what is going on," Izunami said softly, looking down at her 4-month-old baby nestled in her arms. "I took part in a ritual of childbearing because I was simply curious...my brothers might not be so happy knowing I did so with a human." Hunter''s heart sank as he listened to her words. "What about the child...our child, are you going to take him away too?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion. Izanami''s eyes met his, and for a moment, Hunter saw a hint of sadness and regret. "Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. Hunter''s world shattered. He felt like he had been hit by a ton of bricks. This child was the product of his love for Izanami, and now she wanted to take him away. "Rubbish!!!" he shouted, his anger and frustration boiling over. He stood up from the bed, pointing at Izanami. "You think because you are a god you can do as you please...that''s my child too!" Tears welled up in Hunter''s eyes, and he couldn''t hold them back anymore. His voice cracked as he spoke, "I love this child, Izanami. I love him with all my heart, and I can''t bear the thought of losing him. Please, don''t take him away from me." Izanami looked at Hunter, her expression softening. For a moment, she seemed to consider his words, and then she spoke softly, "I understand your pain, Hunter, and I don''t wish to hurt you. From previous conversations, I understand you have this so-called love for me¡­ this is what is clouding your judgment¡­ not to worry, I can erase that and every memory you ever had of me." Hunter''s heart ached as he listened to her words. He knew deep down that there was nothing he could do to change the situation, she was a god in his eyes after all. Hunter could only hope that Izanami would change her mind, but he had no idea how to go about doing that. Hunter''s heart felt like it was being crushed into a million pieces. He could barely see through the tears that flowed like a never-ending stream down his cheeks. He felt like his world was copsing around him as he pleaded with Izanami, his voice shaking with desperation. "Please Goddess, I beg of you... don''t leave... I... don''t want to lose both you and my child." Izanami''s response pierced his heart like a sharp knife. It was a crushing blow that he never sawing, one that shattered his hopes and dreams into a million pieces.¦Ñ¦Á§ád¦Á `n?¦Í?| §ãom "Child, I see now that I did make a rash decision... but you needth suffer for it... you have such a pure heart, I''m d." Hunter felt like he had been struck by lightning. Every memory he ever had of Izanami vanished into thin air, leaving him feeling empty and confused. His eyes darted around the room, searching for something, and even though Izanami was right in front of him, he could make out details of her. "What am I doing on the floor," Hunter said out loud, looking at the floor, he noticed the hint of tears and quickly touched his cheeks, "I was crying? What is going on here?". He stood up slowly, his legs feeling like they were made of lead. He couldn''t bear to look at Izanami, the pain in his heart was too much to bear. He stumbled out of the room, his mind racing with questions, his heart heavy with sorrow. One Hunter left the room, Izunami stood up from the bed with a smile on her face as she looked at her baby, "Let''s go home." She said, p¦Á§ád¦Á`no¦Í?1`§ão§® Right in front of her, a small crack in reality showed up, the inside was glowing with red space and dark matter. The creator reached out for it and was immediately pulled in like a vacuum before the crack closed on its own. She then arrived in a different space, where there were green grasses, trees, mountains, deserts, rivers, and everything one could possibly find on Earth. The creator created a pocket dimension that resembled the earth she built all by herself, and this was so she could hide from her brothers. She is the creator and the strongest among the three Divine entities that govern the world, mixing with their creation, even going as far as having sex with one will most definitely anger them, and she knew this. Which was why she nned everything out before she did it. The creator might be the strongest being in the universe, but she''s also very simple minded. All she wanted was to know the thrills of raising a child, and so, even if it was only for a year or so, she knew she could aplish her dream in that pocket dimension. So while she''s raising her human child, the remaining two deities will be busy looking for her. Thus she began, about three years passed and she didn''t hear a word from her brothers, which was kinda rming, but then again, she didn''t really care. All she cared about was how her love for her child kept growing and growing with every passing day, and the more she looked at his face, the more she knew she''d do anything to protect him, even if it was against her brothers. But that said.. she was starting to notice a few changes in her body. Chapter 146 The Story Of The Successor V "Ethan! Where are you?" Izanami called out, searching for her son inside the forest. The game hiding seek is something she learned from the humans and she has been using it to have fun with her son. A giggling sound suddenly came from the right bushes. With a smile, Izanami worked toward the bush and immediately spread it open. "There you are!" Izanami voiced out with a smile, looking at her son, fast asleep on the ground. He had long blue hair and was only six years old at the time, "Such a troublesome child." Izanami said with a warm smile before picking Ethan up from the ground and carrying him back to the house. In the pocket dimension, Izanami created other beings that she gave the name angels, so they could help fill the emptiness in the world. Each angel was tasked with different duties, while some were given cleaning duties, others were tasked with looking after Ethan. And after a few years, each angel evolved and began having different authorities, like the angel of wisdom, the angel of riches, the angel of battles, and so on. It took them less than a year after their creation to build a civilization for themselves, all in the hopes of serving The creator. Even Izanami noticed that the angles she created looked to be purer and more intelligent than her first creations [The gods]. After she left the forest, she was immediately greeted by two maiden angels, called Hinako and Opiris. "Lady Izanami, here, let us take the young master from you." Hinako said, walking toward Izanami and gently taking Ethan into her arms. After The creator, the only person Ethan would even allow to touch him was Hinako, the rest might y with him but none had understood him like Hinako. Once she had Ethan with her, Hinako went back to the mansion to ce Ethan in his room while Opiris followed behind her. Izanami smiled, watching as Hinako gently carried Ethan away, she was about to follow when she suddenly felt a huge shock in her chest. Izanami fell to her knees and immediately opened her clothes a little to check her chest. A sigh left her mouth after she checked her chest and closed it back. "Looks like it''s getting worse." Izanami said to herself before standing from her knees, "I guess it''s time to speak to them". ¡­. The next day came, and Ethen was running around the house, ying with the tiny four-legged animal that he had previously created. While he was running, he identally bumped into Haniko which led to him falling on his butt. "Ow!" Ethan uttered, scratching her head to look up at Hinako. "Oh my, young, you should be careful when you y like that." Hinako advised with a warm smile beaming on her face as she spoke. "Hinako!" Ethan excitedly called out before heunched himself unto her with a powerful hug that pushed her back a bit. She couldn''t help but giggle from the action. Feeling excited, Himiko lifted Ethan from the ground and picked him up, "What has the little master been busy with all day?" She asked. "Heheheh¡­" Ethan grinned, "Bubbles!". "Bubbles?.." "Big bubbles!... Too many Bubbles though." Ethan''s smile began to fade, "Ethan, didn''t tell mummy too". "Awwnnn~..." Himiko couldn''t hold in her excitement as a quickugh escaped her mouth, "Show me¡­ ". Her expectation was immediately shattered. Ethan took Himiko to a hidden cave somewhere in the forest, the cave was somewhere he would y alone in, mostly because he wanted to hide it. Inside the cave, was another world entirely, it was filled with different kinds of other creatures, things Himiko hadn''t seen before. Most were human shaped but with different features and magic flow inside them, so one could immediately tell they were different. Demons, elves, orcs, vampires, werewolves, demi-humans, hydras, beastmen, dark elves, any monster one could think of, all lived inside the little world Ethan has created. The more Himiko saw, the more shocked she became, she kept following behind Ethan and she was sure every person that saw them greeted, "Ethan, good to see you again!". "Young master did you¡­ do all this yourself?" Himiko asked as she was walking behind little Ethan. "Hmmm!" Ethan replied with a smile. He led Himiko to a ce that seemed like the end of the world, there was a huge barrier, a wall to be precise, blocking anyone from entering that point. "Quick! Let''s go!" Ethan shouted excitedly, grabbing Himiko by the hand and running inside the barrier. At first, Himiko was startled when she felt her body run through the barrier like nothing was there, but she was even more shocked when she looked up and saw what was filling up the other side. "Look Himiko!, Bubbles!" Ethanughed as he ran. All around the white cloudy space, were giant-looking bubbles. When one bubble collided with another, it multiplied into multiple other Bubbles. To the naked eye that looked like regr bubbles filled with purple glowing magic, but to the angel Himiko¡­ She could tell she was staring at the birth of countless multiverses. Something that no one has thought to do and little Ethan someone managed to do so in all 6 years of his lifetime. Every hair on Himiko''s body stood up, and her heart was filled with both astonishment andplete utter shock. It got to a point where the only thing she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat racing. "Himiko!.. Himiko!" Himiko immediately snapped out of her thoughts and looked at Ethan, who had been pulling her dress for a while. Looking down at him, Himiko went to her knees and ced her hand on Ethan''s shoulders, "Ethan? Do you know what you''ve done here?" She asked with a bit of a concerned look on her face. Ethan responded, "Bubbles?". A sigh escaped Himiko''s mouth as she focused back at the Bubbles, ''I have to tell the mistress about this¡­. The Young master¡­ is exceptionally gifted". Chapter 147 The Story Of The Successor VI Punisher, a supreme being tasked with delivering judgments and executions to the world, was taking his usual respite in his realm. Rest was a necessary aspect of his role; after dispensing judgments upon the gods or other life forms, he would slumber for a couple of years before returning to his work. In this void of emptiness, where nothingness reigned supreme, the Punisher floated in a state of deep slumber. Yet, even in his restful state, he remained alert to the energy that coursed through the world. Thus, when a potent force surged into existence, it was impossible for him to ignore. Instantly roused from his slumber, the Punisher''s eyes opened to a swirl of power and energy. He peered into the vast void that surrounded him, and with his gaze, he discerned the source of the disturbance. The energy originated from a being, one whose power far surpassed his and one that he was all too familiar with. "Punisher! We need to talk." The creator voiced out as she walked through the gap in space. She was not in her human form, but rather in her supreme being form, where she was just a human-shaped energy. The punisher opened his eyes and looked at her, "You finally showed up¡­ how have you been doing as a mother?" He asked sarcastically. "It looks like I underestimated Observer''s authority¡­ he acted, one of his authorities has affected me." Creator said, exposing the dark streak eating away at her chest. "Oh my." Punisher uttered while he was upside down, the world had no sense of direction or sides, there was no ground to stand on or sky to touch. "Ahh, I see it now, looks like he made a rule and you''ve somehow broken it." Punisher said, "Both our authorities work together, if he makes the rules, I make sure they are strictly followed". "That''s why I am here? I need you to cancel out the punishment." Creator requested of the Punisher. "Come now, you know we can''t just break the order¡­ father might be asleep but he''s still very much aware of whatever is going on". "I know¡­" "Look, you and I know Observer isn''t really after you, your role is way too important, what he''s after, is the human child you are harboring." Punisher exined, "He wants you to get rid of the kid, Creator¡­ and I''m in support too". "Getting rid of my offspring is out of the option, I''ll happily die if it means keeping him alive." Creator spoke back. The Punisher looked at her for a while, trying to understand what was going through her mind. He moved closer and uttered, "This attachment you have to this child¡­ is one I don''t understand¡­ we are deities, we can''t have emotional attachments to our works". "This child you speak of is not just any child¡­ he is my Sessor¡­ when I do one day die¡­ he will carry on as the Creator of the world until I return." The creator proimed, looking at The Punisher with utmost determination. "Wow, you''re serious aren''t you¡­ he''s human¡­ he can''t be a creator if he can''t create". "You''d be surprised." Creator hinted, "Ethan created multiverses, a whole generation of species and even brand new words all on his own¡­ with no knowledge of whatever creation I have done". "What?". "He did it behind my back. He probably thought he could hide it from me, but he''s bad at hiding." The creator said with a smile on her face, "One of the creations he made¡­. I named them the Angels and they are far better than whatever I created on earth¡­ Ethan will be my Sessor". "You speak of the boy as if he is far better than you¡­ if that''s the case then I''d very much like to see him." The punisher said with a curious tone. Knowing that the Punisher was curious enough to ask was a good sign that he would probably help her and she was willing to take that chance. Back at the pocket dimension, Ethan and Hinako were outside the mansion, having a pic. There were different kinds of food arranged on the ground for Ethan. But just when the enjoyment was picking up, one of the security angels came running toward the pic with an rming speed. She immediately stopped in front of them and bowed her head, "Miss Hinako,e quick, there''s something you have to see". Hinako followed the angel and took Ethan along so they could see what the angel was fussing about. When she arrived at the scene, Hinako immediately understood why the angel came running to her. Right in the middle of the field, was a male angel, having his body painfully devoured by the darknessing from the crack in the sky. All the angels watching were confused, but at the same time ready to defend the world if it turned out to be a threat. "Here, take care of the young master for me." Hinako said to the angel beside her before she began advancing toward the dying angel. As she walked, she summoned a sword that appeared in her hands beforeing to a stop in front of the guy. "P¡­lease kill me!" The male angel cried out, with dark liquid flowing from his nostrils, eyes, mouth, and other open spaces in his body. "I can not help you¡­ but I can put you out of this, if you are okay with it, of course." Hinako calmly uttered, that was the first time she had seen something like this¡­ but seeing the pain the angel was going through led her to that decision. "Please do¡­" The male angel sobbed. "Very well." Hinako held her sword tightly, getting ready to slice the head of the angel. Her hand shook as she raised the sword to the sky. "Ahhh!" She screamed, but just at thest minute, an ominous voice came from her back that forced her to stop her action. "So¡­ this is the child, the one who is supposed to be the Sessor." The cold voice spoke. Chapter 148 The Story Of The Successor VII After hearing the mysterious voice, Hinako immediately veered around to check what could be making such a terrifying sound. As soon as she turned, Hinako was shocked by what she saw, standing at a distance was a being dressed in a white godly outfit with no face but white glowing energy formed into a humanoid shape. All the angels in its vicinity had a dark lengthy figure, linked from the sky and tied around the neck of the angels. Hinako could see that the angels were struggling to move. "Damm¡­" Hinako sought to approach the mysterious being but was immediately held down by one of the dark ropes that wrapped Itself around her body. "Child,e to me." Observer asserted, standing a few distances behind Ethan. "No, Ethan! Stay where you are!... Don''t-". Before Hinako couldplete her words, the dark energy wrapped Itself around her mouth, causing her to go mute almost instantly. Little Ethan turned around and saw the Observer standing only a few feet away from him. The angels tried their hardest to move but they were powerless. "Who are you? I haven''t seen you before¡­." Ethan asked with his hand resting under his jaw as he thought, "Oh! Are you here to see mummy?" He asked again with a smile. "Mummy? She actually gave herself that title? I am disappointed." Observer sighed, "All the more reason why the child must go". The Observer began moving toward Ethan, his n was to erase Ethan from reality and it was something he was very well capable of doing. The closer the Observer proceeded, the more tensed the angels got, they began adding more effort to freeing themselves because they knew nothing must happen to Ethan. A few more seconds and the Observer would havepleted his agenda, but just when it seemed all set in stone, The creator showed up. "Get away from him, Ethan!" The creator yelled from a far distance. Ethan looked back and just in a split second, the angel to the right managed to reach his sword. He pulled it out and cut himself free before speeding toward Ethan and carrying him away from the Observer''s front. The angel sped to The Creator''s side before he ced Ethan down and fell to his knees, panting heavily. "Ethan, are you okay? Quick, stay behind me." The creator voiced out, holding his hand before pulling him close with her eyes still focused on the Observer. "Creator¡­ How long did you n on hiding from me?" The Observer spoke out. She red, tightening her grip on Ethan''s hand, "What do you want, Observer?" Creator asked. "Observer, I know why you are here¡­ and I think you should reconsider¡­ the child you are after could prove to be beneficial in the future." Punisher chimed in, the moment he set his eyes on Ethan, he immediately knew the child was something special. "I am the Observer, I know the faith of everything, thus I know the faith of this child, and I do know he is one with an exceptional skill¡­ that said, my reasons for wanting him gone differ from that¡­" The Observer expressed, "I refuse to be on the same level of authority with a human child¡­ that is only seen as an insult". "You want to eradicate a life form based on your childish ego?" The creator questioned. The Observer replied, "I already added a rule a few years ago and I''m sure you''ve noticed¡­ there can only be one of these of us, if your son is going to be the Creator then one of you has to leave for the other". "We are born of the energy in the world and exist by the energy. If two Creators exist simultaneously, the energy will need to pick one of the creators to give its powers to¡­ in this case, if he bes your Sessor? He will most definitely perish". The creator smiled before she uttered, "You sounded so proud saying that, but ¡­ my son already created something called a multiverse¡­ if energy runs out in this world, he can simply tap from the others". "What?". "Observer! You do not belong here¡­ return to Heaven''s gate and continue your duty¡­ whatever I do is of no concern to you." Creator voiced out. The Observer''s ominous words hung in the air, and The Creator felt the terror of his words. "Is that so..." He murmured. "I didn''t want it to lead to this, but it seems you gave me no choice... a battle is unavoidable." The Creator watched in horror as dark, shadow-like monsters began to crawl their way to the surface from the ground behind the Observer. They seemed to multiply by the second, and before long, there were over nine million of them, filling the area around them with their eerie presence. But The Creator''s eyes were drawn upwards as a thousand angels appeared in the sky above her, dressed in full body armor and wielding golden weapons. They looked like a shining beacon of hope amidst the darkness that surrounded them, and The Creator felt a surge of courage well up inside her. The Creator stood tall and resolute, her eyes never leaving the Observer''s form. She knew that this was a battle that would determine the fate of the future, and she steeled herself for what was toe. The air crackled with energy, and The Creator could feel the tension building with each passing moment. "Fire!" One of the angels voiced out, raising his hands to the sky, signaling the archers to fire their arrows. The arrows went falling from the sky andnded right on the angels held by the dark energy. The angels were surprised when they noticed the arrows were freeing them from their bondages, but scaling the situation, they knew that they didn''t have time to be calm. One by one, they began stationing themselves right in front of the creator, forming a huge defensive line while Hinako and five other angels stood at the front. They were prepared for war and willing to defend their home with all their might and skill. Chapter 149 The Story Of The Successor VIII The war took over, angels and dark beings, raging across the battlefield, and sounds of explosions and sword strikes filled the air. The angels were having the upper hand in terms of power, but the dark ones had the angels beat when it came to numbers. While the war was going on, The Creator turned to the Punisher amid the ongoing battle. "Punisher, I need you to do me a favor," She said, her hand resting on Ethan''s head. Ethan felt scared, but he tried to hide it. The angels were powerful, but the dark ones had the upper hand in numbers. Every move the angels made left a bit of fear in his chest, but he didn''t want to let his mother know. Punisher replied, "What do you need me to do? If you''re going to ask me to fight Observer, I''ll have to¡­" "I want you to take Ethan to Earth," The Creator interrupted. "You want me to take Ethan away from here? To Earth?" Punisher confirmed, knowing it was a bad idea. Ethan was the son of a supreme being, and leaving him alone on Earth was risky. The Creator nodded, her eyes still fixed on the battle. "Yes, it''s important that he is kept safe." Punisher hesitated. "You do realize the risk to this action you are about to make? Leaving your son alone on earth, with humans¡­ twisted and dark makings, you can''t be that desperate". "It will be fine. I''ve thought it through, there''s a man called Hunter, he is in the Orion Kingdom, give Ethan to him. Although human, he is still pure of heart." The Creator reassured him. "Ethan won''t be alone, I''m sending an angel with him. He''s still young and has a lot to learn. He needs to be protected." Punisher knew she was right. As much as he wanted to convince her otherwise, he couldn''t put a child''s life in danger. He walked over to Ethan, who was standing beside her, fear etched on his face. "Ethan, we''re leaving. Follow me," Punisher said, gesturing for him toe closer. Ethan nodded, tears streaming down his face as he looked at his mother. "I don''t wanna¡­Mom? Where is he taking me?." The Creator hugged him tightly, her eyes closed. "I promise you, Ethan, everything is going to be alright, okay? Just focus on staying safe." Punisher grabbed Ethan''s hand, "Don''t do anything reckless, remember, your actions must not affect the world, or I will ce a punishment". The creator smiled, looking at Ethan''s face who was barely keeping his tears in. She called for one of the angels and requested that she followed Ethan. Altogether, they vanished into thin air, leaving the ongoing war behind. The Creator watched them disappear, a heavy heart in her chest. She knew this was just the beginning of a long battle, but she was determined to see it through to the end ..... A blinding cascade of light descended from the heavens, illuminating the entire field as itnded with a deafening thud. The grass beneath it erupted into a ze of fire, the intense heat turning the once verdantndscape into a deste wastnd of charred earth. As the mes dissipated, the figure of Ethan, The Punisher, and an angelic being emerged from the center of the impact. Ethan was holding onto the Punisher''s hand tightly, still reeling from the shock of the sudden descent. The angel was dressed in a flowing white gown that shimmered in the sunlight, her hair a snowy white, and her eyes a bright red, like rubies. The boy''s eyes widened in awe as he took in his surroundings. The field that had been burnt and ckened by the impact was slowlying back to life, the grass beginning to grow and the flowers starting to bloom again. "Where are we?" Ethan asked, looking around in amazement as he made sure to look at every angle of where he stood. He could sight several buildings from afar, but since that was the first time he was on earth, his mind was quickly drawn to other things. The Punisher turned to Ethan, his expression serious. "Child," he called out, and Ethan was quick to respond. "You are now the Sessor," he continued his tone grave. "Everything in the world is yours to control andmand. But remember, any action you take will have consequences. You must decide what kind of effect you want to have on the world. Do you understand me?" Ethan looked up at the Punisher, his eyes full of curiosity. "Are you trying to tempt me to do bad things?" he asked, his tone innocent yet perceptive. The Punisher chuckled. "Smart kid, smart indeed," he replied, before turning to the angel beside him. "Take care of him," he uttered before disappearing into thin air. As soon as the Punisher vanished, Ethan gasped for air, his heart pounding in his chest as he looked around frantically, hoping to see the Punisher reappear. But there was no sign of him. Reality hit Ethan hard, and he fell to his knees, his body wracked with sobs. Tears streamed down his face, and he clutched at the grass, trying to find something to anchor him in this moment of chaos. It was like the weight of the world had suddenly descended upon him, crushing him with its burden. A deep pain radiated from his chest, and he couldn''t contain the scream that tore from his throat. The sound echoed throughout the field, a testament to the agony that he was feeling. The sky above him darkened, as though it was reflecting the storm raging inside of him. The ground shook beneath him as if it too was trying to bear witness to his pain. And through it all, the angel stood stoically by his side, her face emotionless and serene. Her presence was a smallfort to him, a reminder that he was not alone in this moment of despair. But even with her by his side, Ethan couldn''t shake the feeling of being lost and alone in a world that had suddenly be unfamiliar and terrifying. The tears of the Sessor continued to fall, a testament to the weight of the responsibility that he now carried. Chapter 150 Leaving The Gateway Ethan lived on earth for a couple of years alongside a beautiful angel that he named Aril and gave her the authority, Angel of Knowledge. During the years that Ethan spent on Earth, he created many more monsters, ranging from the smallest dwarfs to the biggest orcs. But although those creations were great, there were some that took a special ce in his heart. Ethan created three female goddesses and gave them the authorities, (Goddess of light, Goddess of battle, and goddess of darkness), and he didn''t stop there, he also went on to create 5 witches, with the authorities, (Witch of destruction, witch of Sex, witch of rage, witch of bargain, witch of hunger). Years grew longer and the demons on earth multiplied, to the point where it turned into a nation and Ethan was the emperor. The demons were hated by both the gods and humans, so it didn''t take long for a war to begin, something Ethan detested. Heid down on the grass and stared at the sky, his thoughts wandering around as he couldn''t help but think back to his home and mother. A sigh escaped Ethan''s mouth before he uttered, "I wonder¡­ are you still fighting up there? I miss you, Himiko, and the cave. But I guess there''s not much I can do to help." He sighed again before he continued. "I''ve improved though, I don''t cry anymore, I don''t call your name anymore, does that make you proud? I hope so¡­ I would really just want to see you again". As he spoke to himself, the three goddesses and five witches all showed up behind him, on their knees and head bowed. "Sessor, the humans have already begun their attacks." Afrina, the goddess of light informed. She had long red hair and was wearing warrior''s armor, a red flower decorated the side of her hair. "I guess, it''s time then." Ethan uttered, standing up with a smile on his face as he looked at the witches and goddess, "Let''s get this over with¡­ and have a pic once we are done". [shback ends] All the witches in the room sprung up from their chairs, their eyes widened in shock as they stared at one another. Every single thing Ava saw, the rest of the witches did. All the witches in the room jolted upright from their chairs, their eyes widening in shock as they stared at each other. Ava''s revtion shook them to the core, and they all knew the gravity of the situation. As they absorbed the truth, tears streamed down their faces, and they couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed. Ava weakly pulled on Sato''s clothes, and as he looked down at her, he saw the tears falling from her eyes. Her expression was one of foreshadowed despair, and he knew that something was terribly wrong. "We thought we wouldn''t see you again!" Ava cried out, her wordsced with raw emotion, as she sent a warm yet powerful hug to Sato. The rest of the witches, except Tarofona, ran toward Sato and embraced him, their sobs and wails of relief filling the room. Sato could feel the weight of their emotions, the deep sense of fear and uncertainty that had gripped them all. But he was still unsure as to what exactly got into them. ''Aril¡­ I can tell this is another thing you''ve hidden from me.'' Sato muttered, looking at the tearful faces of the witches. << You never asked for it, I only answer questions you give me, and you specifically told me not to address every little detail>> ''You sneaky¡­'' Sato sighed, looking at Tarofona who was still seated in her chair, "Hey!" He called out, "You seem calm enough, can you exin what is going on here?". Terofona hid her face with the red umbre she was holding, "Y-You don''t remember?" She asked with a shaky voice. "Remember what?...". After a while, the witches calmed down, they all sat down on their chairs and although they desperately wanted to speak about the past with Sato, they knew putting that aside to speak about the battle was their priority. "So you really don''t remember anything, Sessor?" Ava asked, her eyes filled with anticipation as she looked at Sato. "I don''t even know what it is I''m supposed to be remembering, but you are not to call me that¡­ Sessor." Sato spoke as he looked at the witches, "Do I somehow resemble this Sessor fe?". A smile hit Kirah''s face, "Well, I think it''s better you don''t remember¡­ right?" She sought confirmation from her sisters. "Right~, all you should know is we belong to you and vice versa¡­" Selfy smiled, her head resting on the table as she stared at Sato. ''I don''t understand what the hell is going on, but it''s safe to say, they are willing to help me¡­'' A grin showed on Sato''s face, "Okay then¡­ What do I need to do to im this forest for myself?." He asked, his hand resting under his jaw as he spoke. "There''s really nothing you need to do." Terofona uttered, "You are the Sessor, what''s ours yours, that includes the forest". Sato stood up from his chair, "Wonderful, then let''s work together to protect this vige." "Hai!" The witches stood up and uttered in unison with their heads bowed. ¡­.. The meeting with the witches took longer than Sato anticipated, but as soon as he was done, he took off straight to Nervek to take his ce as the winner. Yuri was seated beside Sato, looking at him back and forth and she was fighting the urge to ask him something. "Yuri," Sato called out, with his tucked and eyes closed. "H-Hai?". "I can tell you want to ask me something, is it about how familiar the witches were with me?" He asked. Yuri looked away, hiding the embarrassment on her face. She had been thinking about it ever since they left the Gateway, but she just didn''t know how to ask. Sato sighed, slowly lifting his eyes open, "I''m just as shocked as you, whatever the case, it looked like they knew me¡­ and they called me Sessor, they are the third people to call me that¡­ it is worth looking into". Chapter 151 Teach Me Summoning Magic Sato got down from the carrige, right in front of him was d''s mansion with lots of maids lined up at the entrance. "Master, it looks like the Duke was already expecting you." Yurimented, walking out of the carriage and standing beside Sato. Sato responded, "Seems like it, Let''s go." Before he continued his advance toward the entrance of the door. Ignoring the maids, Sato and Yuri strolled inside the building, and as soon as they got inside, they were immediately met by Sebastian. Sato arrived at the grand hall of the Nervek Castle, a massive structure made of white stone and adorned with intricate carvings. The hall was just as impressive, with high ceilings and elegant chandeliers hanging from above. As Sato entered, Sebastian greeted him with a bow. "We''ve been expecting you, Lord Sato," he said, his voice echoing in the spacious hall. Sato scanned the room, his eyes searching for any signs of the ceremony he was meant to attend. "Sebastian, correct me if I''m wrong, but isn''t today supposed to be when I''m called out as the winner to all of Nervek?" he asked. Duke d answered instead. "There was a bit of a problem, so we had to reschedule," he said, a hint of regret in his voice. He walked down the steps to meet Sato, apanied by his daughter, Erza. Erza''s face lit up when she saw Sato, but her joy was short-lived when she noticed Yuri, Sato''s assistant, standing beside him. Her expression soured, and a hint of disappointment crossed her features. "Duke," Sato greeted d, bowing his head in respect. "Who''s the beautiful girl you have beside you?" d blurted out, his eyes fixed on Yuri. Sato''s eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "I believe you''ve met her before, she''s my assistant, Yuri," he said. d let out a heartyugh. "At such a young age, I''m proud of you. You might surpass me at this rate," he said, still chuckling. Sato gave a nervous chuckle in response, not quite sure what d meant. While d and Sato exchanged pleasantries, Erza beckoned Yuri to follow her. "Yuri, we need to talk," she said, her tone serious. Sato and d exchanged a puzzled look as the two women left the room. "Oi, did you mess up your harem?" d whispered to Sato, a mischievous glint in his eye. Sato''s face fell, and he shot d a deadpan look. "Please stop saying such perverted things," he said. d let out a boisterousugh. "Anyways¡­ Come with me, I think it''s time we discussed," he said, gesturing towards the stairs that led to his private chambers. Sato let out a sigh, ncing at Sebastian, who avoided his gaze. Another sigh escaped him before he followed d up the stairs. ¡­ They made thier way toward the room, both the Duke of Nervek and lord of Elves, sat down on the chair, facing one another with a giant map steated on the center table. Beside Erza were two soliders, first was Veronica Valdezi, the second leader of the forever knights, and the second was themander, Selvin. Sato sat down, looking at the map and was quick to notice the naming on them, from that, he knew it was a map of Fiona. "I''m sure you''ve figured it out already." d said, observing as Sato''s eyes were reading the whole map. "You want to discuss the war against Fiona?" Sato asked. "Right on the head." d voiced out, "As I said, I am willing to help you win this war, but I''m still under the Demon''s lord''s rules, so my actions will be limited". "About that, I never really exined the full reason why I epted the war in the first ce." Sato hinted. d leaned forward and asked, " Was it but because you wanted to protect the forest?". "That is part of it." Sato responded, "Another reason is, I want to merge Nervek together with the forest and turn it into a nation¡­ and for that to have a chance¡­". "You n to use the war as a means to corner the kings and let him ept your demands,.." dpleted Sato''s words. "Exactly," Sato uttered with a smile on his face as he also leaned forward, "I''ll split Nervek from Fiona and link it up with the forest". "Not a bad idea." d said with an evil grin on his face. "I knew you''d understand." Sato said back, grinning as he looks d in the eye. ¡­.. Yuri and Erza were in Erza''s room, with Yuri standing at the entrance while Erza sat on the bed. The room was quiet except for the soft sound of their breathing. Yuri was wondering what could be so important that Erza would drag her away from her master. "What is it you wanted to tell me?" Yuri asked, her tone curious yet serious. Erza took a deep breath, her hands gripping the edge of the bed. "I want you to teach me how to use magic," she said, her voice steady despite the nervousness she felt. Yuri raised an eyebrow in surprise. Vampires were known for their innate ability to use magic, and as a royal vampire, Erza was expected to be a master of all types of magic. So why did she need Yuri''s help? "Do you have a problem with that?" Erza asked, meeting Yuri''s gaze with a determined look. Yuri let out a sigh before responding. "No, I don''t have a problem with it. What kind of magic do you want to learn?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. Erza stood up from the bed and walked over to the drawer beside her, pulling out a thick book andying it on the bed. "I want you to teach me summoning magic," she said, looking up at Yuri with a serious expression Yuri moved closer and picked up the book, looking closely at it but she still couldn''t tell what the book was about¡­. "What is this?" Yuri asked. "It''s a summoner book, belonging to my mother." Erza replied, "Inside the book holds different kinds of celestial spirits¡­ I want to be able to control them at will". "So, what do you say, can you teach me?" Erza asked. Yuri opened the book and began flipping the pages to see drawings of different spirits. She closed the book and responded with a smile on her face, "Sure, why not¡­ I''ll teach you". Chapter 152 The War Planning In Nervek "How long do we have before the war starts?" d asked. "About 14 days from now." Sato replied. They both stayed quiet for a while before d sighed, "You are up against the kingdom of Fiona¡­this is not going to be easy." He warned. "I know, that''s why I''m pulling all the strings I can." Sato responded. That was the first time he had ever experienced war, so although he knew he could hold his ground, he was stillcking in the experience. "A week ago, I had one of my elves infiltrate the capital and report how the armies were nning¡­ The most I could learn was, no other kingdom was willing to aid Jira¡­ Appreantely, Jira is known to wage war on selfish agendas". "True." dughed, "But even with no help from other countries, Fiona is still a very powerful force¡­ I believe they numbered 100,000 strong". "150,000." Sato corrected, "The estimated number they should be after help from inside towns and cities should be 150,000". "That''s quite a number". "It is, I''ve got myself beat in that category, currently, I have 100 elves, 400 beastmen, 50 Valkyries, and about 55 other monsters¡­ it''s obvious to see where this is going." Sato informed, focusing his eyes on the map before he continued. "That said." Sato leaned forward and pointed at the Riojas kingdom. It was in human territory, located on the right side and not too far from The Witch''s forest and also just a bit behind Warthniq Kingdom. "I already have a strong rtionship with this Kingdom, as we speak Divanchi and Giron have gone to request their help." Sato hinted, "If Riojas epts, I should be getting a backup of around 70,000 men, that''s not even included with the other kingdom Riojas is in link with". "Don''t forget Nervek, although we are still a city we do number 8000." Veronica chimed in. "Hold on, There''s no way a Kingdom will be willing to give you that many men unless they stand to gain something from the war." d informed, looking at Sato whose response was a smile. Sato opened his palm and a ck thread-like mystworked out of it and formed into a green glowing rock. d''s eyes widened in awe, "Is that a?..". "A Lyn stone, useful for powering magic technologies and forging." Sato exined, "I offered Riojas 5 carriages of this, the forest caves are covered in it, so I didn''t lose anything". "I must say Lord Sato, using your resources for bargaining is quite the move." Veronicaplimented. d couldn''t help but feel the need to chuckle, "I won''t be surprised if you have another trick off your sleeves". "Hold on to that, cuz I''m not done." Sato pointed at the Witch''s forest, "Have you heard of the witches of Lilivil?". "Actually, I think I''ve heard of them before," Commander Selvinmented, "It was five years ago, I remember my men running back to came after running into a witch called Terafona". "That''s the witch of bargain." Sato spoke out, "Just know we are having backup from them also". "Looks like you didn''t need my help to begin with." d furrowed his brow, his eyes flickering across the map as he considered the options. "Even with those reinforcements, the odds are still not in your favor," he said, his voice low. Sato nodded, his expression serious. "I know. But I have to try everything I can. I won''t fall without a fight." d leaned forward, his eyes bright with determination. "And we will fight with you, my lord," she said firmly. "We may not have the numbers, but we have strength and determination on our side." Sato smiled at him, gratitude clear in his expression. "Thank you, Duke. Your help means everything to me." Commander Selvin cleared his throat, drawing everyone''s attention. "If I may, Lord Sato, I have a suggestion." Sato nodded encouragingly. "Please, Selvin. Any ideas are wee." "Well, we could try a sneak attack," Selvin suggested. "Hit them when they least expect it, catch them off guard. It could give us an edge." d snorted derisively. "A sneak attack? Against Fiona? Do you know their tactics? They''ll see using a mile away." Selvin shrugged. "It''s just a thought. But we have to do something. Sitting here waiting for them to attack us isn''t going to help." Sato tapped his fingers thoughtfully against the map. "Selvin has a point. We need to be proactive, not reactive. But we have to be smart about it." They fell into a thoughtful silence, each lost in their own musings. Sato''s gaze drifted to the Lyn stone in his hand, his mind racing with possibilities. Finally, he spoke up. "We''ll send a small team to camp out behind the enemy''s position. When the war starts, they attack from behind and scatter Fiona''s formation. We''ll send the team early, they''ll probably have to spend a few days in Fiona." d raised an eyebrow. "And how do you propose we do that? Fiona is thest Kingdom at the edge of the demon territory, getting past their border won''t be easy " Sato chuckled. "Of course, it won''t. We''ll need someone stealthy. Someone who can move unseen and unheard." Sato''s eyes brightened. "I know just the person." He continued, "Ond!". From the floor came a dark mist that formed into the shadow elf Ond, "Yes master, you called." He said with his head bowed. "I need you to do something, so stay here for a bit, let me finish up." Sato uttered, standing up from his seat and walking to the side of the room. "As you wish." Ond stood up and positioned himself at the side. d noticed Sato was holding the Lyn stone and it drew his curiosity, "What are you doing?" He asked. "Remember when I said I still have a few tricks left?" Sato hinted, stretching his hand that''s holding onto the stone, "Brace yourself, this might just blow your mind". Chapter 153 5 Carts Of Lyn Stones Sato closed his eyes, a look of deep concentration etched onto his features. He kept his hands in front of him, ensuring that his grip on the Lyn stone remained steady. As he began to channel his magic into the stone, it began to emit a bright green light that illuminated the room. In Sato''s mind, a flurry of images and ideas coalesced into a single, clear vision. With unwavering focus, Sato directed his magic towards the formation of this object. The Lyn stone seemed to split into threads of pulsating energy, swirling and coiling in mid-air before taking on a tangible form. With a flourish, Sato opened his eyes and revealed what he had created. The threads of energy had coalesced into a beautiful ck rifle gun, gleaming with the same green light as the Lyn stone. Sato smiled with satisfaction, his magic once again proving to be a powerful tool in his arsenal. "Is¡­ Is that a God weapon?" Slevin uttered in surprise, staring profoundly at the rifle since he had never seen a weapon like that before. Sato replied, "No, it''s just a regr weapon, nothing really powerful against gods, but in a war¡­ it''s a soldier''s best friend". "Impressive." d said with a smile before he stood up from the chair and walked toward Sato, "And how does this weapon of yours work?" He asked. He snatched the gun from Sato and began swinging it like a sword, "Hmmm? Something doesn''t feel right." d said, swinging the gun again to test its weight. Sato snatched the gun back from d, "Let me show you." He said, looking to Selvin almost immediately, "Selvin,e here a sec". "Sure." Selvin left the side of the chair and walked closer to Sato, "Why was I called?" Selvin asked. "Here, hold this." Sato instructed, positioning the rifle very well on Selvin before he walked toward the door. "Now, listen, I want you to pull the trigger when I give the alert, Okay?". "Ugh, yeah, I think I understand." d responded, aiming the gun at Sato but with intense focus. "Perfect." Sato stood right, ''Hold up, can I even withstand the attack from a gun?''. <> "I''ll take your word for it," Sato said, bracing himself as he instructed Selvin, "Okay, Selvin... fire!" "Here," Selvin replied, tightening his grip on the gun and resting his fingers on the trigger. "I go!" With a deafening boom, Selvin''s body was thrown back as a fast-moving green energy st shot out from the gun and struck Sato in the gut. The impact caused the surrounding area to explode, and the door and wall behind Sato copsed. Sato slid out of the room, his body absorbing the full force of the attack. As he looked back into the room, his eyes widened in shock at the destruction caused by the st. "Shit, that was more effective than I thought," Sato thought to himself. He identally made eye contact with d and the others, who had expressions of shock and disbelief on their faces. ... [Riojas Kingdom. Located in the human region. They are also one of Sato''s closest traders for Herbs and Deerhug]. Before Sato even thought about going to the Gateway to meet the witches, he already set another n in motion. He sent Divanchi and Giron to the Riojas kingdom to plead for military support. Although the terms had been met, all that was left was the validation and confirmation. And thus they began, Divanchi and Giron were standing in the center of the throne room, while the king of Riojas, Yaomira, sat down on his high throne. His piercing gaze fixed upon them, and the atmosphere was tense with anticipation. The fate of their mission rested on the king''s decision, and they could only hope that their efforts would bear fruit. "Will the Lord of Elves be joining us today?" Yaomira asked, gazing down at Divanchi and Giron. He was in his 50s and had white hair and blue eyes,plemented by a golden crow and white expensive clothing. Giron cleared his throat before he replied, "My lord is currently in a city on business, which is why he sent us here toplete the deal". "Hmmm¡­" Yaomira groaned, "I am to trust you understand the importance of this meeting?". "I promised your Lord to assist him in the meaningless fight against Fiona, but in exchange, he promised to give me rare Lyn stones, I believe he promised three carts". "You don''t need to worry about that? We brought the goods along with us." Giron responded with a smile. The king was feeling hesitant to believe them, even though he had bought a lot of goods from them. And no one could actually me him since it was justified. The Lyn stones are very rare and valuable materials and most times can only be found in ces embedded with surplus magic essence, like ces where Divine beasts lived, or ces where natural disasters had just urred. Because of his uncertainty about the treaty he was about to sign, Yaomira forced Giron and Divanchi to show him the goods before he would continue. Reaching outside the pce, Giron led the king and his adviser toward the two carriages parked outside the castle. One of the carriages had 4 different carts behind it and they were connected to one another like a train with a ck fabric covering it. "It''s in these?" Yaomira asked, looking at the carts with doubt still written on his face. "Yes, allow me to show you, the Lyn stones." Giron walked closer to the cart and immediately pulled the fabric away from the two carts in front. Both Yaomira and his assistant had their jaws dropped in shock; they stared at the carta filled with green glowing Lyn stones. "H-How is this many even possible?" Yaomira muttered, walking closer to the carts to pick one of the Lyn stones only to be amazed again, "It''s the real deal." He said in awe. "Do I take this as we have a deal?" Divanchi spoke from behind, her arms tucked with her stares focused on the King. Chapter 154 The King Lends Assistance. They went back inside the pce to continue discussing, but before anything, there was something Yaomira wanted to know. "I understand that The lord of elves needs backup in defending against Fiona, what I don''t understand is why this war started in the first ce." Yaomira asked, looking down at Divanchi and Giron. Giron peeked at Divanchi, contemting the idea of answering the questions or putting up a lie. With a sigh, Divanchi took the action and replied, "I don''t know the specifics, but it has something to do with the Demon lord wanting to take the forest and it''s resources for himself". "And your Lord is not willing to hand it over?" Yaomira asked. "He isn''t". "I''ve seen first hand the impressive materials your master has in his possession. Very well, then, you have my full support." Yaomira dered with a smile on his face. Giron couldn''t help but feel excited about the news, but he knew his work wasn''t done, so he calmed himself, "How big of a support should we be expecting?" He asked. "If you are referring to the military backup, then you have nothing to worry about. Expect nothing less than 20,000 of my best men." Yaomira proimed. "Great then. Thank you for your help." Divanchi uttered with her head bowed and Giron followed and bowed his head. Since they were done with their mission, Divanchi and Giron left the Lyn stones with Riojas since they trusted each other. And they had already signed a contract with awyer present, so the chances of Riojas backing out was very slim. Sato was making sure to use every skill and help to secure a win for himself but little did he know he wasn''t the only one preparing for war. A Kingdom in the demon territory, a fewnds away from Fiona, were also preparing tounch a full scale attack on the opposite Kingdom Warthniq. The name of the kingdom was Terra and it was ruled by a Demon lord called Piranora, who was in in a war against Warthniq by the sword and elemental heroes named Hinako and Shinya. After the death of Piranora, his only son, Elyon took on the responsibility of having revenge on Warthniq. The n was to attack them when they were least expecting it. Terence, the king of Warthniq, already believed Terra had fallen¡­ so any thought of a counter attack didn''t ur to him. As Elyon walked into the room, he was greeted by three Red Dragon warriors, dressed in full body armor adorned with the emblem of their prestigious rank. Elyon strode forward, stopping in front of arge table that held a giant map. "Any updates?" he inquired, his tone firm andmanding. "Sire," Mustang, thebat general, began hesitantly, "I implore you to reconsider. We only recently emerged from a war against Warthniq, and our soldiers are still in the process of healing." Elyon considered Mustang''s words before responding, "I understand. That''s why I have given our troops a week''s rest, during which they will receive specialized medical care. Surely that should suffice?" "You are indeed generous, Sire," Mirondic added, a warm smile crossing his features. "Great then, look here." Elyon asserted, pointing at a point on the map, "Thest time we fought, they ambushed us at the left nk, meaning they took lots of detours to arrive there¡­". "But we won''t be doing so, we will take a direct approach at them¡­unch our attack in the middle of this sovereignnd." Elyonpleted. "Ahh, I believe that ce is called the Forest of Witches¡­ I heard people were building viges inside already." Mustang informed. "I wasn''t aware of that." Elyon considered Mustang''sment, "Well, it doesn''t change the n, since we''ll only be fighting outside and not in the forest". "Agreed, Sire. It is imperative that we strike at their core, and not give them a chance to regroup or retaliate," added Mirondic, his eyes fixed on the map. "But we need to be careful, Sire. The Forest of Witches is known for its treacherous terrain and unpredictable weather patterns. We must prepare our troops ordingly and anticipate any unforeseen circumstances," cautioned Mustang, his voice serious. Elyon nodded in agreement, "Of course, we''ll make sure to send scouts ahead of the main force to assess the situation and gather intel on the enemy''s movements. And we''ll also deploy our best navigators and survival experts to guide our troops through the forest." The Red Dragon warriors listened attentively, each contributing their own insights and rmendations. They discussed the possible scenarios and strategies, weighing the risks and benefits of each approach. As the meeting progressed, the details of the n started to take shape. The attack would beunched in three waves, with the first wave consisting of archers and long-range artillery, followed by a second wave of foot soldiers and cavalry, and the final wave consisting of elite units led by the Red Dragon warriors. "We''ll need to coordinate with our allies to ensure a sessful campaign," added Mirondic, his eyes sparkling with determination. Elyon nodded in agreement, "Yes, we''ll need to send emissaries to secure their support and devise a joint strategy. It won''t be an easy task, but it''s necessary for our victory." The meeting concluded with Elyon outlining the next steps and delegating tasks to the Red Dragon warriors. They left the room, each with a sense of purpose and resolve to prepare for the uing battle. Warthniq was also making ns to strike at the Forest of Witches, but with a different strategy. Terence, the leader of Warthniq, devised a n to send the Sword Hero Shinya and his party to the forest with an army of 50,000 men to drive out the residents. However, Shinya had other intentions. He pleaded with the king to allow him to speak with the people in the forest first and try to convince them to surrender peacefully. In truth, his real goal was to meet up with Sato and persuade him to join Warthniq, rather than remain in the forest. Terence was skeptical of Shinya''s n but decided to trust in the Sword Hero''s abilities. He gave him the go-ahead to enter the forest and try to negotiate a peaceful resolution. Chapter 155 Intruders On The Ship Shinya and his party made it toward the port and were ready to head to the witches'' forest to deliver their message. But when they arrived there, they were shocked to see the Elemental hero, Hinako at the port, buying a ticket to enter the ship. "Hold up, isn''t that Himiko Suzuki?" Shinya hinted, pointing at the Elemental hero with a curious expression on his face. "Probably she also has business to attend to in the demon territory," Eri added, holding two luggages in her hand. "Well, I''ll go find out." Shinya walked away and proceeded toward Himiko. Himiko had just finished buying her transport tickets which cost 3 gold coins each (Sels). After she was done, she turned and sought to walk away only for her path to be blocked by Shinya. "Yo, how are you doing this fine morning, Elemental hero?" Shinya asked with a huge smile on his face. Himiko paused for a while before mming her hands together as if she had just remembered something, "Oh, you''re the weird dick shy guy." She said with a neutral expression. Shinya immediately gave out a forceful smile as he looked to the side with tears hanging around his eyes, "I can''t believe, that''s how you remember me". "Well,ter." Himiko began to walk away. "Wait, wait, wait!" Shinya ran toward her front again, "Are you also heading toward the Demon territory?" He asked. "Yes." Himiko replied. "Perfect, I''m also heading there too, although my destination is the witch''s forest, so I''m not exactly doing that deep into the demon territ-" "Do you know where the witch''s forest is?" Himiko chimed in. "Know there? Ha!" Shinyaughed with a smug expression, "I''ve been there before". Almost instantly, Himiko bowed her head with the three tickets in her head, "Please, dick shy guy, can you guide me toward the forest?". Shinya looked away again with tears around his eyes, "S-Sure, why not". With that, Shinya and Himiko boarded the ship that was headed toward the Demon territory. Himiko got into her room and ced all her bags inside before locking the door with her priest Garfield inside. Sheid down on the bed as a heavy sigh escaped her mouth, "How long before we get to the Demon territory?" Himiko asked. Garfield opened the window to the room as he responded, "Since we are going by ship, I''m thinking less than 4 days at least". "That''s fair, I thought it was going to be longer." Himiko uttered, her eyes closed as she was slowly falling asleep. Garfield smiled, picking up the nket on the bed and using it to cover her body, "Sleep well," He uttered. The angel sword Eril suddenly took her human form and stood beside Garfield, "Isn''t going to the demon territory a bit risky? I don''t know why master wants to go there so badly". "ording to her¡­ there''s someone she has to meet". In the other room beside Himiko, was the room of the Sword hero Shinya and his party. He had already settled down in his room and unlike Himiko who had fallen asleep, Shinya wasn''t looking to trade what he was for anything. He held Eri on the bed, his legs in between her thighs. Shinya kissed her, while caressing her boobs with silent moans escaping her mouth. Slowly smooching her, Shinya pulled away, "I''ve forgotten how much I missed this." He voiced out with a smile. Eri was panting heavily with her face beet red as she tried to suppress the ecstasy she was feeling. "D-don''t tease me." She stammered. "I would never." Shinya grinned, reaching for her crutch, just a few momentster and he would have made Eri go crazy from the lust. But unexpectedly, Shinya was interrupted. The door to the room sprung open and a man wearing a dark cloak rushed inside, "On the ground now!" The man yelled. Shinya was quick to grab his sword on the shelf and rushed toward the man''s position. The man gritted his teeth as he yanked out his sword to defend against Shinya. nk! Shinya shed his sword at the man, and although the man did block the attack, it still didn''t guarantee his safety. Shinya''s sword slit both the man and his sword in half with one strike. The man''s body fell to the ground, squirting the room in blood while Shinya shed his sword to the side knowing he had yed the threat. "Shinya, the ship is under attack." Eri informed, still seated in the bed with her boobs exposed. Shinya sighed in frustration before resting his head on the door, "Can''t a hero have sex without distractions!" He muttered. "Who says we can''t continue when you''re done?" Eri uttered in a flirtatious voice. A smile suddenly showed on Shinya''s face as he gripped his sword tighter, "Wait for me, I''ll be back!" He voiced out, running out of the room after shutting the door closed. Garfield and Eril were in their room, watching over Himiko who was busy sleeping in the room. All of a sudden, Himiko opened her eyes and jolted up from the bed with her eyes fixed on the door. "Master, what''s wrong?" Eril asked. "Intruders in the ship." Himiko hinted. She then aimed her hand at the door with a blue magic circle showing up in front of her. "We haven''t checked this room!" A voice came from outside, both Garfield and Eril stood still as they heard the slow footsteps approaching them. "Okay, where are you cun-". As soon as the man opened the door, he was greeted with ten different icicles stabbing his head and body before he dropped dead to the ground. Two more intruders showed up, scared as they looked to the ground to see their teammate decorated with icicles in his body. "Shit, what the hell?-". Before the guy in front could finish his words, Eril had already whooshed to the front,nding a sharp jab to his face. His body went flying and crashing into the next room after breaking open the door from the fall. Chapter 156 Intruders On The Ship II Another intruder was looking to enter the room, but then Shinya showed up and drove his sword straight into the neck of the intruder and chopped it to the ground. "Oi! Are you alright in there?" Shinya looked into the room and saw Himiko standing to her feet with Garfield beside her. "Yes, what''s going on here? Who are these guys?" Himiko asked as she walked out of the room and stopped in front of Shinya. Shinya responded, "Seems some thugs got on the ship before its departure". "I see." Himiko muttered, thinking of the next step she should take, "Garfield, track down where the intruders are and tell me their location once you''ve found it". "As you wish." And like that, Garfield disappeared into thin air. Once he was gone, Himiko ced her hand on the ground and closed her eyes as she tried to concentrate¡­ She suddenly sprung open her eyes, "Found them!". Himiko immediately stood up and looked at Eril, "Let''s go¡­ Eril!" She eximed, running toward the left path of the ship. "Hai!" With a sh of wind, Eril''s body turned into magic and formed into a shy de in Himiko''s hand. Shinya just stood there, confused about what just happened, but he thenter chose to follow behind her. The ballroom on the ship was the base the ce criminals chose to hold the people on the ship hostage. They gathered around 50 merchants and travelers there, while about 26 of them were roaming about holding weapons in their hands. Their mission on the ship was to mog and find the relic they heard was on board the ship. The relic in question is called the Diris stone, a stone that is used to make tamers for all kinds of living things, from the smallest dwarfs to the biggest beasts including Divine beasts like Divanchi and it is very expensive. The criminals began moving around, searching every area of the ship, looking for the stone in question. Seated on the stage was a man wearing a brown shirt, blue trousers, and a whip resting beside him. The man''s name was Rikor nt, and the main leader of the criminals, he wore an eyepatch and had a red scarf underneath his eye making him look more menacing. One of the male criminals came running inside the ballroom and kept his pace until he arrived in front of Rikor before falling to his knees with his head bowed. "Rikor-sama, is this what we are looking for?" The criminals uttered, bringing forth a ck glowing stone that was wrapped inside a brown rag. Rikor''s eyes widened in surprise as he noticed the rock was the dimis rock he was looking for. "Yes!" He voiced out, slowly standing to his feet with a smile. Rikor swiftly took the stone from the criminal''s grasp and raised it close to his nose, inhaling its scent. "This is the genuine article," he remarked, a wide grin spreading across his face. With the matter of the stone settled Rikor''s twisted mind turned to his next objective - finding someone to satiate his bloodlust. "I''m in the mood for some fun," he announced with a sadistic chuckle. Handing the stone back to the criminal, he retrieved his whip and strode purposefully toward the huddled group of passengers. As he approached the hostages, his excitement grew, and his eyes gleamed with a fierce intensity. Surveying the group, his gaze fell upon a man with a distinctive appearance. From the cut of his clothing and his confident bearing, Rikor deduced that the man was a bishop or an archpriest. Without hesitation, Rikor made his way to the man and lowered himself to his level, his eyes locked onto his chosen victim. "You''re a head priest aren''t you?" Rikor asked. The man trembled in fear, his eyes darting nervously as he tried to avert Rikor''s piercing gaze. Rikor''s lips curled into a wicked smile as he observed the man''s distress. "Yes, really?" he drawled, savoring the terror that he was causing. "My father was a priest too," Rikor continued with a dark chuckle, relishing the memories that his words evoked. "He was a beloved figure in our vige, always preaching about the importance of prayer and devotion. But you know what I despised the most about him?" In one swift movement, Rikor seized the man''s throat, relishing the sight of his victim''s futile struggles. "He was so kind to everyone, except for his own family," Rikor spat out, his voiceced with bitterness. "Behind closed doors, he was a monster." Rikor''sughter echoed through the room, a chilling sound that sent shivers down the spines of the other hostages. "And today, my dear fellow," he sneered, tightening his grip on the man''s neck, "you had the misfortune of resembling my father. Rikor was just about to snap the man''s neck when a sudden cry of pain rang out from behind him. He turned, his eyes widening in shock as he took in the sight before him. Almost half of his meny motionless on the ground, their lifeless eyes staring nkly at the ceiling. Rikor''s gaze darted to the source of the massacre and found Shinya standing at the other end of the room, his sword slick with fresh blood. Rikor felt a flicker of annoyance rise within him as he demanded, "Who the hell are you?" Himiko''s voice joined the fray as she entered the room, a sword poised inside the body of another criminal. "I think we should be asking you that," she quipped, her eyes shing with defiance. Shinya''sughter cut through the tension in the room "Surprise, motherfucker," he snarled, his sword glinting menacingly in the light. Rikor let out a deep sigh and turned his attention to the trio of heroes standing before him. "Ah, so you must be the heroes I''ve heard whispers of," he remarked with a hint of amusement. "But I''m afraid that it doesn''t matter. There are only three of you, and you will need much more than that to defeat me." His lips curled into a sneer as he surveyed the group. "You may have courage and conviction, but you underestimate the power of the criminal underworld. You are mere ants trying to take on a giant, and we all know how that story ends Chapter 157 The Heroes Arrived At The Village Shinya positioned himself at the end of the room, surrounded by ten criminals, while Himiko stood at the entrance, standing a few feet away from Rikor. To the side were the passengers, who were getting carried out of the room, one by one, by the priest and priestess of both heroes. Rikor on the other hand was not too happy about the hero''s involvement, he sighed looking to the ceiling before he voiced out, "You heroes always butt in at the wrong time, couldn''t you wait until I killed the old man?". Himiko didn''t respond, instead she held her sword firmly, readying herself for the fight toe. "You''re not up for words? No problem¡­ I''ll move straight to the dance!" Rikor shed his whip at Himiko. The whip bounced off the walls of the ship, bringing it to the ground after it was ripped out from the force. Himiko, who had just dodged the danger of the whip, had her leg sliding on the ground as she kept her eyes on Rikor. "Let''s go, Eril!" She muttered. With a loud boom, Himiko''s leg lifted from the ground. A whirl of mes dancing around her body as her sword was enveloped in wind. As soon as she got close, Hinako sent her sword straight at Rikor, with a massive dangerous wind following right after. And even though Rikor was able to block the attack with his whip, the wind still sent him crashing into one of the tables. Rikor was quick to do a flip to his feet, but Himiko was relentless. She suddenly appeared in front of him before he could even touch down on the ground. Her sword went straight for his neck. Rikor could only thank his luck that he was able to dodge the attack even though it was only by a hair''s length. His body dropped to the ground, still a bit panicked from Himiko''s attack. "I won''t be beaten by a woman!" Rikor shouted, as he sought to stand up, he noticed his hands took the texture of the ground and merged with it. "What the hell?" He uttered in disbelief. "That should keep you in ce." Himiko sighed, sheathing her sword before she looked at Shinya''s position, "Are you done there?" She asked before throwing a deadpan look after seeing what Shinya was doing. Shiya had one of the criminals on the ground and was stabbing every body part as if trying to find a soft spot. Himiko ignored with a sigh before focusing her attention back at Rikor. Both Himiko and Shinya surrounded the criminals and locked them in a room with the aim of having them locked up in one of the prison''s in the demon territory. After a few more days of traveling the water, the heroes finally arrived on drynd. It was a free opennd that led to the demon territory. To Himiko''s surprised, Shinya''s dragon, Rextra was waiting for them at the border with some horses and goods. Shinya had already instructed her to go ahead since Dragons were fast travelers. Shinya and Himiko made their way toward the border line where they were searched by the guards guarding the border. They were apparently in the kingdom called the Lurek Kingdom and it was right in between Terra and Fiona. They then continued to make their way towards the main Capital of Fiona which took them one and a half days. From there, they arrived at Runo city, which took another day, before they finally arrived at their destination. Both Shinya and Himiko had to ride their horses in a vast drynd, but unlike their previous travelers, this only took them a few hours. They entered the sovereignnd and passed through a lot of viges, including The vige of the Valkyries, Rizaha before they finally got to the elves'' vige. At the entrance of the vige sat three beastmen, drinking beers while telling each other stories. "I don''t remember this much security thest time I was here, did I somehow miss my path?" Shinya muttered, looking at the guards from a distance. "No, we''re in the right ce, I can feel her presence and I''m sure she can too." Rextra added, she was still in her dragon form and had goods on her back. "There''s no point standing here." Himiko left the group and approached the guard''s with her priest and human sword following behind her. "Oi! Hold on first¡­" Shinya whispered before sighing, "Should we follow them?" He muttered. "No." Eri responded, "Let''s see what happens". Standing in front of the guards, Himiko raised her question, "Do you know anyone named Sato Inugami?" She asked bluntly. The beastmen immediately rose to their feet and picked up their spears before aiming it at her, "Who are you? What do you want?" One of the beastmen interrogated. Himiko stared at the spears and felt threatened, so she aimed her hand at them with a magic circle forming around her palm as she got ready to attack. Shinya hastily jumped in, pushing Himiko''s hand down as he smiled at the beastman, "Hello, do you remember me? I came here a couple of months ago.. uhn? sword hero?". "Sword hero? Did Lord Sato mention this to you?" The left beastman asked, looking at his partner for confirmation. "I don''t think he¡­". Before the partner could reply, Himiko chimed in, "So you do know a man named Sato, where is he? I demand I meet him right now!". "Oi! Calm down, keep acting like this and they''ll really think we are a threat." Shinya whispered to Himiko as he tried to calm her down. As Sato and his group approached the entrance of the vige, he voiced out from within, causing Himiko to fall silent. "Are those outsiders I see?" The voice asked suspiciously. Despite the unease in the air, Sato continued forward confidently with Yuri, Giron, Divanchi, and Delta following closely behind. Himiko''s emotions were in turmoil as she saw Sato approaching her position. Her lips quivered as she forced herself to speak, her voice barely above a whisper. "S-sato," she muttered, her eyes fixed on him. The tension between them was palpable, and it was clear that something significant had happened between them. As they drew closer to each other, the silence was broken only by the sound of their footsteps on the ground. Chapter 158 Warthniq Wants War! [shback¡­ Former world]. The school day had ended, and Sato was the only one left in the ssroom, snoozing away with his head on the desk. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and Himiko rushed in with a look of panic on her face, as if she was trying to avoid someone. She closed the door softly, breathing a sigh of relief before muttering to herself, "Why won''t they just leave me alone?" Himiko leaned against the door, trying to catch her breath. A loud banging noise interrupted her thoughts, and a voice yelled from the other side, "Babe! I know you''re in there¡­ let''s talk already!" Himiko flinched at the sound of the voice and looked around frantically, searching for a ce to hide. It was then that she noticed Sato sleeping on the desk. Before she could speak, the door flew open, and two guys walked in, closing in on Himiko. She tried to back away, but they grabbed her, demanding that she go out with both of them. Himiko refused, struggling against their grip, but they only tightened their hold on her. Just then, Sato woke up, irritated by the noise. He stood up, shouting, "Quit making noise!" and hurled his textbook at one of the guys. Grabbing Himiko''s hand, Sato rushed out of the ssroom, searching for a ce to hide. They eventually found refuge in the school gymnasium, where they could catch their breath and figure out their next move. This was how Sato and Himiko met before they became best friends all through highschool. [shback over]. The memories flooded Himiko''s mind as she watched Sato approach her with his subordinates behind him. Sato strode out of the vige, and the beastmen quickly bowed their heads, creating a clear path for him to pass through. "Lord Sato, they said they were here to see you," informed one of the beastmen. Sato furrowed his brows, "See me?" he muttered, but his gaze drifted towards the approaching party. He immediately recognized Shinya, the sword hero from their previous encounter, and another individual named Rextra. <> ''Another angel? No problem, if they are here for trouble, I''ll just send them packing.'' Sato drew closer to Himiko and introduced himself calmly, "My name is Sato Inugami, I am the Lord of this vige. Is there anything I can do for you?" Himiko listened intently, her eyes widening in shock. Tears streamed down her face as she whispered, "It''s you, isn''t it?" Sato regarded her carefully, confused by her reaction until it suddenly dawned on him. "Himiko?! Why is your hair blue?!" he yelled, taking a step back in disbelief. "Idiot!" Himiko chuckled but with tears still hanging around her eyes. ¡­.. Sato led them into the Vige and straight to his office so they could discuss what happened. Sato was more surprised when he found out, Himiko died right after his hostel exploded. Apparently, she died 4 days after in a car ident, as she imed, and was suddenly summoned to another word in herst moments. Sato was seated on his table with a profound look on his face as he listened to the story Himiko was telling. A sigh escaped his mouth before he uttered, "And, how did you find me?" He asked. Himiko paused for a while, looking at Sato as she blurted "I thought you''d be more surprised to see me". "Uhn?" Sato muttered, "I mean, I am, it''s just I already knew about the concepts of Travelers from other worlds, and you just confirmed it". "I see, if you know that much, then surely you know how to take us back?" Himiko asked. "If you want to go back¡­ then die¡­" Sato answered back, "Worse case scenario, you end up trapped in the underworld or another angel finds you and you reincarnate". "Since when did you be a dick¡­ I waited 5 years to see you and now you treat me like this?... Meanie!" Himiko huffed her cheeks with her arms tucked. Both Garfield and Eril were surprised to see Himiko act the way she did. They know her to be cold and rather emotionless, so seeing her pout was an extremely rare sight for them. Sato on the other hand would want nothing more than to bond with his female best friend that he hasn''t seen for a long time. But his position in the vige and the war approaching was not leaving a schedule for that. Sato gazed at Himiko with a heavy heart, "Listen, I appreciate your presence, but right now is not the best time," he said, standing up from his seat. "I am currently at war with the king of Fiona, and I need all the help and nning I can get. I''m sure you can understand where I''ming from." "You''re... at war?" Himiko whispered in disbelief, her eyes still brimming with tears. "Hold on... you''re at war with Fiona?!" Shinya eximed, suddenly jolting up from his chair. "Like, right now? For real?!" Sato turned to Shinya and replied with a heavy sigh, "Yes, I am. I don''t understand why you''re so worked up about it. Please go back to your kingdom, and I promise to reach out to you once I''ve won the war." Shinya shook his head vigorously, "No, no, no, Sato, I don''t think you understand. The reason I came here in the first ce was to tell you that my kingdom, Warthniq, is nning to go to war if you don''t hand over the forest to them." Sato''s expression hardened, and he clenched his fists, "What?" He voiced out with a scary voice as he stared furiously at Shinya, "Hand over the forest? The forest belongs to my vige, I''ll be damned if I hand it over to anyone." Himiko chimed in, "Warthniq is a very powerful Kingdom with more than two other kingdoms behind them, you are just ¡­" She paused, "I know you want to protect the vige, but we can''t afford to go to war with another kingdom." Sato looked at her, his expression hardened even more with magic energy enveloping his body, "They want a war?... Okay then¡­ let theme, no matter how many of you npc''se at me. I''ll defeat every single one without fail". He turned his attention to Shinya, "Tell the king of Warthniq, we can settle this with a normal professional discussion, we can fight and be damned if I lose". Chapter 159 Preparation For War! "Are you insane?!" Shinya yelled, trying to talk sense into Sato, "It''s like you think some kind of miracle is going to happen, you''re at war with Fiona and for some reason, you keep thinking taking on Warthniq is a good idea!". "Oi! Himiko, tell him, I don''t think he understands how powerful the kingdom is!" Shinya continued. Himiko''s eyes were focused on the ground, she slowly looked up at Sato and noticed that he was walking back to his table. Just then, a question dropped from her mouth, "Do you want to keep this forest that much?". "If that''s it, I can even arrange something, all the king wants is rights to thisnd, he wants nothing to do with the people inside, you guys can still continue your lifestyle"Shinya tried his best at negotiating. Sato sat down on his chair, resting his hand under his jaw, "I appreciate your concern here, but my mind has been made up." He said with a calm tone, "Go back to Warthniq and inform the king¡­ I won''t be backing down". "Really now¡­" Shinya muttered, a look of annoyance on his face, "And here I thought we could be friends¡­ bummer." Shinya grabbed his sword and walked out the door. Once Shinya left, Sato leaned back on his chair with a sigh, "That was so exhausting." He muttered. Yuri, who was beside him, smiled, "Are you sure going to war with Warthniq is a good idea?" She asked. "Definitely not." Sato answered back, looking at the ceiling, "But I had to do that¡­ it was either they take the forest or we go to war¡­ negotiation wasn''t in the picture". Himiko stood up from where she was sitting and stormed over to Sato before mming her hand on the table as she spoke out, "Let me help you!". "Uhn?" Both Sato and Yuri looked at her with puzzled looks on their faces. "I can help talk the king out of starting a war with you." Himiko hinted, determination oozing from her body, "Although I was summoned by another summoning stone, I still fought for the Warthniq kingdom and was able to retain high status with them". "So you''re saying you can change the mind of the king?" Sato confirmed, and Himiko replied with confidence, "Yes!". With a smile, Sato stood up from his chair and stretched out his hand for a handshake, "Your help is appreciated". Himiko smiled before shaking Sato back, "Just don''t do anything reckless, okay? I''ll be back before you know it". And with that, Himiko and the sword hero left the vige and headed back to their kingdom to inform the king about Sato''s response. ¡­. Night had fallen, and Satoy on his bed, dressed in brown trousers with no shirt. He gazed at the ceiling, his hand stretched out, and muttered to himself, "How many days remaining?" The response was immediate." <<7 days, do not disregard the chances of a sneak attack>>." Sato furrowed his brow, deep in thought. "And what about the body double?" he asked. "<>," came the reply. "Perfect," Sato said, a smile ying at the corners of his lips." <>." "Don''t worry, I didn''t forget," Sato sighed. "If Warthniq does attack, we''ll have to defend against attacks from both sides. The missileunchers will help, but I have to n carefully." Sato nced over to the side and noticed the map he had drawn on the table. Suddenly, an idea struck him. He jerked up from the bed and snatched the map from the table, ink staining his fingers as he began drawing little dots on the map. As he worked, his mind raced with strategies and tactics. He knew that time was running out, but he was determined to defend his people and hisnd, no matter what it took. ¡­ As the days passed, tensions grew as everyone made preparations for the uing war. Sato had already dispatched Ond and Delta with a group of 40 other beastmen to carry out the sneak attack he had discussed with d. Yuri, on the other hand, had summoned more of her Grim Reaper servants, introducing them to Sato and adding to the manpower he needed. The newly invented weapon was being practiced by the beastmen and other elves, and Sato had taken it upon himself to teach Giron and Deka, who would in turn instruct the troops. The tactical advisor, leader of the beastman Carion, and Divanchi were busy setting up strategic traps and positioning missileunchers andndmines throughout thend. Meanwhile, the Valkyries were already devising ns to make their way towards Sato''s vige, with only five days left until the war began. The forever knights in Nervek were also gearing up for battle, while the witches of Lilivil had their own secret ns in motion, which could potentially turn the tides in Sato''s favor. Despite the preparations, everyone knew that the war would be deadly, and the oue was uncertain. Sato could only hope that thebined efforts of his allies and his own strategic nning would be enough to secure victory. Another day had passed, and the tension in the air was palpable as the leaders from all allied teams were about to meet up at Sato''s vige to discuss their battle ns. As Sato stood on the small cliff overlooking his people hard at work, he couldn''t help but feel a sense of pride in their determination. "They''re working hard," Sato remarked, a small smile ying on his lips. "And I''ll make sure it''s not in vain. We will win this war... even if I have to give my life for it." As Sato gazed down at his people, Divanchi and Yuri appeared behind him. "Master, the Duke of Nervek, and the King of Riojas have arrived," Yuri informed him. Sato let out a heavy sigh before turning to face them. "Let''s get this done," he said, determination etched in his voice. The leaders of the allied teams made their way towards Sato, each with their own unique army and resources to contribute. As they gathered in the vige, Satoid out his ns, carefully exining each step and making sure everyone was on the same page. Despite the tension and nerves, Sato''s confidence in their sess never faltered. They were prepared for whatever came their way, and they would fight until theirst breath Chapter 160 Let The War Begin!!! The sun was just beginning to rise, casting a golden hue across the battlefield. The Fiona Kingdom had already taken their positions, numbering a formidable 180,456 soldiers. The soldiers were strategically positioned in a wide formation that was designed to help them secure a victory. Their n included the addition of 18 marksmen, each positioned in different nks. These nks were covered by 40 swordsmen, and 10 magic users and the remaining soldiers were armed with various weapons. At the front of each nk, different generals rode on horseback, ready to lead their troops into battle. In the middle of the formation stood cannons and wild beasts, which would help to scatter the enemy''s formation. The demon lord Jira, king of Fiona, sat atop a majestic white horse in the center of the formation. His adviser Lilith was also mounted on a horse beside him. Jira looked around to ensure that his men were in ce and smiled confidently as he spoke. "Any sign of the elf boy yet?" He inquired. "Nothing yet Sire." One of the generals beside Jira answered back, using his magic eyes to zoom in on the other side of the battlefield. "Demon Lord Jira, I say we take the fight to them? Scarvage the forest if we have to." Lilith ced forth her thoughts. A sigh left Jira''s mouth before he issued amand, "Tell the left nk tounch an attack inside the forest if the enemy doesn''t show up in the next five mins, that should draw him out". "As you wish." Themander bowed his head and went to inform the left nk of the orders. Themander went to deliver the message but it was no use. Slowly, the people of the forest started showing themselves. As the sun rose higher in the sky, the sound of marching feet and the nking of armor grew louder. The forest people, aided by their allies, had strategically positioned themselves in a formation that was designed to counter Jira''s army. The forest was alive with the sound of movement as 60,000 strong emerged from the trees, their movements precise and calcted. Sato, having spent the past few days perfecting his strategy, had ced his forces in strategic positions throughout the forest. The formation was spread out, nked on both sides and inside the forest were 20 different beastmen, all holding rifles in their hands. The right back of the formation was protected by shadow wolves and monitored by 24 missileunchers, which were controlled by Carion. At the very front of the formation stood Divanchi and Deka, ready to lead the charge. Sato himself was positioned on a chariot at the left side of the formation, giving him a good vantage point from which to oversee the battle. Despite the daunting task ahead of them, Sato''s forces were confident. They had prepared for this moment for days, and they knew that they had the skills and the manpower to emerge victorious. "Wow, Jira didn''t hold back at all," Sato uttered, looking at therge number of military soldiers fighting for Fiona. "Master, they are a lot more than predicted, are we going to be able to hold our own against this many?" Yuri asked, standing beside Sato on the chariot. "Rx, I told you before, trust me." Sato replied, his eyes fully forced on the center of the enemy''s formation. As Sato and Yuri were discussing their ns, a sudden burst of blinding light appeared behind them. Interrupted, they quickly turned around to investigate the source of the light, only to see the witch of destruction Ava and the witch of rage Kirah emerge from the brilliance. "Sessor, you shouldn''t be on the battlefield. I told you, I''ll take care of it for you," Ava said as she approached Sato, concern etched on her face. Sato remained calm, meeting Ava''s gaze evenly. "I appreciate your concern, Ava, but I must be here. This battle concerns us all. Besides, I trust in my own abilities and those of my allies." Kirah snorted in disdain. "Hmph, you always were too confident for your own good, Sessor. But we''ll help you, despite your recklessness". Sato gave them both a small nod before turning his attention back to the battlefield. His mind was focused on the task at hand, determined to lead his forces to victory Sato turned his attention to Ava and asked, "Did you bring them?" Ava snapped her fingers, and magic-looking earpieces emerged from a portal, hovering in front of Sato. "Of course," she replied. Sato smiled, pleased with her response. "Aril, you know what to do," he said, addressing his intelligent assistant. <> The floating earpieces disappeared and reappeared in the ears of all the leaders of the nks in Sato''s forces. They were shocked but not overwhelmed, as they had been informed beforehand. "Can you hear me? Is this thing even working?" Sato spoke through his earpiece. The men murmured almost immediately, surprised to hear Sato''s voice at the same time. "Yes, master, we can hear you fine," Divanchi responded, her eyes locked on one of the enemy''s generals. "Very good," Sato said, pleased with the oue. "Before the war can start, apparently there''s an old tradition the demon empire always carries out¡­ one person from both parties must fight a single battle, and the winner determines which side has the most favor." "So now, one of us has to volunteer for that, Lord Sato?" Deka asked. "Precisely," Sato agreed. "I''ll do it then," Deka said, opening his fist for his Scythe to appear in his hand before he walked forward. Lilith informed Jira, "Looks like they are nning to do the old tradition." Jira grunted, "The Mijora tradition? Is he mocking me? No problem, send one of themanders to engage." "Understood," Lilith replied. A small magic orb flew to the front nk and began to y a record. "General Rizen, partake in the tradition and take down the enemy," Jira''s voice resounded from te orb. "As you wish, my lord," General Rizen replied with an excited smirk. Chapter 161 I Refuse To Believe We Were Bested. General Rizen strode forward, his enormous halberd de gripped firmly in his hands. As he drew closer to Deka, he came to a halt, eyeing him with obvious disdain. His attire was a red, warlike outfit,plete with a green crystal positioned at the center of his forehead, as was the case with all remaining demons. His eyes held a yellowish hue, and his skin was a deep shade of brown. "How do you wish to proceed?" Rizen sneered, towering over Deka. Deka calmly ced his scythe to the side before answering, "We fight until one of us falls." Rizen bellowed, mming his halberd onto the ground before letting out a raging scream. A brilliant aura of yellow magic energy surged around his body, causing the earth to quake and the air to whirl around them. Feeling ready, Rizen yelled, " Prepare yourself!" With a fierce battle cry, General Rizenunched himself at Deka, his halberd glinting menacingly in the light. Deka quickly assessed his opponent''s movements and managed to dodge the first strike, watching as the powerful weapon struck the ground and sent shockwaves rippling through the earth. As Rizen charged towards him again, Deka stood his ground and met the oing attack with his scythe, the impact creating a deafening sh of metal on metal. Despite Rizen''s formidable strength, Deka was able to hold his own, his grip on his weapon unwavering. In a sudden burst of speed, Deka darted to the side andnded a powerful blow on Rizen''s spine, sending the demon hurtling through the air and crashing into a nearby boulder with a sickening thud. Breathless and adrenaline-fueled, With his heart racing and his mind focused, Deka raised his hand and summoned a bow made of darkness. The intricate design of the bow was hypnotic, and the shadows surrounding it seemed toe alive with every move he made. Deka pulled back the bowstring with ease, and an ominous aura began to emanate from the arrow. The arrow grew in size and darkness as he drew back the string, ready to release it with full force. With a sudden burst of energy, Deka released the arrow, and it soared through the air with incredible speed and precision. Everyone held their breath as the arrow locked onto its target, General Rizen. As soon as Rizen stood up from the rubble, the arrow struck him with immense force, piercing through his chest and bringing him to the ground once again. The explosion that followed was deafening, causing the earth to shake and tremble with the impact. Deka stood still, his eyes fixed on the smoking rubble where General Rizen once stood. The Fiona Kingdom were jaw dropped as they watched one of their generals get beaten by a mere elf. Sato, who was watching from above the cliff, smiled before uttering, "I guess this is where the war begins¡­ Carion, be on the ready". "Understood." Carion, the leader of the beastman responded through the magic earpiece. News quickly got to Jira through Lilith, that someone in Sato''s forces had yed one of his generals. Feeling frustrated, Jira ordered the marksman to rain arrows on them. As Sato''s forces prepared for the impending attack, Daina, the healing elf among them, suddenly sensed a dangerous presence in the sky. She looked up, her eyes widening in horror as she saw multiple ming arrows hurtling towards their position. "Look up!" she cried out urgently to her teammates. Deka, their seasoned warrior, quickly assessed the situation and grimly observed the enemy forces charging towards them with fierce battle cries. The enemy cavalry, led by their seasoned general, thundered forward with their armies following closely behind them. "We must break through their formation, eliminate the Lord of the forest, and im our victory...do not falter!" The general barked his orders as he rode ahead on his steed, his hair and cloak billowing in the wind. Sato''s forces tensed, bracing themselves for the oing assault. With the sound of pounding hooves and shing weapons growing louder by the second, they steeled themselves for the chaos and violence that was about to ensue. Despite the chaos caused by the raining fire arrows, Sato''s forces remained steadfast, standing their ground and not making any sudden moves. They had a n, one that they had prepared for weeks in advance. The witch of rage, Kirah, had cast a powerful barrier around their position, deflecting most of the arrows and protecting their troops. Meanwhile, the enemy forces continued to charge towards them, their horses pounding the ground with a deafening roar. As they drew nearer, Sato''s troops remained still, their eyes focused on the approaching army. But just as the enemy forces were about to reach them, a series of unexpected explosions rocked the battlefield. Three squads from the right nk were blown up in quick session, followed by another explosion from behind. More explosions continued to erupt across the field, causing confusion and panic among both sides. Sato''s forces watched in amazement as their n began to unfold. The hidden traps and mines they had nted across the battlefield were detonating, decimating the enemy forces and throwing their formation into disarray. The element of surprise had given them a crucial advantage, and they were determined to use it to their advantage to overweight theirck in numbers. "What was that just now?" General Mrot asked with a hint of bewilderment, still riding his horse but curious about the explosions and screams he was hearing behind him. "Sir! There are traps on the battlefield¡­ we''ve lost eight troops already!" A soldier reported, riding towards him on his horse. Mrot''s expression shifted to one of skepticism. "You expect me to believe these animals are smart enough to nt traps?" he retorted with a disgusted look. But his eyes immediately widened in shock when he noticed a group of elves rushing out of the forest and taking a knee behind a barricade with their guns aimed. And standing tall behind the elves, was Divanchi, with her signature smile on her face and her hand raised to the sky. "What are they?... Are those¡­?" General Mort panicked, unable to make sense of what he was seeing. Divanchi smiled before she voiced out, "Fire!". With a flick of her wrist, the elves let out a barrage of bullets from their guns, hitting the enemy forces with deadly precision. The enemy soldiers, caught off-guard by this sudden attack, struggled to react in time. Chapter 162 I Refuse To Retreat!. In an instant, Mort felt a sharp pain on his cheek as a projectile whizzed past him, followed by a barrage of gunfire from the elves in front of them. The chaos of the battlefield intensified as more and more soldiers fell to the deadly rain of bullets. Mort quickly realized the gravity of the situation and bellowed, "Raise your shields!" He immediately summoned a magic circle to deflect the bullets, and most of the soldiers followed suit. However, not everyone reacted fast enough, and the ground was soon littered with the bodies of fallen soldiers. The deafening sound of gunfire echoed across the battlefield, and the air was thick with the acrid smell of gunpowder. Mort gritted his teeth, determined to find a way to destroy the opposite team. Halting on his horse, Mort noticed that the magic shield in front of him was gradually losing its resilience as more bullets rained in. The sound of more soldiers falling even though they had magic shields in front of them resounded in the air. Mort clenched his jaw tightly, his eyes glinting with determination as he led the charge towards Sato''s forces. His magic shield flickered as it absorbed the iing attacks from the enemy, the doubleyer providing extra protection. He barked out orders to his troops, directing them to take specific positions and attack with precision. The marksman fell back to a safe distance, their arrows aimed and ready to strike. The cavalry charged forward with Mort, their hooves thundering across the battlefield. Despite the chaos of explodingndmines and bullets whizzing past them, the soldiers moved with precision and purpose. They reformed their formation, each member taking their ce with practiced efficiency. The sounds of soldiers being caught off guard byndmines had lessened, indicating that they were adapting to the situation. Mort''s eyes scanned the battlefield, analyzing the enemy''s movements and anticipating their next move. As they rode towards the enemy lines, a female soldier who was riding beside Mort spoke up, her voice urgent and tense, "General Mort, please instruct our troops to retreat. The enemy has us beat if we keep advancing like this." Mort''s face twisted in anger at the suggestion, "No," he replied firmly, "We keep our heads high and continue our assault. Their little trick will prove useless when we get close and begin ughtering them like animals." The sound of gunfire continued to ring out, and Mort''s doubleyered magic shields crackled with the force of the bullets hitting them. One of the bullets managed to pierce through the shields, causing Mort''s eyes to widen in anger. "I refuse to retreat so early in the battle," Mort muttered to himself, his hatred for the enemy evident on his face. "Not when The Majesty is present. I''ll crush them myself if I have to." Divanchi had a smile on her face when she noticed that Fiona was already advancing with a counter attack. She reached for her earpiece and reported, "Master, the enemy are still advancing". [Expected, ready the missiles and aim them directly at any group of Marksmen, they should be your primary target], Sato, who was watching the whole thing from the cliff, responded. "Right on it." Divanchi answered back, she looked at the elves and instructed them to keep firing their rifles while she made her way toward Ciron who was monitoring the missileunchers. "Ciron!" Divanchi called out as she approached him. As she made her way towards Ciron, she could see the excitement written all over his face. The anticipation of finally using the missiles was almost too much for him to handle. "Is it time?" he asked eagerly as she approached. "Yes, but make sure to aim only at the groups of marksmen," Divanchi instructed, her voice filled with authority. Ciron''s eyes lit up with excitement as he began to input the coordinates into the missileuncher. "Finally!" he eximed, a wide grin spreading across his face. Carion ran towards one of the missileunchers, where he had kept a joystick and a goggle-like helmet. He put on the helmet, which allowed him to aim more effectively at wherever he wanted the missiles to be projected. "Only the Marksmen right?," Carion asked Divanchi, gripping the joystick tightly. "Marksmen only," Divanchi replied. "Good." Carion zoomed in on the group of marksmen moving behind the cavalry and infirmary. He could see the marksmen had their bows and arrows ready to fire, but little did they know a loud, booming present was waiting for them. With a grin, Carion pressed the red button on the missileuncher with his middle finger, and like speeding rockets, the missiles charged out of theunchers and straight at their targets. One of the demon marksmen noticed the missile speeding toward him but hisck of knowledge about what it was made him curious. "What is that?" The markman asked the demon beside him as he looked to the sky to see many more charging toward them. "Are those¡­ big arrows?" The demon responded, his curiosity suddenly vanished as he yelled, "It''s an arrow! Quick! Put up your shield! I''ll warn the others!". The demon immediately took to his heels, heading toward the next squad to warn them about the missiles, but before he could get close, a powerful missilended on the squad he was about to approach. A loud boom came after as the ce exploded in mes, causing the demon to jet backward from the shockwave. His back mmed against the ground with his face filled with fear. The demon frantically scrambled to his feet, trying to regain hisposure as the ground shook beneath him from the impact of the missile. His ears were ringing from the deafening st as he looked around, trying to make sense of the chaos unfolding around him. In the distance, he could see plumes of smoke rising from where the missiles hadnded, signaling destruction and death. The demon felt a shiver run down his spine as he realized the true nature of these weapons. He stumbled forward, his legs feeling weak as he tried to move away from the area. But it was toote. Another missile hit his squad, causing a blinding sh of light and a wave of heat that knocked him off his feet once again. As hey on the ground, dazed and disoriented, the demon realized that the battle had just taken a deadly turn. The enemy had a new weapon, and it was devastating Chapter 163 Satos Forces Counter Attacks! As General Mort and his men marched towards the forest, they were met with a barrage of loud, booming sounds as missiles flew past them andnded among their soldiers. ''What the hell is going on here?'' Mort''s frustration was palpable as he muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of the attack. He quickly stretched out his other hand and summoned a white magic circle, from which a ball of fire materialized and shot towards one of the missiles in the sky. The fire connected with the missile, causing it to explode upon impact. Mort knew that taking out a single missile was not enough to turn the tide of the battle, but he had to start somewhere. As the chaos continued to unfold around them, General Mort made a decisive move and abruptly turned to the left. He began to speed on the horse, yelling orders to his soldiers as he went. "Soldiers! Split up! We need to make it harder for them to take us in masses. Engage them from all angles, spread the news behind and make sure it reaches the king." "Understood!" A soldier responded on his horse before he immediately took a right turn as he yelled, "Spread out¡­ spread the information, do not stay in groups!". The information began to spread as the troops scattered across the field and avoided shing into the forest. Lilith with her magic eye noticed the random movements of the soldiers, "What is going on over there?". As a silent chuckle escaped Jira''s mouth, Lilith looked at him with a baffled expression, wondering why he found humor in such a dire situation. "Demon Lord Jira, are you finding amusement in this?" she asked, her voice edged with concern. "Indeed, Lilith. I must say, I didn''t expect this level of strategy from the elf boy," Jira replied, his tone thoughtful. "He knows he''s outnumbered and that a full-on attack from us would obliterate his forces. So, he''s using his wit and splitting us up to make it easier to pick us off one by one. Impressive." "But, we cannot let him keep winning. Our forces are falling left and right. We need a countermove," Lilith urged, clutching her magic book tightly. "Rx, Lilith. It''s not as dire as you think," Jira reassured her with a calm expression. "Send the red unit into the forest once the chaos starts, and release all the beasts." Lilith nodded, understanding Jira''s n. "Understood, Demon Lord Jira. I''ll see to it immediately." With a flick of her wrist, Lilith sent out the order to the red unit to head into the forest and released the beasts from their cages. ¡­. Deka stood in front of his army, watching as the Fiona soldiers scattered across the field like ants, some evening running into the canyon probably to find another path into the forest. With a smile Deka muttered to himself, "It''s just like Lord Sato nned, I guess it''s time then." He walked forward and faced his men. Deka stood tall, his scythe glinting menacingly in the sun as he turned his back on the battlefield. Despite the chaos and destruction unfolding before him, he remained resolute and focused on the task at hand. "The n is simple and straightforward," he began, his voice ringing out loud and clear over the din of battle. "We are clearly outnumbered, but that should not weaken your resolve. Lord Sato has given us the key to sess, and now it''s our turn to use it. Are you with me, men?!" He shouted, his words punctuated by a fierce scream and the raised de of his scythe. The soldiers responded with a powerful roar of their own, their cries echoing across the field as they prepared to charge into battle. Deka with his scythe raised high above his head,manded the attention of his soldiers. "Soldiers, today we fight not just for ourselves, but for our lord and for our kingdom! Today we fight for the freedom to live our lives without fear, without oppression, without the threat of tyranny looming over us!" He lowered his scythe, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his men. "Our enemy seeks to crush us underfoot, to stamp out any hope of a better future. But we will not let them. We will fight with everything we have, with all our strength and our hearts, and we will emerge victorious!" Deka''s voice rose, growing louder and more powerful with each word. "Our destiny is in our hands. We have the power to make a difference, to shape the course of history! So let us fight with all our might, with all our courage, with all our fury! Let us show our enemy what we are made of, and let them know that they will never defeat us, for we are warriors of the light, and we will shine brighter than any darkness they can conjure!" The soldiers roared in response, their weapons raised high, their eyes aze with determination. Deka nodded, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "That''s what I like to see! Now let''s show them what we''re made of! Great then¡­. Our aim¡­ clear a path to the Demon Lord¡­ Attack!!!" Deka cried, and with a thunderous roar, the soldiers surged forward, their weapons held high and their eyes fixed on the enemy. The ground shook with the force of their charge as they closed in on the Fiona soldiers, some leaping high into the air to rain down blows from above, while others moved with lightning speed to cut through the enemy lines. Despite being outnumbered, Deka''s forces fought with a fierce determination, their attacks driving the Fiona soldiers back and opening up a path towards the Demon Lord. It was a brutal and bloody battle, but Deka knew that victory was within their grasp if they could just keep pushing forward. And thus, the two side began to battle one another, with neither one willing to back down from the other. Chapter 164 Its Just One Enemy! Do Not Engage. Kirah and Yuri stood with Sato at the edge of a cliff, observing the battlefield with keen eyes. "Everything is going ording to n," Kirah said, her voice calm and measured. "Seems like it, Fiona isn''t trying to enter the forest." Yuri added, standing on Sato''s left and scanning the battle with a critical eye. "No, they still are, just not their central priority," Sato said, his gaze fixed on a distant group of cavalry charging towards the canyons. The battlefield was treacherous, filled with jagged rocks, steep cliffs, and uneven ground that could be used to one''s advantage. Kirah and Yuri followed Sato''s gaze, watching as the cavalry approached the canyons with speed and determination. "Are they trying to find another way into the forest?" Kirah asked, a hint of excitement in her voice. "Exactly, but regardless, we already have people waiting for them." Sato said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "And they still have no idea about 6000 more areing from the East¡­ so we''ll be fine". With a smile Sato continued, "I doubt Jira will let this continue, so before he figures out the n, let''s make the best of the situation". Sato strode purposefully towards the edge of the cliff, the wind tugging at his robes and tousling his ck hair. With a cold glint in his eyes, he raised his arms up high, spreading them wide in a dramatic gesture as a sinisterugh escaped his lips. Without hesitation, he flung himself off the edge, hurtling towards the ground below with a fierce determination. As he plummeted towards the earth, his mind raced with the ns and strategies he had carefully crafted for this moment, his focus unwavering despite the chaos and carnage unfolding all around him. The rush of the wind against his face and the roar of battle in the distance filled Sato with a sense of exhration and purpose, driving him forward towards his ultimate goal. With every passing moment, he grew more and more convinced that victory was within his grasp, and nothing would stand in his way "I didn''t know he wanted to fight those weaklings too." Kirah sighed, "The Sessor sure has changed much from 2000 years ago". "He isn''t going to fight the soldiers, his aim is actually the Demon lord¡­ if he can defeat the demon lord, he can end the war before more of our people die." Yuri responded, looking below her to see more of Fiona soldiers closing in. "I understand, I''ll be protecting the water bank so I can''t really participate in the war, but what about you¡­ you should be lending him assistance in this." Kirah gave out her thoughts as Yuri walked past her. "I know right?" Yuri sobbed before giving out an exhausting sigh, "Well doesn''t matter, I can see so many people to kill¡­ ahhh~, I can''t wait". She walked closer to the edge of the cliff and turned to face Kirah. "Good luck on your path. I, on the other hand, have some demons to y!" With those words, Yuri leapt from the cliff, her legs pointed towards the ground as she plunged towards the battlefield below. ¡­. Amidst the chaos of battle, a group of Fiona soldiers mounted their horses and galloped towards the left nk of the battlefield. As they rode, they noticed that General Mort had positioned himself higher up on the battlefield, leaving the lower ground rtively untouched. Taking advantage of this opening, General Sharma made the decision to lead his troops down the path and into the forest. He was huge in size with a total of four eyes, with each eye having different colors and attributes. The path before them was deserted, and there was no sign of any opposition from Sato''s forces. With a glimmer of hope in his eyes, General Sharma spurred his horse forward with his soldiers behind him, determined to enter the forest and gain an advantage over the enemy "General Sharma¡­ General Mort is on our right, isn''t it better to link up with them?" A soldier asked, racing his horse behind Sharma. "Rena, focus on the task at hand, the enemy clearly has the whole providence to themselves, we underestimated and brought the fight towards theirnd¡­ wasn''t wise but no going back now¡­" Rena spoke out as he rode, "But that doesn''t mean we''ll back down now, we adapt ande up with a counter attack¡­ that''s what we Demons do". "I understand." The soldier nodded, his expression determined as he listened to Sharma''s words. His gaze was fixed on the path ahead, scanning for any signs of danger. Suddenly, a cry rang out from one of the soldiers up ahead, causing everyone to tense up. "Enemy in front! It''s just ady! Get ready to attack!" Sharma''s heart sank at the words. He knew that his troops were likely to act without thinking in the heat of battle. But he also knew that this was not the time for rash decisions. "Wait!" he yelled. "Do not engage". Despite Sharma''s warning, one of the soldiers in the front spotted Yuri standing alone and decided to take her down. He leapt off his horse and charged towards her, brandishing a sword that glowed with purple mes. Yuri simply smiled as she watched him approach. With lightning-fast reflexes, Yuri raised her hand and unleashed a spell. A spinning ice shard shot up from the ground, rapidly growing in size as it closed in on the charging demon soldier. The soldier soon realized the mistake he made and wanted to leap out of the way, but with a sickening crunch, the ice impaled the demon. His body was scattered into multiple pieces, leaving him lying motionless on the ground. Yuri dusted off her hands as she surveyed the scene before her, "Oh my, they stopped?" She said disappointedly. The other soldiers, who had been charging alongside their fallenrade, stopped in their tracks as they saw what had just happened. They stared at Yuri in disbelief, unsure of what to do next. Chapter 165 Do Not Buy As General Mort and his men marched towards the forest, they were met with a barrage of loud, booming sounds as missiles flew past them andnded among their soldiers. . ''What the hell is going on here?'' Mort''s frustratiion was palpable as he muttered under his breath, trying to make sense of the attack. He quickly stretched out his other hand and summoned a white magic circle, from which a ball of fire materialized and shot towards one of the missiles in the sky. The fire connected with the missile, causing it to explode upon impact. Mort knew that taking out a single missile was not enough to turn the tide of the battle, but he had to start somewhere. As the chaos continued to unfold around them, General Mort made a decisive move and abruptly turned to the left. He began to speed on the horse, yelling orders to his soldiers as he went. "Soldiers! Split up! We need to make it harder for them to take us in masses. Engage them from all angles, spread the news behind and make sure it reaches the king." "Understood!" A soldier responded on his horse before he immediately took a right turn as he yelled, "Spread out¡­ spread the information, do not stay in groups!". The information began to spread as the troops scattered across the field and avoided shing into the forest. Lilith with her magic eye noticed the random movements of the soldiers, "What is going on over there?". As a silent chuckle escaped Jira''s mouth, Lilith looked at him with a baffled expression, wondering why he found humor in such a dire situation. "Demon Lord Jira, are you finding amusement in this?" she asked, her voice edged with concern. "Indeed, Lilith. I must say, I didn''t expect this level of strategy from the elf boy," Jira replied, his tone thoughtful. "He knows he''s outnumbered and that a full-on attack from us would obliterate his forces. So, he''s using his wit and splitting us up to make it easier to pick us off one by one. Impressive." "But, we cannot let him keep winning. Our forces are falling left and right. We need a countermove," Lilith urged, clutching her magic book tightly. "Rx, Lilith. It''s not as dire as you think," Jira reassured her with a calm expression. "Send the red unit into the forest once the chaos starts, and release all the beasts." Lilith nodded, understanding Jira''s n. "Understood, Demon Lord Jira. I''ll see to it immediately." With a flick of her wrist, Lilith sent out the order to the red unit to head into the forest and released the beasts from their cages. ¡­. Deka stood in front of his army, watching as the Fiona soldiers scattered across the field like ants, some evening running into the canyon probably to find another path into the forest. With a smile Deka muttered to himself, "It''s just like Lord Sato nned, I guess it''s time then." He walked forward and faced his men. Deka stood tall, his scythe glinting menacingly in the sun as he turned his back on the battlefield. Despite the chaos and destruction unfolding before him, he remained resolute and focused on the task at hand. "The n is simple and straightforward," he began, his voice ringing out loud and clear over the din of battle. "We are clearly outnumbered, but that should not weaken your resolve. Lord Sato has given us the key to sess, and now it''s our turn to use it. Are you with me, men?!" He shouted, his words punctuated by a fierce scream and the raised de of his scythe. The soldiers responded with a powerful roar of their own, their cries echoing across the field as they prepared to charge into battle. Deka with his scythe raised high above his head,manded the attention of his soldiers. "Soldiers, today we fight not just for ourselves, but for our lord and for our kingdom! Today we fight for the freedom to live our lives without fear, without oppression, without the threat of tyranny looming over us!" He lowered his scythe, his gaze sweeping over the faces of his men. "Our enemy seeks to crush us underfoot, to stamp out any hope of a better future. But we will not let them. We will fight with everything we have, with all our strength and our hearts, and we will emerge victorious!" Deka''s voice rose, growing louder and more powerful with each word. "Our destiny is in our hands. We have the power to make a difference, to shape the course of history! So let us fight with all our might, with all our courage, with all our fury! Let us show our enemy what we are made of, and let them know that they will never defeat us, for we are warriors of the light, and we will shine brighter than any darkness they can conjure!" The soldiers roared in response, their weapons raised high, their eyes aze with determination. Deka nodded, a fierce grin spreading across his face. "That''s what I like to see! Now let''s show them what we''re made of! Great then¡­. Our aim¡­ clear a path to the Demon Lord¡­ Attack!!!" Deka cried, and with a thunderous roar, the soldiers surged forward, their weapons held high and their eyes fixed on the enemy. The ground shook with the force of their charge as they closed in on the Fiona soldiers, some leaping high into the air to rain down blows from above, while others moved with lightning speed to cut through the enemy lines. Despite being outnumbered, Deka''s forces fought with a fierce determination, their attacks driving the Fiona soldiers back and opening up a path towards the Demon Lord. It was a brutal and bloody battle, but Deka knew that victory was within their grasp if they could just keep pushing forward. And thus, the two side began to battle one another, with neither one willing to back down from the other. Chapter 166 The Witchs First Pain. "Soldiers, do not engage!" General Sharma''s authoritative voice boomed across the field as he rode on his horse towards the front line to assess the situation. As he reached the front, his sharp eyes caught sight of the lifeless, severed bodies of his men lying in a gruesome pool of blood. The sight shook him to his core, and his face twisted with a mix of horror and anger. Sharma dismounted his horse and directed his gaze towards Yuri, his eyes narrowed with suspicion. As he observed the solitary figure of the young woman standing before him, he couldn''t help but wonder why she was the only soldier sent to intercept them. Her appearance certainly did not fit the bill of a typical soldier. Suppressing his doubts, Sharmaposed himself and addressed the young woman with a question, "Excuse me, but are you my enemy?" Yuri''s face reflected a mixture of disappointment and confusion at the query. She had just dispatched one of Sharma''s soldiers, and his question seemed almost absurd to her. "I have just killed one of your soldiers. How could you even ask me that?" she responded. Sharma''s expression grew more hostile as he processed Yuri''s response. "I understand," he muttered, his eyes fixed on her. "It is unfortunate that I must resort to violence against ady. However, if you insist on impeding our progress, I will not hesitate to use force." With a sudden movement, Sharma reached behind him and grasped the handle of the enormous de strapped to his back. The scabbard promptly opened up, allowing him to draw the de with a swift motion. The steel glinted menacingly in the sunlight as he brandished it before him, ready to engage inbat if necessary. The atmosphere grew tense as a pregnant silence settled over the area. Both General Sharma and his soldier were on high alert, scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. Suddenly, Yuri''sughter pierced the silence, startling both Sharma and his soldier. Their confusion deepened as they struggled to make sense of the situation. General Sharma''s instincts kicked in, and he muttered to himself, ''Something isn''t right here,'' His eyes darted frantically around the area. Just then, a cry of rm erupted from one of the soldiers behind Sharma''s forces. "Ahhh! We''re being cornered!" the soldier shouted in panic. Sharma''s disbelief was palpable as he turned to survey the situation. "What?!" he eximed incredulously, ''We outnumber them by a considerable margin! How can we be cornered so easily?'' As if in answer to his question, a portal suddenly opened up from where they hade, and a rush of grim reapers charged out of it, causing Sharma''s heart to race with fear. He watched in horror as more portals began opening all around them, unleashing more grim reapers who swarmed towards them. "Damn it!" Sharma stood his ground, determined not to let his guard down. His attention shifted from Yuri to the menacing figure of the grim reapers. "Do not panic," hemanded, "Draw out your weapons and stand your ground-" But before he could finish his sentence, Yuri suddenly materialized behind him, a maniacal grin spreading across her face. She leaned in close to his ear and whispered, "Don''t ignore ady, that''s so mean." Sharma''s body jerked in surprise, and he spun around, sword at the ready. But he was toote. A powerful wave of water struck him square in the stomach, sending him careening into the canyon wall. Yuri scanned the battlefield, her eyes narrowing as she took in the soldiers who were now defending themselves against the grim reaper. "I should be with master, not here fighting off weaklings," she muttered, clearly unimpressed by the level of opposition she faced. But Sharma was not one to be dismissed so easily. From amidst the rubble he was buried in, his voice rose up, a fierce determination driving him forward. "Who the hell... are you calling a weakling?!" he roared, his sword raised once more. In a blur of motion, Sharma emerged from the rubble andnded on the ground with a sharp metallic ng. With sword in hand, he wasted no time inunching his attack. A swift sh sent a massive wave of purple energy hurtling towards Yuri, tearing up the ground beneath it and generating a powerful gust of wind. But Yuri, undaunted, raised her hand to deflect the magic. Her confidence, however, was short-lived. As the wave of energy crashed into her palm, it split it in two, cleaving all the way up to her elbow in a gruesome disy of raw power. Yuri''s face twisted in a mixture of pain and delight as she watched her severed hand dangle in two pieces. Her lips curved into a wicked grin as she turned her gaze towards Sharma. "That''s the first time I''ve felt pain," she muttered, her voiceced with an almost childlike glee. In the next moment, her injuries miraculously healed, her hand made whole once again. "Oh, I''m going to enjoy this very much," She purred, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. Sharma was undeterred by Yuri''s eerie disy of power. His body was enveloped in a powerful aura of magic energy, his eyes zing with determination. "Bring it on!" He roared, his sword at the ready. The two opponents stood facing each other, their bodies taut with tension. A charged silence filled the air, broken only by the sound of their heavy breathing. With a sudden movement, Yuri lunged forward, her body moving with incredible speed and agility. Sharma responded with lightning-fast reflexes, his sword shing in the sunlight as he got ready to counter her attack. Meanwhile, the left nk was led by General Mort and his elite soldiers, charging forward with full force. Horses, chariots, and even some of the wild beasts were used to quickly traverse the terrain. As they thundered onwards, the sudden arrival of bad news disrupted their momentum. "General Mort! We have a problem!" one of the soldiers yelled from behind, his voice strained with urgency. Mort''s expression darkened, and he called back impatiently, "What is it now?" His irritation was palpable, as it was clear that he had no time for distractions. From the dely, it was safe to assume that the soldiers were passing the information from behind all the way to the front. After a brief pause, the soldier finally responded, "It''s Neverk! They''re approaching us from the left!" Mort gritted his teeth in frustration. "Those bloodsucking traitors!" he growled, his anger building with every passing moment. He knew that this turn of events could seriously jeopardize their chances of sess, and he was determined to deal with it swiftly and decisively. Chapter 167 Vlad And The Forever Knights The Neverk knights, led by three prominent figures, were rapidly closing in on General Mort''s men from the left nk. d, the leader of the group, rode at the front of the pack with an imposing presence. He was a towering figure with broad shoulders and a rugged, weather-beaten face. His cold, piercing gaze betrayed a ruthless determination to win at any cost. Behind him were Commander Slevin and Captain Veronica, both of whom exuded an air of authority and confidence. Slevin was a skilled tactician, with a keen mind for strategy and a cool, analytical approach to battle. Veronica, on the other hand, was a fierce warrior with lightning-fast reflexes and a deadly precision inbat. As d rode on his horse, his eyes darted over to the center of the battlefield. From there, he could see that Fiona''s forces had outnumbered Sato''s men. Despite the overwhelming odds, Sato''s troops were holding their ground, fighting with a tenacity that surprised d. "Wow, they have Lord Sato outnumbered." Veronica muttered. "Focus on the task at hand, Captain Veronica," d called back, his voice firm andmanding. "We cannot let our guard down, not even for a moment." Veronica nodded in understanding, her hair whipping in the wind as she spurred her horse forward. "Understood, Duke d," she replied. "Our target is right in front of us." d and hispanions charged forward, their weapons glinting in the sunlight. They were determined to take out General Mort''s troops, and they were willing to do whatever it takes to achieve their goal. Slevin, who had been observing the enemy forces closely, quickly realized that General Mort''s troops had spotted them. He noticed that Mort''s forces had split into three groups, each taking a different route. "Looks like they''ve seen using," Slevin reported to d, his voice tinged with concern. d took a deep breath and surveyed the battlefield. He could see that two of the split teams were attempting to corner their forces, while the remaining group continued their advance towards the rocky path that led to the forest. d''s keen observation had quickly picked up on the enemy''s tactics. He knew they were trying to confuse them and break their formation. But d was a seasonedmander and knew how to counter such tactics. "They''re trying to confuse us," d dered, his eyes scanning the skies as he noticed Sato hovering above them. Despite the chaos around him, the sight of Sato filled him with a sense of satisfaction. Drawing his sword, d quickly issued orders to hispanions. "We need to split into three groups. Veronica, take the right nk. I''ll lead the charge on the left. Slevin, your job is to stop those demons from entering the forest." Without hesitation, Slevin broke off from the main formation and charged straight towards the demons, his sword glinting in the sun. d and Veronica followed suit, each taking their respective nks. As they charged forward, their determination and bravery inspired their troops to follow suit. They knew that the fate of the battle rested on their shoulders, and they were ready to give it their all. <> Sato responded, scanning the whole battlefield while levitating in the sky. "Yes, I noticed," he said calmly. <> "Aril, give me a bird''s-eye view of the battlefield," Sato interrupted, cutting off her warning. <> With a deep sigh, Arilplied with Sato''s request and conjured a bird''s eye view of the battlefield. Sato''s keen eyes scanned the panoramic view, taking in every detail, from the elven soldiers firing their weapons to the demon lord Jira and his minions. As Sato located his target, a sly grin curled up the corners of his lips, "Found you." He mitted. Sato swiftly dismissed the bird''s eye view and took off in a sh, his body cutting through the sky as he zipped past the ongoing war below. As Sato was soaring through the air, his eyes locked on his target, suddenly a powerful demon materialized out of nowhere, his wed hands swiftly wrapped around Sato''s neck. Despite the demon''s efforts to cause harm, Sato remained calm and unflinching, his body immune to the physical pain caused by the demon''s attack. However, the sudden attack did cause Sato to lose his bnce and plummet toward the ground. With quick reflexes, Sato activated his powers and created a telekic field that slowed his fall, allowing him tond gracefully on the ground. Within moments of Sato touching down on the ground, the demon that attacked him made her appearance. She was a striking female demon donning a seductive red and ck dress, entuating her curvaceous figure. A single, menacing horn protruded from her forehead, and a cascade of long pink hair flowed down her back, adding to her formidable appearance. "Oh my, you must be the Lord of elves." The female demon said with a smile. Sato slowly stood up right, his eyes forced and the ws she had on her fingers, ''She''s strong.'' He muttered. "Isn''t it a courtesy to introduce yourself first, or does that not work for demons?" Sato asked. "Oh my bad," The female demon pointed at herself before she bagan, "My name is Lana, the 4th general of Demon lord Jira". "Feel free to gravfil and serve me, it''s well expected, my beauty has been known to tame many men¡­ ahhh~, I can feel your lustful gaze on me¡­. oh you bad¡­" Lana said, lost in her delusion. While Lana was distracted, Sato had already begun walking away. He paid no attention to her words or advances. Opening her eyes, Lana noticed Sato was already a few feet away from her and felt irritated, "Just who the hell do you think you are to walk away from me!" She yelled,unching herself towards him with her ws aimed and ready to scratch. Sato simply held her fist and sent her flying back with a p that left her shocked as she dropped to the ground. Despite her demonic strength, she had underestimated Sato''s power. As Lanay on the ground, stunned, Sato continued walking towards his true target,. Chapter 168 Canyon To The Forest. Lana sat on the ground, her hand gingerly touching the spot where Sato had pped her cheek. She was in a state of shock, her mind reeling with disbelief. "I cannot believe a man pped me," She muttered to herself, her tone filled with indignation. Her initial shock quickly gave way to a simmering rage as she watched Sato walk away from her. "How dare he," she seethed, her face contorting with anger. "He will pay for this!". Without a moment''s hesitation, she sprang to her feet, her hand outstretched towards the sky. She began to gather a powerful blue energy, her focus unbreakable as she channeled her anger into the gathering force. With a fierce cry, sheunched the energy towards Sato''s retreating form, the crackling energy lighting up the area around her. As the energy hit its target, there was a loud explosion, throwing debris and dust everywhere. Lana stood there, panting heavily, her eyes zing with fury. She had unleashed her power in a way that she had never done before, and the consequences were devastating. The ground around her was littered with rubble, and a small crater marked the spot where the energy had struck. Lana brushed the dirt off her hand, a sly smirk creeping across her face. She felt a sense of satisfaction knowing that she had just taught Sato a lesson. "Hmph! That''s what you get," she muttered to herself. "Now... I wonder who I should trouble next." Suddenly, Sato''s voice boomed through the dust cloud. "I was going to leave you alone," he said, his tone dripping with malice. "But it seems like you are in need of a lesson." As the dust settled, Sato emerged from the cloud, his body unscathed despite taking the full force of Lana''s attack. His eyes were dark with anger, and Lana could feel his powerful aura emanating from him. ''He¡­ survived that?'' Luna muttered in disbelief, She could feel her confidence waver as she faced the imposing figure of Sato. However, she refused to show her fear and instead squared her shoulders, determined not to back down. "I take it you are part of Jira''s forces, meaning you are only following orders, which is understandable." Sato muttered with a glint in his eye, he began to walk towards Luna, his movements slow and deliberate. He continued, "I''ll spare you if you promise to leave now and retreat, fair enough¡­ that said, if you still n on standing in my way¡­ I won''t hesitate to destroy you". Lana braced herself for what was about toe, her heart racing with anticipation, "Just who the hell do you think you are?!" She yelled "Don''t think for one second that was my full power you maggot!". As he drew closer, Lana could feel the heat radiating from Sato''s body. ''Who the hell is this guy¡­ I thought¡­ screw that!''. She readied herself, her eyes focused on Sato. Lana could sense his power building, and a wave of fear washed over her. But she refused to back down, determined to stand her ground and show Sato that she was not to be intimidated. The tension between them was palpable, and for a moment, Lana didn''t make any move. It was a battle of wills, and Lana knew that whoever blinked first would lose the upper hand. She held her breath, waiting for Sato to make the first move. The war-tornndscape around them was eerily silent as Lana and Sato stared each other down. The only sound was the distant echo of chaos in the background. Their eyes locked in a deadly game of cat and mouse, both waiting for the other to make a move. Suddenly, Sato came to a sudden stop, breaking the tense silence. Lana braced herself for an attack, her face a picture of seriousness and precision. Baam! Without warning, there was a deafening sonic boom as both of them lifted off the ground and charged towards each other. Lana''s fist was enveloped in a crackling magical energy, poised to strike, while Sato''s face was dangerously close to hers, a sinister smile spreading across his lips. Their collision was explosive, the force of their sh sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Lana''s magic-enhanced punch connected with Sato''s body, but he barely seemed to flinch. Sato''s smile only grew wider as he leaned in even closer to Lana, his breath hot against her skin. ''Shit! I''m gonna die!'' For a moment, Lana felt her resolve falter as she stared into the dark abyss of his eyes. Meanwhile, As the battle raged on, Fiona''s forces continued to push forward, led by the formidable 6th General, Halton. With a fierce determination, Halton took his troops deep into the canyon, hoping to find a path through the forest that would allow them to nk the enemy and turn the tide of the battle. As they rode on horseback and ran on foot, their beasts hurled forward, they suddenly encountered something unexpected Halton pulled his horse to a stop, his eyes scanning the canyon ahead. He could see a group of women dressed in armor, arrows trained on his troops. "Stop! Hold your advances!" Halton shouted, hismand quickly ryed to the soldiers behind him. A high-ranking soldier rode up beside him, concern etched on his face. "General, is something wrong?" he asked. Halton''s eyes remained fixed on the enemy ahead. "The enemy has predicted our movements," He said grimly. As they watched, another group of women emerged from the canyon, weapons at the ready, blocking their path forward. Halton knew they were facing a difficult situation. His troops outnumbered them, but his instinct was telling him they were about to face a skilled enemy who had clearly prepared for their arrival. "How did they know we''ll be taking this route?" One of the soldier muttered amongst the troops Halton immediately pulled out his sword, "Get ready for battle," he said, his voice ringing out across the canyon. "We will not let them stop us. We will win this war!" Chapter 169 The Valkyries Intercept [A few minutes before intercepting Halton''s forces.] Benihime,mander of the valkyries, had stationed her forces in the middle of the vast canyon that led to the right side of the battlefield. The valkyries, fierce and skilled warriors all, had set up camp in a strategic location that provided them with a clear view of the canyon below. From their vantage point, it would take at least fifteen minutes for the enemy troops to reach the forest, and another twenty minutes to arrive at Sato''s vige. Benihime knew that this gave her forces a crucial advantage, as they could intercept the enemy before they could reach their destination. As she looked out over the canyon, Benihime felt a surge of confidence. Her valkyries were some of the finest warriors in thend, and they were more than capable of defending their position against any enemy that dared to approach. But even as she felt this surge of confidence, Benihime knew that the battle ahead would not be easy. The enemy forces were unpredictable, but at the same time familiar since she had met most of them before. Benihime sat perched on arge rock, the scorching sun beating down on her as she watched her valkyries prepare themselves for battle. In her hands, she held a leather bottle of water, taking small sips to quench her thirst as she surveyed the scene before her. As she drank, one of her soldiers, I, approached her, her armor clinking softly with each step. "Lady Hime," I called out,ing to a stop in front of Benihime. Benihime looked up at I, her expression calm and collected. "Is something the matter?" she asked, taking another sip of water and tossing the bottle aside. I stood before Benihime, her expression hesitant and uncertain. "My Lady," she said softly, "The other girls are growing restless. They believe we should be on the battlefield with the main forces." Benihime let out a chuckle before she gave her reply. "I can understand their impatience," she said, "We''ve been nning our revenge on Fiona for some time now. They want to be a part of it." Hina, another one of Benihime''s soldiers, approached with her spear in hand. "But why are we still camping here?" She asked, her tone curious. "I can''t even see any signs of the main forces from here." Benihime looked up at the towering canyon walls that surrounded them. "We''re strategically positioned here, Sato believes the enemy will try to use this route to enter the forest" She exined. "Our n is to wait until the right moment and then strike at Fiona''s nk. It''s risky, but it could turn the tide of the battle in our favor." I and Hina exchanged a look, their expressions still uncertain. "I trust in Sato''s n," Benihime continued, "But if any of you wish to join the main forces on the battlefield, you are free to do so. I will not hold it against you". The two soldiers nodded, their determination renewed. "We will stay with you, Lady Hime," I said, "We trust in your leadership." Benihime smiled, grateful for their loyalty. "Thank you," she said. "Now, let''s continue to prepare. Our time to strike wille soon enough". A sudden cry reverberated from the top of the canyon, signaling the arrival of the enemy. "The enemy is approaching! They are more numerous than we had anticipated!" the warning echoed. Benihime rose from her resting spot on a rock, her lips curling into a smile. "He was right," she murmured to herself, before assuming a stern expression and readying herself to issue hermand. "Alright,dies, take your positions," Benihime ordered, her voice carrying the authority of a leader. "We will not allow a single enemy to pass this border!" As she spoke, she strode forward with purpose, her fellow Valkyries hurrying to get ready and intercept the approaching enemy. The valkyries sprang into action, quickly gathering their weapons and armor, and preparing for battle. Some grabbed swords, spears, and shields, while others took up bows and arrows. They checked their gear and made sure everything was in order, knowing that even the smallest mistake could cost them their lives. As they moved out, some of the valkyries took a different path and began to climb the cliffs to reach the top of the canyon. Their bows and arrows would be their weapons of choice in this battle. The climb was steep and dangerous, but the valkyries were trained for this, and they made their way up the rocky terrain with skill and precision. [Main time] Benihime, the leader of her valkyries, stood tall and poised as she faced off against the imposing demon General Halton. The two warriors locked eyes, their mutual strength palpable and adding to the already intense atmosphere. Neither of them wasted time exchanging words, for they knew that their weapons would do the talking for them. Without warning, Benihime bellowed hermand, "Fire!" In an instant, the valkyries positioned at the top of the canyon let loose a volley of arrows, raining down on the oing demon horde. The sky darkened with the flurry of deadly projectiles. However, General Halton was not one to go down without a fight. He raised his massive hammer high and bellowed, "Attack! Kill everyst one!" His demonic minions charged forward, intent on breaking through the valkyrie line. The intense standoff between Benihime and General Halton was disrupted by sudden explosions as the demons charged forward. They had identally triggered thendminesid out by Benihime''s clever strategists, causing chaos and confusion amongst the demon ranks. Despite being bombarded by arrows raining down from the valkyries, some demons still tried to press forward. However, fear had taken hold of them, and they hesitated with each step, not knowing where the next explosion woulde from. Benihime kept a watchful eye on the battlefield, carefully counting the explosions. Once the seventhndmine was triggered, she knew it was time to strike. "That was thest one, Valkyries¡­ attack!" she shouted, themand ringing out loud and clear. The valkyries moved forward as one, their weapons at the ready, and charged into battle. The sh was fierce, with metal nging against metal and the sound of battle cries filling the air. Chapter 170 The Valkyries Fight! Hina, agile and swift, weaved through the chaos around her and took a leap into the air. Her eyes locked onto the massive beast looming behind the demons, and she knew what she had to do. With a fierce battle cry, Hina''s grip tightened on the spear in her hand as she took aim. The weapon glowed a deep red, crackling with a powerful energy that sent shockwaves through the air and made the very skies rumble. As the spear hurtled towards its target with blinding speed, Hina braced herself for the impact, ready to unleash her full power against the enemy. The spear, propelled by Hina''s immense strength, tore through the air with a resounding boom, leaving behind a trail of red energy that crackled with power. As it made contact with the massive beast, a colossal explosion erupted from the impact, obliterating every demon within its vicinity and shaking the very ground beneath their feet. Hina''snding was abrupt, and she struggled to maintain her bnce. Suddenly, a demon charged at her from behind, his sword aimed at her back. "Watch out!" a Valkyrie yelled, positioning herself in front of Hina to shield her. The demon lunged forward and drove his sword into the valkyrie''s gut, before quickly pulling it out and turning to attack Hina. Hina''s eyes filled with rage as she watched herrade fall to the ground, lifeless. "You bastard!" she yelled, pulling out a small knife from her belt. She used her armor-covered arm to block the demon''s sword strike before swiftly using her knife to slice the demon''s neck, ending his life. With that gone, Hina quickly assessed the valkyrie''s wounds and realized they were severe. Blood was gushing out of her abdomen, and her breathing was shallow. Hina knew that time was running out, and she needed to act fast. "Hey, just¡­calm down, okay? I''ll heal you," Hina reassured the valkyrie, trying to keep her conscious. She gently ced her hands on the valkyrie''s wound and channeled her healing energy. A bright, green glow surrounded her hands as she closed her eyes and focused her power. But it was no use, the wounds weren''t healing, whatever the demon weapon was made of was stopping Hina''s magic from working. "Damn it," Hina yelled with frustration, her eyes focused on injury, "Why isn''t it working?" She muttered. The valkyrie suddenly ced her blooded hand on Hina''s, beaming a weak smile as she spoke, "It''s okay Hina, I''ll be fine, you should focus on driving the demons back". "Shut up, I''ll soon be done." Hina''s hands trembled as she reached for the wounds on the valkyrie''s stomach. Her fingertips were stained with blood as she tried to staunch the bleeding, but it seemed like an impossible task. The valkyrie''s eyes fluttered weakly, and she whispered something inaudible before sumbing to her injuries. Hina''s head hung low, tears streaming down her cheeks as she mourned the loss of herrade. "I''m sorry," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion. "I''ll make sure your sacrifice won''t be in vain". One the same battleground, The leader of the valkyrie Benihime and the 6th general of the demon army Halton were facing off in an incredible battle. Benihime agilely leapt backwards, narrowly dodging the dark magical attack that was aimed at her. Shended gracefully on the ground, her movements smooth and fluid. Halton wasted no time and summoned a ball of dark energy in the palm of his hand, before hurling it at Benihime with his hammer. The energy ball crackled and hissed as it hurtled towards her, leaving a trail of ominous smoke in its wake. Without wasting any time, Halton conjured a dark energy ball in his palm, which he quickly hurled towards Benihime, swinging his hammer to add momentum to the attack. But Benihime was ready. With quick reflexes, she raised her sword and sliced the magic ball in two, the explosion sending mes shooting up around her. Emerging unscathed from the mes, Benihimeunched a powerful sword attack at Halton with incredible speed. The force behind her attack was so great that it caused the very earth beneath their feet to crack and crumble. Halton reacted quickly, blocking her attack with his hammer, his eyes locked onto hers in a fierce stare-down. Benihime''s sword shed with Halton''s hammer repeatedly, each strike sending shockwaves through the air. She was fast and agile, dodging and weaving through his attacks with grace and ease. Halton, on the other hand, was slow but powerful, his hammer striking with a force that could shatter bones. He grunted with each swing, his muscles bulging with the effort. "You''re fast, but youck strength," Halton said as he brought his hammer down with a thunderous crash. Benihime parried the attack with her sword and countered with a swift kick to Halton''s stomach. Halton staggered back, but quickly recovered and unleashed a barrage of dark magic. Benihime dodged and weaved through the sts, her movements a blur as she closed in for another attack. Halton mmed his hammer into the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. Benihime stumbled, but quickly regained her footing and leapt into the air, delivering a powerful downward strike with her sword. Halton raised his hammer to block the attack, but the force was too great, and he was sent flying backward, crashing into a nearby tree. "You''re not bad," Benihime said, panting heavily. "If only you used your strength for good." Halton stood up, his eyes glowing with an eerie light. "Hahah, don''t insult me!" He growled, his body pulsing with dark energy. He charged at Benihime, swinging his hammer with renewed vigor. The two shed again, each blow sending shockwaves through the air. They mmed into each other, grappling and throwing each other around like rag dolls. "Is that all you''ve got?" Benihime taunted, dodging another swing of Halton''s hammer. "You have no idea what I''m capable of," Halton growled, his eyes zing with dark energy. He unleashed a barrage of dark magic, the force of which sent Benihime flying backward. Chapter 171 A Win For Excalibur! As their weapons connected with a deafening ng, Benihime and Halton''s faces came within inches of each other. Halton''s lips twisted into a sly grin as he spoke, taunting his opponent. "What is it? Looks like you''re getting a little tired," He muttered, pressing the full weight of his body against Benihime''s de. Suddenly, he jerked his head back andunched a massive headbutt directly at her forehead. Benihime''s eyes widened in surprise, but she managed to react quickly enough to twist her head to the side, barely avoiding the full brunt of the attack. As Halton stumbled back, she lunged forward with a swift jab of her sword, aiming for his heart. But Halton was not so easily defeated. He raised his hammer just in time to deflect her blow, the force of the impact causing the ground to shake beneath their feet. With a fierce grin, he swung his weapon on the ground, causing a heavy impact that sent Benihime flying and crashing to the ground. Benihime began panting heavily, leaning on her sword for support, "I must have used too much Mana." She muttered looking at her hand that was turning pale. Halton suddenly spoke up, "You are quite the formidable opponent¡­too bad, I would have loved to take you under my wings!". With a loud cry, Halton gripped his hammer and sent it at Benihime, As Halton''s hammer descended towards Benihime with terrifying force, I suddenly appeared and interceded, using her own sword to deflect the weapon''s impact. The sheer strength behind the attack sent I crashing to her knees, her sword arm trembling from the impact. Undeterred, another valkyrie appeared behind Halton, surrounded by a swirling blue orb of magical energy. "Go, rip him apart!" Akenomanded, stretching her hand out towards Halton. The orb unleashed a barrage of blindingly bright arrows of light, each one charging straight at the demon general with deadly precision. As the light arrows stabbed into Halton''s body, he let out a guttural roar of pain and dropped to his knees. I didn''t hesitate to seize the moment and swiftly moved to the side, tightening her grip on her sword and aiming for Halton''s exposed neck. However, Halton was not down for the count yet. He quickly activated a hard, scale-like feature around his neck to protect himself from I''s strike. In a quick and brutal counter-move, he grabbed I by the neck with his free hand and began squeezing the life out of her, his fingers digging into her flesh with crushing force. Akeno didn''t hesitate to interfere once again, springing into action and dashing toward Halton with a magical light-made bow and arrow in hand. She expertly aimed at Halton''s hand, and with a quick release of the arrow, it struck its target with precision. The impact was so powerful that it caused Halton to let go of I''s neck, allowing her to catch her breath and regain herposure. Halton, now in immense pain, quickly retreated and created a dark energy barrier around himself to protect from any further attacks. He red at the group of valkyries and growled, "Three against one? Now that''s not a fair number". "Move!" Benihime suddenly yelled from behind, dashing forward with a powerful sword in her hand. The sword was releasing an immense amount of magic power, even Benihime found it hard to control. With one final step, Benihime gritted her teeth and yelled, "Ex!" The power surged through the sword, breaking the ground around her as her hands were already moving. "Calibur!!!" Benihime''s eyes lit up as she made a quick sh with the sword. The whole ground began copsing as soon as it connected with Halton''s barrier, which shattered under the force of the attack. The energy from the sword continued, ripping through Halton''s body and splitting him in two. The ground shook as the two halves of Halton''s body fell to the ground, lifeless. Benihime fell to her knee, panting and shaking from the intensity of the attack. She looked down at her sword, which had returned to its normal form, and then back at the two halves of Halton''s body, now motionless on the ground. With her knees on the ground, I''s eyes scanned the aftermath of Benihime''s attack. The destruction around them was immense, leaving behind a scene of chaos and devastation. Despite the destruction, I couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe and wonder at the sheer power and skill disyed by Benihime. "Wow, that was truly an incredible disy," she eximed, her voice tinged with admiration and amazement As Benihime stood up from the ground, her sword still firmly gripped in her hand, she announced with determination, "We''re not done yet. There are still more demons to take care of". But just as the group was preparing to move forward, Akeno suddenly spoke up with a note of finality in her voice. "I think not," she said, holding up the decapitated head of Halton with a smile. "We should be fine." As Benihime and I looked on in shock and disbelief, Akeno''s smile grew wider, betraying a sense of dark satisfaction. "With the head of their leader in our hands, the other demons will think twice before attacking us again," She exined. "There is no need to continue the fight." Benihime, though still visibly tense and ready for battle, nodded in agreement. "You''re right," She said, sheathing her sword. "You''re a genius Akano, we should regroup with the others". With that, Benihime and her group approached the demons, she held the head of Halton aloft on a sharpened stake. With amanding voice, she proimed to the entire demonic horde that she had single-handedly vanquished their leader. The news reverberated throughout the enemy ranks, causing a palpable sense of fear and confusion to spread among the demon soldiers. In a frenzy of panic, the demons began scrambling to retreat back to their main forces. Benihime''s stunning disy of bravery and skill had dealt a significant blow to the enemy''s morale and weakened their resolve. Chapter 172 Summon The Celestial Spirits! As the battle raged on, General Mort''s forces continued their relentless march towards the forest, undeterred by the ferocity of the enemy''s defenses. The ground shook beneath their feet as they advanced, their weapons raised high, ready to strike down any who stood in their way. Meanwhile, the other half of the army led by General Mort himself, stood firm, holding the line against the onught of Nervek''s forces. The sh of metal echoed throughout the battlefield as soldiers fought tooth and nail to gain the upper hand. Amidst the chaos, cries of pain and fury filled the air as the two armies shed in a brutal struggle for dominance. It was a scene of utter carnage, with bodies littering the ground and blood staining the earth. "Damnit, how is a small vige like this giving us so many problems!" A female demonined as she ran on foot with different demons following behind her. The female demon came to an abrupt halt as her sharp eyes caught sight of Erza, standing alone in the middle of the path. The ground beneath them trembled with the sheer force of Mort''s army marching towards the forest, but Erza stood unwavering, her red hair flowing in the wind as she held her sword with a determined expression. The demon''s crimson eyes narrowed as she assessed the situation, her hand instinctively reaching for her own weapon at her side ''An enemy?'' The female demon thought to herself with her eyes scanning the area, ''She''s by herself though''. The male demon shifted his weight, his eyes scanning Erza from head to toe, his sharp ws glinting in the dim light. The female demon stood beside him, her expression uncertain as she took in the sight of the lone warrior blocking their path. "Hey, what do you think, should we attack?" The male demon asked, his voice dripping with malice. The female demon hesitated, her eyes flickering nervously as she assessed the situation. She knew that attacking Erza could be dangerous, but she also knew that they couldn''t afford to let anyone stand in the way of their mission. "Wait," She said finally, holding up a hand to forestall any further action from the male demon. "Let''s see what she wants first. We don''t know anything about her, or why she''s here". The male demon snorted, clearly not pleased with the dy. "Fine," he growled. "But don''t take too long. We have a job to do." "Hello," The female demon called out, "There''s a war going on right now, it''s not safe for you to move around these parts." Erza turned to face the demon, her expression unreadable. Without a word, she reached into a leather satchel hanging from her belt and pulled out a thick, leather-bound book. She opened it with a loud thud, revealing pages filled with strange symbols and intricate diagrams. The book began to emit a bright, golden light that illuminated her face and cast a glow on the surrounding area. The male demon, with his body taking the form of someone ready to strike. "What kind of magic is that?" He asked in awe. Erza didn''t answer, but continued to focus on the book as if searching for something. "Aahh, there we go." She suddenly spoke. Erza stood in the middle of the battlefield, surrounded by the chaos of war happening from a far distance. The ground shook beneath her feet as demons shed with Sato''s forces, each side vying for supremacy. With a determined look on her face, Erza began to chant, her voice strong and unwavering. "By the light of the stars and the power of the heavens, I call forth celestial spirits to answer my beckon. With this incantation, I open the gate, Let my words be heard, for my will is fate." The demons quickly took notice of her spellcasting, and one of them yelled out in rm. "It''s a summoning spell!" The leader of the demon horde scowled at the revtion. "Attack! Strike her down before shepletes that spell!". Some of the demons charged towards Erza, while others stood back and began projecting elemental magic at her. But before their attacks couldnd, Luna, one of Erza''s maids, emerged from the ground in front of her and swiftly erected a barrier. The barrier crackled with energy as the demons'' attacks collided against it, but it held strong. Erza stood calmly behind it. "Lady Erza, don''t worry about them, we''ll keep them away. Just focus on the summon," Xanxia said as she appeared beside Erza, her hand outstretched as a rush of water charged towards the demons. From the cliffs, Sebastian and Shuna emerged, fighting off the demons to keep them away from Erza. Erza smiled and closed her eyes, focusing on calling forth the power of the heavens. "O, celestial spirits, creatures of the divine, Come forth from your realm, and bring me a sign. With your grace and your might, I beseech you to appear, And lend me your power, so that I may conquer my fear¡­ Gate open!" She recited with confidence. "It''s no use! Stop her before she can make any summoins!" the male demon ordered as hisrades charged towards Erza. But before they could reach her, a bright light erupted from the ground, blinding everyone momentarily. When their vision cleared, they saw several celestial spirits standing before Erza, ready to do her bidding. Xanxia, Sebastian, and Shuna stood guard as Erza gave hermands to the hundreds of celestial spirits gathering in the air, her voice filled with authority and power. The demons watched in fear and awe as the celestial spirits carried out their tasks with precision and skill. They began fighting, The battle was intense and brutal, with each side fiercely fighting for their own cause. However, it quickly became apparent that the celestial spirits had the upper hand. They moved with grace and precision, tearing through the demon forces with ruthless efficiency. Despite their best efforts, the demons were no match for the power of the spirits. Limbs were severed, bodies were torn apart, and blood flowed freely on the battlefield. When the fighting finally came to an end, the demons were forced to retreat with only a small fraction of their original numbers. The celestial spirits stood victorious, their forms glowing with a divine radiance as they slowly returned to their realm Chapter 173 Protect The Goblins *A small vige inside the witches forest* Nestled deep within the dense and mysterious Witches Forest, therey a humble vige, built by a hardworkingmunity of forest goblins. Though small in size, the vige had managed to establish a thriving existence, sustaining themselves through abination of farming, hunting, and gathering. The vige was surrounded by towering trees, their branches intertwined to create a natural canopy that filtered the sunlight, casting a dappled pattern on the vige grounds. The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, and the sounds of wildlife could be heard in the distance. "Chief! Chief!" A frantic forest goblin called out, sprinting through the small vige of crudely built huts and shacks nestled within the dark and ominous witches'' forest. The other goblins halted in their daily activities, turning to watch themotion. The chief, an elderly goblin with wispy white hair and rheumy eyes, shuffled towards the panicked goblin. "Naki, what''s the matter?" He asked, his voice shaky with age. Naki dropped to his knees before the chief, his body trembling with fear. "Chief, the forest... it''s under attack!" He gasped out. The goblins crowded closer, their small bodies tense with apprehension as they listened for more. The vige chief immediately confirmed, "Who is doing the attacking?" "From what I heard, it''s the Fiona Kingdom... and apparently, they are fighting to take the forest... against some other forces," Naki replied. "I see," The chief said, turning his back on Naki and looking at the far end of the forest. "I guess it''s time we left our home and moved to a new ce". "Prepare everyone to evacuate. We leave as soon as possible," The chief ordered. As the goblins hurriedly packed their belongings and prepared to leave, four demons and a massive snake monster suddenly entered the vige. "Ahhhh, it''s a monster!" The goblin''s scream echoed through the vige as he fell to the ground in front of the monstrous snake. The serpent let out a deafening roar, poised to strike at any moment. The vige chief quickly reacted, picking up his staff and hurling it towards the creature. However, his valiant effort was in vain as a demon materialized out of thin air and struck him down with a swift and deadly blow. The chief''s body slumped to the ground lifelessly, leaving the vige in shock and horror. The demon turned its attention to the remaining goblins, its eyes gleaming with malice as it advanced towards them. The goblins scrambled in terror, some of them trying to protect their families, while others tried to run for their lives. "You damn bastards!" Naki yelled in pain, racing toward the demon that killed the chief with tears in his eyes. As he got close, the demon booted him in the face, which immediately sent him falling to the ground with a bruised face. The remaining goblins, filled with fury, picked up their weapons and charged forward to fight against the demons and the huge snake monster. "Kill them all!" One of the goblins shouted, as they fought fiercely with all their might. However, the demons were too powerful, and one by one the goblins fell, until only a few remained. Naki, still on the ground, looked up and saw the goblins being ughtered one by one. He knew he had to do something to stop them but he was too powerless. With thest of his strength, Naki went to his knees, tears streaming down his face as he screamed for help, "Someone! Anyone! Please save my vige!". His plea did not go unheard as a voice responded almost immediately, "Damn it, how could we let them enter the Forest!" Jiro appeared from the bushes riding on the back of a Deerhug, with three other elves following behind him. Their eyes were filled with fury and determination as they gazed at the demons and the snake monster. "We will take care of them," Jiro said firmly to Naki, "You take care of the wounded and gather as many goblins as you can. We will not let them harm your vige any further, I promise!". With a nod of understanding, Naki quickly tended to the wounded goblins and gathered as many as he could, leading them away from the battle as Jiro and hispanions prepared to fight Knowing that Naki was attending to the goblins, Jiro then focused on the demon in front of him while riding on Deerhug''s back. In a sh of movement, Jiro vanished from the back of the Deerhug and reappeared behind the unsuspecting demon, poised for a swift and deadly strike. However, the demon was quicker than expected, and with a sudden burst of speed, he spun around and aimed a vicious sword strike at Jiro''s neck. Jiro''s reflexes saved him from certain death, as he managed to deflect the blow with his short sword. But the force of the attack was too great, and he was pushed back several steps. Just as it seemed like the demon had the upper hand, the Deerhug charged forward with incredible speed, its horn pointed directly at the demon. With a thunderous crash, the Deerhug mmed into the demon''s side, sending him flying several feet away. Jiro fell to the ground with a smile on his face, "Thank you fuu!" He thanked the Deerhugs. He was about to stand on his feet when he suddenly noticed his hand was broken, "I broke my arm¡­but hold on¡­ I don''t feel any pain¡­do I?" Jiro said to himself as he watched his broken hand heal. Jiro''s thoughts were interrupted by the sounds of battle, as his teammates continued to fight off the remaining demons and the huge snake monster. "Hey Jiro! What are you doing?!" Yelled one of his teammates, as she leapt back to dodge a snake attack. Realizing he was needed in the battle, Jiro quickly snapped out of his thoughts and responded, "Sorry! I''ming!" He quickly climbed onto the back of the Deerhug and dashed towards his friends, determined to help them in any way he could. . Chapter 174 Something Isnt Right As the valkyries pushed forward, their feets beating powerfully, the soldiers on the left nk were quickly vanquished. With the enemy soldiers falling back, the valkyries turned their attention to the main forces, their eyes glowing with determination as they prepared to charge Arriving at the main battlefield, Benihime surveyed the chaotic scene, she could see that the beastmen were struggling to hold back the demons. The sounds of shing swords and screams of agony filled the air. Her heart sank as she realized the gravity of the situation. Turning to her trusted advisor Akeno, She asked, "I thought there were supposed to be fireunchers keeping the demons out?". "You mean that?" Akeno pointed at the destroyed missileuncher with a neutral expression, "Looks like the demons were able to destroy it". Benihime gritted her teeth in frustration, but then she noticed something. Benihime furrowed her brow in confusion, observing Sato''s forces with a newfound interest. It was as if they were made of stone or steel, impervious to the demons'' attacks. She watched as they fought back with renewed vigor, each blownding with devastating force. As she surveyed the battlefield, it dawned on her. Sato''s forces were not ordinary soldiers at the moment. They were something else entirely, something beyond human. And with that realization came a sense of hope. Perhaps they could turn the tide of this battle after all. "Hmm," She mused to herself, "This changes things". "Is something wrong, Mdy?" I asked. "I, take 4 of the valkyries and go straight into the forest, make sure you inform every vige inside the forest about the war going on outside." Benihime issued hermand. "Right away." I responded before running off with four other valkyries running behind her. A smile hit Benihime on the face as she watched the battlefield, ''I wonder what kind of trick he pulled this time''. "I''m guessing you want us to push the demons out of the forest?" Akeno asked. "I''d really appreciate your help. "You have our support." Hina uttered from behind. Benihime turned to face Akeno and Hina, her expression softening. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "I knew I could count on you two. Akeno and Hina nodded in unison, readying their weapons to join the fight. "Let''s show these demons what happens when they mess with the forest," Akeno said, determination burning in her eyes. Benihime smiled, feeling reassured by the support of herrades. "Let''s go," She said, leading the charge towards the demons. Amid the chaos of the upper right nk of the battlefield, the sh between d''s forces and General Mort''s soldiers was growing increasingly intense. The sound of shing swords and nging armor echoed through the air as thebatants fought with all their might. The ground shook with the weight of their footsteps, and the soil had be a muddy graveyard for the fallen soldiers. The air was thick with the stench of blood, sweat, and fear, as both sides were beginning to feel the effects of the grueling battle. As the battle between d and Mort''s forces continued, the two sides shed together in a violent collision. The sound of steel against steel rang out across the battlefield as the soldiers fought with all their might. d and Mort themselves collided in the midst of the chaos, their horses sending powerful strikes at each other as they struggled for dominance. Their swords shed with a deafening sound, sparks flying from the impact. The soldiers around them paused for a moment, watching the twomanders battle it out. It was as if time itself had slowed down, the rest of the battlefield fading into the background as d and Mort fought for supremacy. But the moment was short-lived, as the rest of the battle raged on around them. The soldiers from both sides continued to fight with renewed vigor, inspired by the example set by their leaders. "Quick, keep the demons away from the Duke, until he is able to y their leader!" Commander Selvin yelled, charging at the enemy with his soldiers following hismand. "Everyone, keep the blood suckers away from General Mort!" The demons yelled before they charged in. Commander Selvin''s forces shed with the demons, swords nging against each other as they fought tooth and nail to gain the upper hand. The sound of battle echoed throughout the battlefield as each side pushed against the other. Meanwhile, d and General Mort''s collided with a massive sh of power, their horses rearing up as they sent powerful strikes towards each other. The air crackled with energy as the two leaders fought for dominance, their soldiers following their lead in a fierce battle of wills. "Protect the Duke with your life!" Selvin shouted to his soldiers, his eyes zing with determination as he fought with all his might. The demons howled with fury as they tried to break through the human defenses and get to General Mort. The battlefield was a chaotic dance of death and destruction, with each side fighting for their own cause and survival. The sh of swords, the thud of hooves, and the screams of the wounded filled the air as the battle raged on. Meanwhile, on the right nk of the battlefield, Yuri''s Grim Reapers were swarming the enemy forces, charging towards them with deadly precision. Yuri herself was gracefully walking behind them, her eyes scanning the battlefield for any signs of weakness in the enemy lines. As She surveyed, Yuri suddenly noticed Erza and her follower,ing out from the canyons to her left. Erza was running, trying to enter the forest to lend help when all of a sudden, Yuri appeared in front of her. "Yuri?" Erza called out. "Oh my, you were actually serious, I didn''t think you woulde to war." Yuri said with a teasing smile, "I guess you''re not just a princess". "Yuri, I need you to see something." Erza said with utmost urgency, she pulled out a knife from Sebestain''s pocket and sliced her arm. And almost immediately the injury closed like nothing happened. "Okay, you healed, what''s the big deal?" Yuri asked. "You don''t get it, I didn''t do that¡­ this is from an external source¡­ I didn''t feel any pain, nothing." Erza iinform "Don''t tell me¡­" Yuri muttered after realizing the situation. Chapter 175 Immortal War As Yuri and Erza ran towards the forest, the sounds of the war intensified. Demons shed with Sato''s forces, as elves and beastmen battled against the dark creatures. Swords nged, arrows whistled through the air, and the ground shook from the force of the fighting. As they passed by groups of soldiers, Yuri and Erza saw the desperation on their faces. Some had injuries that they couldn''t heal, and others fought with everything they had left. But they all had one thing inmon: the determination to protect their people and end the war. "It''s just not me, look!" Erza pointed at an Elf that got stabbed by a demon but instead of hitting the ground, the elf chopped off the head of the demon. Yuri also looked in the direction and her eyes twitched in anger as she noticed the strange action happening more and more in the war. "Come on!" She yelled. Yuri and Erza continued to sprint through the battlefield, dodging demon attacks and weaving between the battling forces. They knew that every second counted, and that Divanchi might hold the key to turning the tide of the war. Finally, they arrived at the edge of the forest, where they saw Divanchi standing tall and watching the battle unfold. They ran up to her, panting and out of breath. "Divanchi! please tell me you''ve noticed the strange stuff happening," Yuri said urgently. "The men, they don''t seem normal, did master do something?". Divanchi turned to them and nodded solemnly. "I thought I was the only one that noticed, but I should have guessed you''d pick up on it too." She said. "They aren''t feeling any injury or pain to begin with". "Where is master?" Yuri asked aggressively. "Wasn''t he supposed to be with you?" Divanchi answered back. Yuri clicked her tongue, "I''ll try tomunicate with him via telepathy." She said before storming inside the forest. With Yuri gone, Divanchi looked at Erza with a forced smile. "I didn''t think the Duke would let you fight in a war," She said, her eyes scanning the battlefield around them. The scene was horrific - demons were ughtering elves and beastmen left and right to enter the forest, leaving nothing but carnage in their wake. "I didn''t think so either," Erza replied, her voice filled with a mixture of determination and fear. She couldn''t help but feel overwhelmed by the sheer brutality of the demons'' attack. She watched as a group of elves were cut down by a horde of demons, their screams piercing the air. The stench of blood and death filled her nostrils, making her stomach churn. "Divanchi, sorry if this maye out as rude, but the demons are entering the forest, doesn''t that go against the objective of this war?" Sebestain chimed in. "Yeah!" Xanxia added, "And while we are on that, why are you just standing here watching the whole thing?!". Divanchi chuckled in response to their curiosity, before she sat on the ground and rested her back on the tree. "You''d think that at first nce, but take a look again." Divanchi hinted. Divanchi''s words made Erza and her guards take a closer look at the ongoing battle. The gruesome sight of the demons ruthlessly killing the elves and beastmen was enough to turn anyone''s stomach, but there was something strange happening. As the demons delivered fatal blows, the elves and beastmen were quickly recovering and standing back on their feet. Even if their heads were cut off, they immediately grew back, and if it was their arms, they regenerated in a matter of seconds. Erza couldn''t believe what she was witnessing. This bizarre ability only added to her suspicion about the strange events happening in the war. Erza clenched her fist before looking at Divanchi, "Why do I get the feeling you know exactly what is happening here¡­ Divanchi". Back in the forest,Yuri sat on a rock, her gaze fixed on the ground as she concentrated, trying to establish a telepathic link with Sato. Impatiently, she muttered, "Come on." Her legs dangled as she struggled with increasing anxiety. [Y-Yuri, what''s the matter?] Yuri''s heart raced with relief as she heard Sato''s voice in her head, cutting through her anxiety like a knife. A smile immediately beamed on her face as she responded, "Master, where are you?" She jumped down from the rock and began pacing. Sato''s response was hesitant, [I''m¡­busy with something¡­how are things going on your end?] Yuri could sense the tension in Sato''s voice. "Uhm, something strange is happening to the people, and the demons have begun entering the forest, although only a little," Yuri reported. "Where are you? I''ll be able to exin¡­" Sato''s next question made Yuri''s heart sink, [No lives lost?] "No, not any that I have noticed," Yuri replied, her voice shaking slightly. The gravity of the situation was beginning to sink in, and she knew they needed to act quickly. [Listen, The Lilivils are currently keeping an eye out for Warthniq''s attack, they won''t be able to help much, Kirah is also securing the water banks¡­ keep the demons out of the forest¡­ no vige should fall victim to this] "I understand." Yuri responded and almost instantly the telepathic link broke, leaving Yuri worried as she could tell Sato wasn''t himself. ¡­ Sato knelt on the ground, holding Lana''s lifeless head in his trembling hands. He was gasping for breath and his body was covered in bruises and blood, evidence of the intense battle he had just endured. Despite his remarkable resilience, he felt an excruciating pain coursing through his entire body, making it difficult for him to move. As he gazed at his own reflection in the pool of blood before him, he realized that he had never experienced such agony before. "Funny¡­ I almost forgot what pain felt like." Sato said with a sad chuckle before falling to the floor and his back rested on the wall. <> "I can''t let anyone else die, Aril, not because of a pathetic human like me." Sato''s voice was hoarse, his body shaking with exhaustion and pain. "I won''t let anyone die again¡­ Latina and Elena¡­ never again". <> Sato gritted his teeth, his fingers tightening around the head. "I don''t care. I won''t let anyone else die. Not if I can help it." His focus solely on getting back on his feet and continuing the fight. "And besides¡­ I never made the choice before¡­ why start now". Chapter 176 The Lilivil Witches At The Ready *Behind the witches forest* The three remaining warriors, Ava, Selfy, and Terafona, took up their positions at the edge of the forest, waiting in anticipation for Warthniq''s attack. Terafona perched herself on a high tree branch, scanning the surrounding area with her sharp gaze. Ava, with her arms crossed and her white tigerpanion by her side, stood poised and ready for battle. Selfy, on the other hand, sat on the grassy ground, calmly sipping tea while her small rocky minions loyally guarded her. Despite the imminent danger, the three warriors remained steadfast and focused, waiting for the enemy to make their move. "Where are they?" Ava uttered, pacing back and forth anxiously, her gaze fixated on the horizon as she waited for Warthniq''s attack. "Rx, Ava," Selfy said, taking a sip of her tea. "Why are you so tense?" Ava stopped pacing and turned to face her. "The Sessor is out there fighting, and we''re just sitting here..." "You doubt the Sessor''s decision to ce us here?" Selfy asked teasingly. "No, it''s not that," Ava replied, looking guilty. "I just feel like I should be out there with him." Selfy raised an eyebrow. "So you think the Sessor is incapable ofing up with a good strategy then?" Ava shook her head hastily. "No, of course not. I''m sorry, I didn''t mean it like that. Please don''t tell him about this". Selfy chuckled. "You have my word, I won''t tell him a word of what you said". "Selfy, do you never get tired of teasing her?" Terafona chimed in, sitting graciously on the tree branch with her umbre over her head. "Of course not¡­ she just makes it too easy." Selfy smiled before taking another sip of her tea. Knowing that she was tricked, Ava sighed before focusing back to what she was doing, but then, she felt somethinging. Ava''s eyes widened as she saw Himiko suddenly appear out of nowhere. She reacted instinctively, unsheathing her sword and holding it up to the stranger''s neck. The sharp edge of the de glinted in the dim light, dangerously close to Himiko''s skin. The two women stood there, their faces just inches apart, locked in a tense standoff. Ava''s muscles were tensed, ready to strike at any moment, while Himiko remained eerily calm, almost unaffected by the sword pressed against her throat. The air was thick with anticipation as they both assessed each other, trying to read each other''s intentions "You should watch where you aim that thing." Himiko uttered with her eyes still locked to Ava''s. Behind Himiko were sixteen individuals, including Garfield, her priest and Eril her guardian angel. Ava red back, "Bold of you to appear beside the witch of destruction like that." She said, moving her sword a bit closer to Himiko''s neck. "Ava? Do you know who that is?" Selfy suddenly asked. "No, am I supposed to care?" Ava answered back. "That''s the back up the Sessor told us we''ll be getting.. the elemental hero Himiko." Selfy informed with her hands covering her mouth as she tried to hold in herughter. With aposed expression, Ava lowered her sword and stepped back, acknowledging Himiko''s presence. Selfy let out a small chuckle, finding Ava''s initial reaction amusing. "Forgive my friend," Selfy said, still holding back herughter, "She''s always on edge when ites to unexpected visitors". Himiko brushed herself off and nodded, "I understand. I apologize for startling you". Ava took a deep breath before she spoke, "No need to apologize. We''re just a bit on edge, considering the circumstances". Himiko nodded again before turning her attention to the battlefield in front of them, "By the way, Warthniq will be here soon, I spotted them camping at the rocky path after I had finished speaking with the General leading Riojas?". "Uhn?" Slefy muttered. "Shinra is the one leading the army, and knowing him, I doubt he would want to fight now." Himiko spoke out, her eyes focused on the sky. The witches looked up too and notcied that the sun was starting to set, "You believe he won''t use the darkness as a means to attack?" Ava asked. "Shinra and I have fought many wars together, he won''t attack until the sun rises," Himiko proimed, "That said, it''s safe to set our defenses, just in case". "True." Selfy took herst sip of the tea before standing to her feet, "Can''t have a battle without an army". Selfy took a deep breath and approached the front line. She knelt down and whispered to the ground, "Wake up, boys." Her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was enough to stir the earth beneath her. Slowly, the ground began to tremble, and then huge, lumbering figures began to emerge. The earth shook with the force of their ascent, and Ava watched in awe as the massive golems took their ce on the front line. The golems were immense, towering over even the tallest trees of the forest. Their rocky bodies were covered in moss and lichen, and their eyes glowed with a fierce, inner light. They were powerful, ancient creatures, born from the very earth itself, and they were there to protect the forest and its inhabitants. With Selfy at their side, Himko knew they had a chance at victory, and she tightened her grip, ready to face whatever came their way. "Incredible." Himiko uttered in awe, as she watched the golem walk around like soldiers guarding a prison cell. "There goes my resting time." Terafona sighed, before snapping her fingers. The ground began to rumble as skeletons started crawling out of the ground with blows, swords and spears in their hands, as they surveyed thend beside the golems. Ava smiled before looking at her tiger, "Come on, it''s time." She spoke to it. The tiger suddenly gave out a roar and multiple portals began to materialize, one after the other. Out of each portal emerged more tigers, each one majestic and powerful. The ground trembled beneath their paws as they stood beside the group, ready for battle. The air was charged with an electric energy, and the tigers'' eyes gleamed with a fierce determination to protect their allies at all costs. Chapter 177 Two Great Forces Demon lord Jira remained seated on his horse, nked by multiple soldiers and his trusted advisor Lilith. As they surveyed the battlefield, Lilith used her magic eye to zoom in on the opposing forces. "It seems we have underestimated the Lord of Elves," Shemented. "He''s holding his own against us." Jira let out a deep sigh. "I did not expect this. How was he able to gather so many forces so quickly?". Lilith frowned in disgust as she considered the possibility of retreat. "Should we fall back?" Jira looked up at the sky, noting that the sun was setting. "It will be dark soon," He said. "Blow the horns. Let them know we are retreating, but not back to the kingdom. We will find somewhere close to the kingdom to heal ourselves". With that, Jira turned his horse and began to lead the retreat. "Blow the horns! We are retreating!" Lilith informed the soldiers, and they all began rying the messages to one another. Some of the demons took the horns that were tied around their waist and began blowing it. The sound of horns signaled the demons'' retreat, but Sato''s forces weren''t about to let them go without a chase. They surged forward, closing in on the retreating demons. The ground shook with the pounding of their feet, and the air filled with the sh of swords and the cries of battle. "We can''t let them get away!" Carion shouted, urging his soldiers to keep up the pursuit. The valkyries soared overhead, raining arrows down on the demon army, and the elves and beastmen shed through the demons'' ranks with their swords and spears. The high ranking Demons rode at the rear of their retreating army, but they were not safe from pursuit. Deka himself was hot on their heels, his sword gleaming in the setting sun. "You can''t escape us, demon scum!" Deka bellowed. One of the generals gritted his teeth and spurred his horse on, but Lilith''s face twisted with disgust. "Can''t we just kill him and be done with it?" She muttered under her breath. But Jira shook his head. "No, we need to retreat and regroup. We can''t afford to lose any more soldiers". With that, they redoubled their efforts to escape the relentless pursuit of Sato and his forces, disappearing into the gathering darkness. As Jira was about to make his escape, a soldier among his ranks suddenly cried out from behind, "Lord Jira, please wait! I have a message!" The soldier''s voice was urgent, and the rest of the demon soldiers attempted to restrain him. The soldier was d in a ck cloak that obscured his face, but the traces of blood staining his clothing were enough to indicate that he had just fought in a battle. Despite his wounds, he persisted in approaching Jira. "What is it?" Jira asked with impatience, his horse pawing at the ground. The soldier gasped for breath before falling to his knees in front of Jira to deliver his message, "Our forces are being attacked by the enemy, and they are struggling to defend themselves. We must return immediately to aid them!". Jira immediately saw that it was Sato disguised as his men, "Where is the honor in what you did?" He asked. "Honor? Sorry... I don''t do that anymore." Sato''s voice was cold as he raised his right hand and snapped his fingers once. Suddenly, the air around him distorted, and a surge of power began emanating from his body. The ground beneath him shook violently, and the trees surrounding them swayed with the force of the energy. Then, with a deafening roar, a massive explosion erupted from the ground, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. The force was so intense that it seemed to consume everything in its path, swallowing up trees, rocks, and even the bodies of fallen soldiers. The explosion continued to grow, expanding outward with a blinding sh of light, until it consumed the entire battlefield. The ground shook and rumbled as the shockwave traveled for miles, causing chaos and destruction wherever it went. When the dust finally settled, there was nothing left but a smoking crater where the battlefield had once been. The trees were gone, the rocks were pulverized, and even the ground itself had been torn asunder. ¡­. Sato and Jira crashed into the ground with tremendous force, shaking the earth beneath them and leaving a deep trail of destruction in their wake. The impact of theirnding caused the ground to tremble and crack, with rocks and debris flying in all directions. Despite the violent collision, both Sato and Jira remained standing, their feet firmly nted on the ground. The force of the impact had sent shockwaves throughout their bodies, causing their muscles to tense up in response. For a moment, the twobatants stood there in silence, sizing each other up as they prepared for the next round of their battle. The air crackled with energy, as if anticipating the explosive sh that was sure toe. Jira stood there with a smug look on his face, watching Sato struggle to regain his bnce. Despite being exhausted, Sato managed to lift his head and lock eyes with Jira. "All that effort just for an alone time with me," Jira taunted, his voiceced with sarcasm. Sato struggled to catch his breath, his chest heaving up and down as he attempted to respond. His vision was blurry, and his mind was foggy, but he managed to muster up a response. "Oh shut up, let''s get this over with, right now," Sato said, his voice strained and hoarse. "I may be exhausted, but I am not defeated". Jira let out a chuckle, amused by Sato''s determination despite his weakened state. "I see. Well, I''ll give you credit for trying, so much courage and stupidity". Sato slowly rose to his feet, his body aching with every movement. He red at Jira, his eyes filled with defiance. "This from the cry baby demon lord? Iugh." He teased back.. Jira''s expression hardened at Sato''s words. "You''re dead." He replied, before mes formed around his body in the form of a Chinese dragon. Chapter 178 The Phoenix Was Rageful. *Before the explosion* As the horn''s resounding call echoed across the battlefield, the sound sliced through the chaos like a razor, catching the attention of both the demons and the soldiers fighting them. The demons came to a sudden stop, their heads snapping back to the direction of the sound, confusion etched on their demonic faces. One of the demons muttered to himself, barely audible over the din of the battle, "Is that what I think it is?" As he turned his head to look behind him, he realized that the other demons were already in full retreat. As soon as the demon noticed that the others were retreating, he immediately turned to run, a sudden gust of wind made him stumble, and he barely regained his bnce in time to avoid falling. His eyes widened as he saw a figure standing before him, a dark silhouette against the orange glow of the setting sun. The figure held a long scythe in his hand, and without hesitation, he lunged forward, slicing through the demon''s head with a single swift stroke. The demon''s body fell to the ground, lifeless. Deka spun his scythe, twirling it around as he deftly sliced through the air. Blood sttered onto the ground, and he raised the weapon high, signaling to the rest of the soldiers. "The demons are retreating," He announced. "Chase them down and kill as many as possible!". With hismand, the soldiers sprang into action, their adrenaline-fueled bodies driving them to chase after the demons. Deka led the charge, his long strides covering the ground quickly as he pursued the retreating horde. The sound of nging metal and the screams of the dying echoed throughout the battlefield as the two sides shed once more. Even with the Demon''s numbers, they were still overwhelmed by the people of the forest and thus, the war became one sided, although not for very long. Deka and his men were relentlessly chasing the demons when a deafening explosion from the middle of the battlefield brought them to a halt. The ground shook, and a massive wave of heat surged through the air. The explosion spread rapidly, enveloping the demons in its fiery wrath and reducing them to ashes. The shockwave of the explosion was so intense that even the ground beneath their feet began to crumble. Deka and his men quickly realized that they were in grave danger, and a look of panic spread across their faces. However, Deka''s calmposure immediately let him make the right call, and he barked out an order to his men, "Quick, everyone, put up your barriers!". The soldiers immediatelyplied and created a protective shield, hoping that it would be enough to keep them safe from the deadly force of the explosion. They braced themselves as the heat and force of the st washed over them, causing their barrier to tremble and shake. Once the explosion subsided, Deka and his men cautiously lowered their barrier and surveyed the aftermath. The area was now a scorched wastnd, and the bodies of both demons and soldiersy scattered across the field. "What in the world was that?" Carion, the leader of the beast people asked, his voice trembling with fear and curiosity. "I don''t know," Deka replied grimly, looking to the sky to see that it was already turning night time, "Let''s camp out here for now, we''ll continue our pursuit in the morning" . And thus they did, Deka and his men retreated a few miles away from the forest, where they established their camp. It wasn''t long before Yuri, Divanchi, Erza, and the rest of theirrades arrived to meet them. The group approached the camp with caution, they could see the mass destruction on the battlefield that immediately raised some questions., But as Yuri and the rest drew closer, they could see that Deka and his men were busy tending to themselves, eating and resting and some partying. The weary soldiers looked up at their new arrivals with tired but relieved expressions, happy to see some friendly faces in the midst of the chaos. Yuri approached Deka, her expression grave. "What happened out there?" She asked, her voice low. Deka looked up at her, his expression grim while he polished his scythe. "I don''t know," He said. "It was like nothing I''ve ever seen before. Some kind of explosive magic, I think. It wiped out most of the demons, but we were lucky to survive". Yuri nodded, her eyes scanning the faces of the soldiers and she noticed not a single one was injured. "This proves it, Master really did do something." She muttered, before looking at Deka. "Have you heard from Lord Sato?". "No, not yet." Daina chimed in, walking toward them with a tray of water in her hand that she served Deke before she continued, "We''ve triedmunicating with him through the magic earpiece¡­but nothing so far". "I see." Yuri muttered, clearly dissatisfied by the response. Suddenly, Laughter and cheers echoed through the camp as the group of young beastmen yed around, their revelry fueled by alcohol. Suddenly, one of them shouted in amazement, drawing the attention of his friends. "Did you see that?!" he eximed, gesturing wildly. "He literally cut off my head and it grew back... I must say, whoever did this is a golden!" The group erupted inughter and cheers, pping each other on the back. Not to be outdone, another beastman stepped forward, "Check this out!" He spoke out, and ced his hand on a nearby log. With a grin on his face, he grabbed his de and sliced off his own wrist, holding it up for all to see. The others hooted and hollered, impressed by his disy of toughness as they watched the hand grow back. Divanchi''s eyes shed with anger as she watched the beastmen ya around with their regenerative abilities. Her body began to heat up, and the air around her seemed to shimmer with the intensity of her rage. In a blur of movement, she was suddenly standing in front of the offending beastman, her hand raised to strike. With a resounding crack, shended a powerful blow to his face, sending him tumbling to the ground. The other beastmenughed nervously, but their amusement was short-lived as Divanchi advanced on them with deadly intent. In a disy of raw power, she lifted the fallen beastman by the neck with one hand, her body still burning with fury. "You dare to mock the gift my master gave you?!" She snarled, her eyes zing with righteous anger. "You are nothing but fools, ying with powers you cannotprehend!". The beastman squirmed and struggled in her grip, but there was no escape from Divanchi''s wrath. She tightened her grip on his throat, her mes licking at his skin, until he fell limp and lifeless in her hand. For a moment, there was stunned silence in the camp, broken only by the crackling of the mes. Then, with a wordless roar, Divanchi turned on the other beastmen, her rage barely contained. They cowered before her, realizing toote the folly of their actions. The heat emanating from Divanchi''s body slowly dissipated as Yuri''s voice broke through her anger. She turned to face her friend, her eyes still smoldering with rage. "Let him go Divanchi," Yuri repeated firmly. Divanchi hesitated for a moment before finally releasing her grip around the beastman''s neck. The creature coughed and gasped for air as he scrambled away, clearly terrified of the fiery woman before him. Without a word, Divanchi turned and walked towards one of the tents, her steps heavy with anger and frustration. Yuri watched her go, a look of concern etched on her face. The rest of the group exchanged uneasy nces, unsure of how to react to the sudden outburst of violence. They knew that Divanchi had always struggled to control her fiery temper, but they had never seen her lose control like this before. Yuri sighed before she ryed her orders to the beastmen, "It''s night time, doesn''t mean the enemy won''t attack, build defensive walls around the camp site¡­ and make sure to be at alert". Yuri observed from afar as the beastmen quickly went to work building barricades and fortifications around the campsite. Some of them were using their brute strength to gather logs andrge boulders to create a makeshift wall, while others used their agility to set up traps around the perimeter of the camp. They were all working together seamlessly, knowing that the safety of the camp was their top priority. The sound of hammers and axes echoed through the night as the beastmen worked tirelessly, illuminated only by the light of the stars and a few torches. It was clear that they had been well-trained and were well-equipped to handle any threats that mighte their way. As they worked, they kept a watchful eye on the surrounding forest, ready to respond to any movement or sound that might indicate an impending attack. Despite the darkness and the danger that lurked in the shadows, the beastmen worked with determination and efficiency, driven by a fierce loyalty to their leaders and a desire to protect theirrades. Chapter 179 The Forbidden Technique Yuri''s eyes scanned the dimly lit tent and came to rest on Divanchi, who sat cross-legged on the ground with her back turned to her. The flickering mes of the candles illuminated the small space and cast shadows on the walls. Without a word, Yuri walked towards Divanchi and stopped behind her. Divanchi didn''t move or turn around, but she spoke in a calm voice, as if she had been expecting her arrival. "You already figured it out?" Divanchi asked, her gaze still fixed on the front. "Of course I did." Yuri responded, looking at Divanchi from behind, "That was the first time you''ve ever been so worked up¡­ you know something I don''t¡­ what is it?" She asked, curiosity hinged on her face. Yuri''s voice carried an impatient tone as she stood behind Divanchi, waiting for a response. Divanchi hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before beginning to exin. "It was a few days ago after Master had finished a meeting with our allies. He had been practicing a new skill and asked if I would be willing to help him test it out. I agreed, but I had no idea that he intended to use it in the war like this." Yuri''s expression grew more serious, and she leaned forward. "What skill was it?" she demanded. Divanchi hesitated once again, clearly hesitant to reveal the information. "It was a forbidden technique," she finally admitted. "One that I had never seen before. He called it the ''Forbidden Art of Transmutation''," "Apparently, the technique lets him take in any damage given to any person under the skill and transfer it to his own body, while still using his magic to sustain the individual¡­ I didn''t even know a technique like that existed" Yuri''s eyes widened in shock. "The Forbidden Art of Transmutation?!" she eximed. "T-that''s¡­But why would Master use a technique like that in the war?". Divanchi''s weak smile only added to Yuri''s frustration. She knew there was more to the story than what Divanchi was telling her. "We both know why," Divanchi said, her voice heavy with sadness. "Master is very gullible. He wanted to have his cake and eat it too...wanted a war with no losses...pretty stupid." Divanchi chuckled bitterly. Yuri''s frustration turned into anger. She couldn''t believe that Sato was suffering somewhere, and yet the soldiers were more concerned about their own agendas, which was a selfish and bitter thought on her part. "This is uneptable," Yuri said firmly, "I need to find Master and put an end to this madness. Are you with me?". Divanchi turned around and looked at Yuri,, "Let''s say we do find him. Do you really think he''s going to change his mind? Even you know how stubborn he can be with things like this". Yuri groaned in frustration, her fist clenched before she punched the ground aggressively "Damn it! Damn it! How the hell could I not have noticed!... What¡­ what the hell was I even doing?!". ¡­ The Fiona Kingdom had strategically chosen a campsite on the battlefield, far away from the Witch''s forest and Sato''s forces. They had set up their camp with great care, building barricades around their perimeter to protect against any potential intruders. As nightfall approached, the soldiers lit torches and set up fires to keep warm. The crackling of mes mixed with the sound of steel shing in the distance, creating an eerie atmosphere that sent shivers down their spines. Despite the chaos of war, the soldiers of the Fiona Kingdom remained focused on their mission. They knew that the fate of their kingdom depended on their bravery and determination in battle. In the center of therge tent, the imposing figure of Demon Lord Jira sat on his throne. The flickering light of the candles cast an eerie glow over his chiseled features as he sat with his legs crossed and jaw resting under his fist. His dark eyes flickered back and forth between the four demon Generals kneeling before him, each one looking up at him with a mixture of fear and respect. At the entrance of the tent, seven demon soldiers stood guard, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger. Despite the tense atmosphere, there was an air of authority and power that emanated from Jira, and the soldiers were ready to follow his everymand. "Let me make sure I understand you," Jira spoke slowly and deliberately, his voiceced with a dangerous edge. "You mean to tell me... we lost both General Sharma, General Halton, and General Yuno... to some elves?" The generals dared not raise their heads, their bodies shaking in fear. They knew that the wrath of Jira was not to be taken lightly, especially when his ns had been foiled by such a seemingly weak enemy. The demon soldiers at the entrance of the tent shifted uneasily, their eyes darting between their superiors and the exit. Jira suddenly chuckled as he spoke under his breath, "Unbelievable¡­ I would have never guessed the day woulde when I''d be forced to retreat to a mere vige". "Sire, the Lord of elves wasn''t alone in this, I was sure I spotted a few beastmen, valkyries and even Vampires fighting alongside his elves." General Q, a female demon general, spoke out. Jira''s voice dripped with disdain as he spoke, his gaze piercing through the cowering generals before him. "So, you''re telling me that not only did we lose two of our best generals, but we were also defeated by a ragtag group of mixed species? How embarrassing." The fear in the Generals'' eyes only seemed to intensify at Jira''s words. General Q, still on her knees, spoke up again, her tone desperate as she sought to offer an exnation. "Sire, we had no idea they would have such strong allies. They must have formed some sort of alliance to take us down." Jira''s expression remained unchanged as he responded, his words clipped and cold. "An alliance, you say? That''s even worse. We cannot afford to underestimate them again. I want all of you toe up with a new strategy to crush our enemies. We cannot let them take control of this war." The Generals nodded their heads quickly in agreement, eager to please their leader and redeem themselves after their previous failure. Jira sat back in his throne, watching them with narrowed eyes as they scurried out of the tent to begin their task. As soon as the General''s left the tent, Jira immediately transformed back into Lilith, who had a disgusted look on her face as she stood up from the throne. "I know what I saw¡­" Lilith muttered, thinking back to when she saw Benihime on the battlefield, "Why are you still alive?!". Chapter 180 Its Just A Village *Warthniq Kingdom*.. As the night descended upon the battlefield, Warthniq''s soldiers hastily set up camp under the watchful eye of their leader, the Sword hero Shinya, and his party. Tired from their long march, the soldiers settled into their tents, knowing that the next day they would face the daunting task of battling the powerful forces of the Witch''s forest. Despite the looming threat, there was a sense of calm among the soldiers, bolstered by their trust in their leader and their own fighting abilities. The camp was alive with the sounds of whispered conversations and the asional tter of armor as soldiers moved about, makingst-minute preparations for the Shinya had wandered away from the camp, seeking a moment of solitude to collect his thoughts. As hey on the boulder, his eyes traced the constetions above with a somber gaze, knowing that the battles toe would be difficult and deadly. Abruptly, he was interrupted by the arrival of a Warthniq soldier. "Sir Hero," the soldier addressed him, "the enemy has established a strong defensive perimeter around the Witch''s forest. Their forces consist mostly of abnormal monsters". Shinya sat up, his expression turning serious as he processed the information. "Thank you for letting me know," he replied, his voice calm but firm. "We need to be prepared for anything they might throw at us. First thing after sunrise, I want you to gather the troops and make sure everyone is equipped with the necessary weapons and armor. We can''t afford to let our guard down". "Understood Hero." The soldier bowed before walking away. Shinya immediately let out a sigh before resting his back on the rock, "Sato inugami." He suddenly called out, "I''d honestly rather not fight in the war¡­ but you ¡­ I want you to see you down on the ground". "That''s a pretty nasty thing to say." Eri said as she walked into the conversation with two wooden cups of wine in her hands. She sat down beside Shinya on the stone and handed him his own wine before she began drinking hers. Shinya''s voice was resolute as he spoke, "What do you think, Eri? Do you believe the enemy will retreat once they realize they''re outnumbered?" Eri took a sip of her wine, considering the question carefully before responding, "It''s difficult to say for sure. However, given that it''s just a small vige, I believe they will likely retreat." Shinya nodded in agreement before jumping off the boulder and gazing out into the horizon with a determined expression. "But if they don''t," he continued, "I''ll have no choice but to defeat them." Eri watched as Shinya stood there, his gaze fixed on the distance, his determination palpable. She knew that he was an incredibly skilled swordsman and a natural leader, and she had no doubt that he would do everything in his power to secure a victory for his people. Meanwhile, Benihime stepped out of her tent, the cool night air causing her to shiver slightly. She made her way to the water basin, the sound of the trickling water soothing her ears. As she filled her cup, she nced around the campsite and spotted Yuri, Divanchi, and Erza sitting outside, their gazes fixed on the dark, starry skies above. She made her way over to them, curious as to what they were looking at. "What are you Guys up to?" she asked, taking a seat beside them. Erzai gestured to the sky, "Just stargazing," she replied, her voice quiet and contemtive. Divanchi nodded in agreement, "She''s stargazing, I''m just patiently waiting for the war to end". Benihime followed their gaze and took in the sight of the twinkling stars above. For a moment, she forgot about the looming war and allowed herself to be lost in the beauty of the night sky "Will Sato not be joining us in our counter assault tomorrow?" Benihime asked before taking a seat beside them. The ce went quiet for a while before Erza responded, "No he won''t be joining us¡­ same as my father". "I see." Benihime muttered, at that point she had gotten a good sense of the situation. ¡­. Sato''s feet hit the ground with a heavy thud, sending a cloud of dust flying up around him. He stood there, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. His fists were clenched tightly at his sides, his eyes locked onto Jira, who was approaching him with slow, measured steps. Sato could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he prepared for the fight ahead. His mind raced, calcting his every move and analyzing Jira''s every step. The tension in the air was palpable as the two adversaries faced off, each waiting for the other to make the first move. "Come on, are you really going to disappoint me?" Jira taunted, his voice dripping with contempt. "Can''t believe you actually became weaker." Sato''s mind raced as he struggled to find the strength to fight back. "It feels like I''m out of magic," he muttered to himself, his whole face covered in blood as he struggled to breathe. "Well, are you going to say something?" Jira demanded, but Sato just stood there, looking at him without uttering a word. Jira suddenly halted with a sigh, and in the blink of an eye, he was right in front of Sato, before a powerful breeze blew, causing Sato to stumble backward. "Take this seriously¡­" Jira raised his knee while pulling Sato close with his neck, "Or you are really going to die!". Jira''s knee struck Sato''s stomach with a fierce impact, causing Sato''s eyes to widen in agony as the pain rippled through his body. He felt himself being flung away by the force of the attack, tumbling over and over again until he finally came to a stop. But before he could even catch his breath, Jira was already upon him, delivering a swift and brutal kick to his head that sent him flying yet again. Sato''s body mmed into the ground with a sickening thud, his head ringing and his vision swimming. He struggled to get back on his feet, but his limbs felt heavy and unresponsive. It felt like he was out of magic, drained of all his power and unable to fight back. Jira stood over him with a cold and emotionless expression on his face. "Is that all you''ve got?" he sneered. "Pathetic." Sato gritted his teeth and tried to stand up again, but his body refused to cooperate. He knew he was in deep trouble. Chapter 181 A Full On Counter Attack "Everyone get up! The enemy has begun their attack." "Move it,e on!" "Quick hurry, don''t let them get to the defense line!". Lilith jolted awake from themotion outside her tent. The raucous sounds of demons scrambling to prepare for battle had roused her from her slumber. She quickly emerged from the tent and grabbed the nearest demon she could find by the arm. "What''s going on?" she demanded. The demon, who was wielding a massive axe and appeared to be in a hurry, replied, "The enemy hasunched a frontal assault. We weren''t expecting it!" Lilith''s eyes widened with surprise and concern. She knew that Sato''s forces were formidable and that their surprise attack could cause significant damage if they weren''t prepared. She quickly gathered her wits and rallied the nearby demons to ready themselves for battle, knowing that their survival depended on their ability to fight back with all their might. As Lilith arrived at the front line, her eyes widened in shock at the sight before her. She could see Sato''s massive army charging toward their campsite with full force. The ground shook beneath her feet as the valkyries, beastmen, ghosts, vampires, werewolves, and elves, all charged in at full speed, determined to drive the demons out. The sky was dim, bright, and the air was thick with the smell of blood and sweat. Demons were yellingmands, and their soldiers were taking positions, trying to defend their territory. Deka, Carion, Benihime, Yuri, Divanchi, Erza, and d led the charge against Sato''s forces, who were charging towards their campsite. The valkyries, beastmen, grim reapers, vampires, werewolves, and elves all followed closely behind, each taking different nks. d led the charge at the forefront, with the ghost, vampires, and werewolves following closely behind. Yurimanded the grim reapers, Erza fought beside her father, Carion led the beastmen, Benihime led the valkyries, and Deka led the elves. Sato''s forces came to a sudden stop as soon as they caught sight of the Fiona forces, their expressions turning serious and contemtive as they assessed the situation. d, the leader of the Nervek army, took charge of the discussion. "I propose that my men and I will storm their main forces. We have horses, which will give us an advantage in speed and mobility," d said in a firm,manding tone. His eyes remained fixed on the enemy forces, scanning for any signs of weakness. The other soldiers listened attentively, nodding in agreement with d''s n. They knew that their horses could help them outmaneuver the enemy and deliver a devastating blow to their forces. They also trusted d''s strategic prowess, as he had led them to many victories in the past. "Agreed," Deka, the leader of the elves'' army, said. "We''ll provide cover from a distance and rain arrows on the enemy. They won''t know what hit them. Beastmen are also very fast onnd, so they could help distract the enemies from the right nk, while the Valkyries attack from the left". "Fine by me," Benihime responded, her eyes focused on the enemy. The others nodded in agreement, and with a quick exchange of nces, they were ready to carry out their n of attack. But then, they all looked at Yuri, wondering what position they could give the Witch of Envy and her Grim reapers. "Uhm,dy Yuri, we could¡­". Before Deka could finish his sentence, Yuri spoke out, "Don''t worry about me, I''ll be fine on my own." She said with a cold tone before taking a few steps to the front. Deka hesitated for a moment, feeling a bit uneasy at the tone of Yuri''s voice, but he quickly regained hisposure and nodded, "Understood, Lady Yuri." Yuri took a few steps forward, her eyes fixed on the enemy camp. She was the Witch of Envy, feared by many for her immense power and the dark aura that surrounded her. The Grim Reapers, her loyal followers, followed closely behind her. Once Yuri was a safe distance away from the rest of Sato''s forces, she stopped and muttered to herself, "Just don''t get in my way." With a single step, Yuri disappeared from sight. Her body flickered and she moved with an incredible speed that left her enemies stunned. The Grim Reapers followed in her wake, their weapons at the ready. The sight of Yuri''s swift and confident movement galvanized Sato''s forces, filling them with determination and courage. Her actions seemed to awaken a fierce fighting spirit in each of them, including d, who wore a grin of determination as he spoke. "I will not be outdone by a woman..e on!" he yelled, urging his horse forward as the rest of Tamron charged towards the demons. Their charge was a force to be reckoned with, and the sound of thundering hooves filled the air as they closed in on their foes. The sh of swords, axes, and spears echoed throughout the battlefield as Lilith watched in horror. She knew that if they didn''t act fast, they would be outnumbered and defeated. Lilith clenched her fist as soon as she spotted Benihime, "I knew it." She uttered bitterly, "You were the one that made this small vige so strong¡­ I hate you¡­ ahh! I really hate you!". With a quick movement, she pulled out her magic book, arge tome that was intricately decorated with magical symbols, and ced it in front of her. The pages of the book opened with a bright glowing light that illuminated Lilith''s devious smile. She began muttering incantations under her breath, her fingers tracing patterns in the air as she summoned her powers. As Lilith prepared for battle, Benihime''s eyes narrowed as she caught sight of Lilith. She quickly gave orders to her Valkyries to form a defensive line against Lilith''s dark magic, knowing that the witch was a formidable opponent. The tension was palpable as the two powerful women faced off against each other, each determined toe out on top. Chapter 182 The Power Of A Valkyrie With a fierce determination and a deep-seated hatred, Lilith began to recite the spell inscribed in the magic book that she was clutching tightly in her hands. "Vakrok, Jikal hioki can truk." The ancient words rolled off her tongue as she focused all her energy into the spell. Despite the sounds of shing weapons and the chaos of battle all around her, Lilith remained focused on her goal. Her eyes were fixed on Benihime and her valkyries, who were charging towards her with their weapons drawn, their battle cries filling the air. Benihime''s keen eyes focused on the magic book, and a gasp escaped her lips as she recognized the page that Lilith was reciting from. "It''s the Salt Incantations!" Benihime''s voice carried a hint of worry as she alerted her fellow Valkyries. The knowledge of this particr spell brought an unease to her, as it was known for its destructive and deadly power. As Lilith continued to chant, a powerful energy began to emanate from her, surrounding her in a pulsing aura of dark magic. The air crackled with electricity as the spell began to take hold, and the ground beneath her feet trembled. Benihime''s expression turned urgent as she halted her advance, turning to face her soldiers with amanding tone. "Listen to me!" She bellowed, "Something ising and there''s no time to exin, but I want every Valkyrie right here to stand in front of our skies!" Her soldiers exchanged puzzled nces, unsure of what their leader meant by her crypticmand. Benihime''s frustration mounted as she waited for them toply, her eyes fixed on Lilith who was nearing the end of her incantation. A sense of foreboding gripped Benihime as she watched Lilith finish her spell. The air around the battlefield crackled with energy, and a massive pir of salt burst forth from the ground, rising up toward the sky. Benihime''s eyes widened in shock as she realized what was happening. "Quickly!" She shouted to her Valkyries, "Form a barrier! We have to protect ourselves from the spell!". As soon as she spoke, Benihime began running towards her target: Yuri, who was sprinting past the enemies with her grim reaper following behind her. Seeing how serious Benihime was. The Valkyries quickly obeyed, with a sense of urgency, the Valkyries sprang into action, swiftly maneuvering to take their positions in the sky. They lined up in formation, ready to intercept whatever danger wasing their way. Benihime watched with a critical eye, making sure her Valkyries were in the right ce at the right time. She knew that the Salt incantation was a powerful spell that could bring destruction if left unchecked. The Valkyries were her best bet to counter the spell''s effects, as their supernatural abilities would offer some level of protection against its potency. Without wasting a second, Benihime raced after Yuri, determined to get to her before it was toote. Her mind raced with all the possible oues of the impending danger, and the stakes couldn''t be any higher. Finally, Lilith''s voice echoed across the battlefield as shepleted the incantation, her eyes filled with a sinister glee. Suddenly, a bolt of dark energy erupted from her hands, hurtling towards the sky and bursting into a puff of dark mist. The fog swirled and danced in the sky for a while, before charging towards the battlefield like a tsunami, engulfing everything in its path. The demons who were unfortunate enough to be caught in the fog''s deadly embrace turned into salt in the blink of an eye, their bodies freezing in ce before crumbling into dust. The ground was littered with the remains of the fallen, their bodies frozen in grotesque poses, a testament to the dark power of Lilith''s incantation. The fog continued its path of destruction, leaving a trail of salt where it passed. Sato''s forces were caught off guard, and chaos ensued as some tried to escape the deadly mist, while others tried to fight back against the demons that were still attacking them. Despite the chaos, Benihime kept her focus on Yuri, who was running straight into the fog without any signs of stopping. Benihime''s heart raced as she closed the distance between them, her eyes fixed on the figure of Yuri''s back. Finally, she was right behind Yuri, but the woman didn''t seem bothered by the fog at all. Benihime''s eyes widened as she started thinking to herself- "Is Yuri immune to the salt incantation, just like the Valkyries". "Yuri!" Benihime yelled over the noise of the battle, "We need to get out of here! The fog will kill everyone who''s not immune!" But Yuri didn''t slow down, didn''t even turn around. She just kept moving forward, deeper into the fog. With a quick tug, Benihime pulled Yuri back from the deadly fog, ignoring the confusion and surprise etched on thetter''s face. Determination etched on her features, Benihime surged forward and plunged her sword into the ground, a cry escaping her lips as she focused all her power into creating a massive astro wall. The wall shot up from the ground, growing taller and wider by the second, until it spanned the length of the entire battlefield, protecting Sato''s forces from the approaching fog. The wall was so tall that it even blocked out the sun, casting a shadow over the battlefield. As the fog approached the wall, it mmed into the barrier with a loud crash, but the wall held strong, not allowing any of the deadly mist to pass through. The soldiers behind the wall let out a collective sigh of relief, grateful for the quick thinking and bravery of their leader, Benihime. Meanwhile, Yuri stood in stunned silence, watching as the events unfolded before her. Deka''s eyes widened in disbelief as he gazed up at the towering astro wall that now separated Sato''s forces from the deadly fog. He couldn''t believe what he was seeing - a wall that size must have taken an incredible amount of magical power to create. As his gaze shifted to Benihime, who was standing proud and tall in front of the wall, he muttered under his breath, "Did she do this?" He couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe and admiration for the powerful Valkyrie, who had just saved countless lives with her incredible magical abilities. Chapter 183 The Sword Hero Vs The Elemental Hero Benihime stood tall with her feet firmly nted on the ground, her grip tight on her sword. She focused all her energy and concentration on the massive astro wall that she had summoned. The wall grew higher and higher, towering above her and stretching out to both sides of the battlefield, protecting Sato''s forces from the deadly fog. She didn''t let up, not even for a moment, as she poured all her magic into maintaining the wall''s integrity. Sweat dripped down her face and her arms trembled with the strain of holding the spell for so long, but she didn''t falter. Still on the floor, Yuri''s eyes widened in shock as she watched the fog hit the wall with full force, causing the ground to shake beneath her. The mist was relentless, trying to seep through any crack or crevice in the wall, but Benihime''s spell was holding strong, keeping the deadly fog at bay. Yuri could feel the intense magic emanating from the wall, and she knew that it must have taken a lot out of Benihime to cast such a powerful spell. She couldn''t help but feel grateful to the Valkyrie for saving her life and the lives of many others on the battlefield. Meanwhile, on the other side of the wall, the demons that were unlucky enough to be caught in the fog had turned into nothing but salt statues, their bodies frozen in time. The sight was eerie, and the soldiers of both sides couldn''t help but feel a sense of dread and unease wash over them. But with Benihime''s magic wall holding strong, they knew that they were safe for the time being. They all looked to her with admiration and respect, grateful for her quick thinking and bravery in the face of danger. Finally grasping the situation, Yuri stood up from the ground and walked toward Benihime''s side, "How long can you keep the wall up?" She asked. Benihime was still for a while before she replied, "Not long enough, but I don''t n to stop anytime soon". She then suddenly looked back at Benihime, "You seem to know about the fog, when does it die down?" Yuri asked. Benihime answered, "It doesn''t, it can keep going for months, years, even decades. It''s a very powerful spell". "Well we don''t have that time." Yuri uttered, walking close to the wall before cing her hand on it. Benihime watched with surprise as Yuri''s hand disappeared into the wall and came back out covered in the dark fog. She quickly realized that Yuri was trying to find a way to stop the deadly fog. Yuri looked at her hand, studying the fog for a while before turning back to Benihime, "I have an idea," She said, her eyes shining with determination. Benihime raised an eyebrow, "What kind of idea?". Yuri turned to face her fully, "The spell needs a source of energy to keep going, right? What if we cut off the source?" Benihime''s eyes widened in realization, "You mean the book?!". Yuri nodded, "If you are talking about the book the bitch is holding, then yes, Exactly. If we can destroy the book, the spell will be broken and the fog will stop." Benihime smiled, "It''s an ancient relic, it can''t be destroyed that easily." She continued, "But¡­ I do know how to capture it". She tightened her grip on her sword and turned to face the rest of the battlefield. "Akeno! Hina! I!" She called out. They immediately heeded her call, "Is something the matter?" Akeno asked. "I need you do something for me." Benihime uttered. "Sure, what is it?" Hina responded, If it meant helping Benihime, she was ready to do it. Meanwhile, at the other side of the forest, Shinya and Warthniq had begun their counter attack on The witches. "I didn''t expect him to attack this early," Himiko muttered, sprinting towards the front line with her sword at the ready. She was joined by Ava, the Witch of Destruction, and Selfy, the Witch of Sex, both of whom were eager to fight off Warthniq. As they ran, the three witches summoned minions aided them in battle. The creatures swarmed around the group, ready to defend the forest from the invading army. The minions were surprisingly effective at holding Warthniq back. Despite their massive size and strength, the creatures were no match for thebined might of the witches and their summoned allies. The minions pushed Warthniq back, preventing them from advancing any further into the forest. Himiko, Ava, and Selfy fought with a ferocity that surprised even themselves. The battle raged on for hours, with neither side gaining a clear advantage. The sound of shing metal and roaring monsters filled the air, making it difficult for anyone to hear anything else. But despite the chaos, the witches stood their ground, determined to defend their home at any cost. After hours of intense fighting, the two heroes finally met on the battlefield. Himiko, the Elemental Hero, stood tall and confident, her sword gleaming in the sunlight. Shinra, the Sword Hero, was equally imposing, his armor reflecting the light in a dazzling disy. As they approached each other, the sounds of battle around them faded into the background. All that remained was the sound of their footsteps as they closed the distance between them. Himiko and Shinra exchanged a long, steady gaze, each sizing the other up. They both knew that this was a fight to the death, and neither was willing to back down. Shinra finally spoke up as he moved closer to Himiko. "You are one of the strongest heroes I have ever worked with," He said, his voice dripping with respect. "Why are you wasting your talent on these people?". Himiko''s expression remained stoic as she replied, "Weren''t you the one excited to meet another Traveler?" Shinra''s expression darkened at the mention of their shared past. "That was before I saw how weak they were. I thought he was different, but he''s just a fool like the others." He growled. Himiko''s eyes narrowed, and she tightened her grip on her sword. "Sorry to disappoint you Shinya, but Sato isn''t someone I can''t abandon," She said firmly. "If that means standing against you, then so be it". Shinra''s expression changed, and he adopted a more aggressive stance. "Step down, Himiko," He said coldly. "I don''t n on holding back just because you are a girl." Chapter 184 The Sword Hero Vs The Elemental Hero II Himiko spoke with confidence as she maintained her attacking stance, her eyes locked on Shinya. "You can call this whole thing off if you wanted," She said. "So why? Why are you so hung up on this?". Shinya''s expression remained cold and determined as he replied, "Because I believe that the strong should lead. I offered that fool a way out, and he refused me¡­ he had thising to him." Himiko''s grip on her sword tightened, and her eyes zed with fierce determination. "I will never join you, Shinya," She said firmly. "You''ve gotten corrupted by power, that''s a shame". Shinya''s anger was palpable as he yelled at Himiko, "Shut up, you bitch!" With a fierce determination, heunched himself toward her with full speed. Himiko was ready for him, blocking Shinya''s sword attack with her own de. Their faces were close to one another as they stared each other down, both determined to emerge victorious. The sh of their swords produced a deafening sound, and a huge force of wind blew from their collision. The air crackled with electricity as the two heroes fought fiercely, their movements precise and calcted. Himiko''s leg slid against the ground as Shinya charged toward her, his sword at the ready. But she didn''t falter. Instead, she stretched out her hand andmanded, "Come now, fire arrow!" A blue magic circle formed in front of her hand, and multiple fire arrows shot toward Shinya with deadly precision. The arrows whizzed through the air, leaving a trail of mes in their wake. Shinya barely had time to react. He swung his sword with all his might, deflecting some of the arrows, but others found their mark, striking him with explosive force. He grunted in pain, but he didn''t back down. With a fierce determination, he charged forward once more, his sword held high. Himiko stood her ground, her own sword at the ready, ready to meet him in battle once more. The air crackled with energy as the two heroes shed once again. This time, Shinya had the upper hand, He pushed Himiko away with great force, causing her to stumble back. In a swift motion, he flickered from his position and appeared behind her, ready to strike. "Have this!" He eximed with a smile, delivering a powerful kick to her back that sent her flying and crashing to the ground. As Himiko slowly stood up on her knees, she noticed a bruise on her hand. "This might be tougher than I thought," she said to herself. Shinya''s voice echoed from afar, taunting her. "What''s wrong, Elemental Hero... are you getting tired already?". Himiko sighed, taking her sword and stabbing it on the ground. "He doesn''t look to be ying around". [What are you doing? You want to fight without me?] Himiko''s sword spoke. "Yes," Himiko replied before standing at her feet and facing Shinya, "He is the sword hero, I can''t best him with a sword". [Okay, good luck] "What''s this? You want to fight me without a sword? Are you stupid or something?" Shinya uttered. Himiko didn''t utter a word, she just kept walking toward Shinya with a neutral stare on her face. "Very well," Shinya said, his voice determined as he took up a fighting stance and darted towards Himiko once more. Despite the brief respite, he closed the distance between them quickly. His sword glowed with red energy as he prepared to strike at Himiko with all his might. Himiko remained calm, waiting for the right moment to strike back. As Shinya''s sword came down towards her, Himiko deftly stretched out her hand, her movements almost too fast for the eye to follow. With lightning-fast reflexes, she summoned a zing inferno from the palm of her hand, which engulfed Shinya in a fiery explosion. The ground shook with the force of the st, and debris flew everywhere as the two heroes shed. The mes dissipated, revealing a cloud of smoke and dust obscuring their vision. For a moment, there was silence, as Himiko stared through the haze, waiting for the dust to settle. All of a sudden, Shinya emerged from the mes, his clothes singed and his face contorted into a maniacal expression. He lunged forward, wielding his sword with deadly intent, and Himiko hastily erected an ice shield to defend herself. The sword crashed against the shield with a resounding impact, and Himiko braced herself against the force. However, the shield began to crack under the pressure, and with a final strike, the ice shattered into a million pieces. Himiko cried out as the sword grazed her arm, leaving a deep gash. She was thrown back by the force of the blow, crashing to the ground with a thud. Shinya observed with a sense of satisfaction as Himiko struggled to her feet, blood seeping from the wound on her arm. "I never quite understood why you were ranked higher than me," He taunted, "Was it because of yourpatibility with magic or was it because Icked it?" A sly grin crept across his face as he watched her struggle. "Perhaps now is the perfect time to find out, don''t you agree, Himiko?" He said, the teasing tone in his voice revealing his enjoyment of the situation. Despite the pain she was feeling, Himiko managed to stand up straight, her eyes never leaving Shinya. "Restoration," She uttered, and a bright glow surrounded her body as her wounds began to heal. Shinya raised an eyebrow at the disy of magic. "Impressive," Hemented, "But let''s see how long you can keep that up." He bagan . Shinya gazed at the swirling red magic circle before him, his eyes gleaming with a fierce intensity. He knew what was at stake, knew that he had to harness every ounce of his power to seed. "The dark falling angel, the embodiment of death and seeker of fear¡­" He intoned, his voice low and steady. "We abide by these desires and conquer those that object." As he spoke, the magic circle grew brighter, the head of a dragon emerging from its center. Shinya could feel the power pulsing through the air, crackling with the potential to rend everything asunder. "Return everything to dust and all to bones," Shinra yelled, his voice echoing through the chamber. "Joihurs, your master summons you!". Without hesitation, Shinya thrust his hand into the gaping maw of the dragon, grasping the hilt of the sword inside. He felt a surge of energy as he pulled the weapon free, the air crackling with magic. "Come to me and be my sword!" He roared, his eyes zing with an inner fire. With a deafening roar, the magic unleashed itself, a tsunami of power sweeping through the room. Shinya could feel the sword thrumming in his hand, its power flowing into him, filling him with a fierce vitality Chapter 185 The Angel Sword Joihurs With Joihurs in hand, Shinya shed des with Himiko, both unleashing their full power without holding back. Shinya''s swordy was a sight to behold, his strikes precise and powerful, leaving nothing but destruction in their wake. The ground shook as each swing of Joihurs created deep gouges in the earth, and sparks flew as his de shed against Himiko''s. Despite her best efforts to keep up, Himiko was steadily being pushed back by the sheer force of Shinya''s attacks. The battle raged on, the air thick with tension as the two warriors fought with all their might. Himiko retreated with lightning speed as soon as Shinya swung his sword, creating a path of destruction in its wake. She needed to regroup and collect herself, and fast. Shinya''s movements were precise and powerful, every swing of his sword destroying anything that stood in his way. He was clearly not holding back and Himiko knew that she couldn''t afford to either. "What''s wrong? Are you finally realizing you''re no match for me?" Shinya taunted as he closed in on her. A small smirk crossed Himiko''s face as she stepped back, "No, I just didn''t want to get caught up in that". Before Shinya could react, the earth swallowed his feet and a massive magic circle appeared above him. He looked up in confusion, wondering what was happening next. Himiko''s magic circle had not only trapped Shinya, but also activated a barrage of fiery projectiles that descended upon him like a storm of destruction. The explosive impact of each fireball sent shockwaves throughout the area, engulfing everything in a searing inferno. Shinya was powerless to escape the onught, his body pummeled by the unrelenting barrage of mes. The sheer force of the explosions caused the ground to shake and the walls to tremble, as the intense heat and light illuminated the entire room. "That''s not enough." Himiko uttered, As she snapped her finger, a sudden burst of magical energy caused the magic circle to glow with an intense light. From the circle, giant icicles started falling towards the ground, each one as big as a human being. The ground shook as they impacted, and a loud rumble echoed throughout the training grounds. The icicles shattered into countless pieces as they hit the ground, creating a hailstorm of sharp, deadly shards that covered the entire area. Trees were torn down, rocks shattered, and the ground was pockmarked with deep craters. The onught continued for several seconds, until finally, the magic circle flickered and disappeared, leaving behind only destruction and chaos. As the dust cleared, the extent of the damage became clear - the entire area was littered with rubble and debris. There was a huge hole where the ice fell to, and it was also where Shinya was standing before the attack. Himiko stared at the gaping hole in the ground left by her attack, panting heavily from the exertion of unleashing so much magic. "Did that get him?" she muttered to herself. But before she could make sense of what was happening, the ground erupted beneath her, and she found herself entangled in a writhing mass of red thorns. The vines lifted her high into the air, twisting and turning around her body with a malevolent energy. Himiko struggled against the thorns, but it was no use. They held her fast, and she was unable to move as they lifted her up from the ground. As Himiko was lifted into the air, she struggled to break free from the thorns that had wrapped themselves tightly around her body. She looked down at the hole, trying to catch a glimpse of Shinya, but there was no sign of him. "How the hell did you survive that?" Himiko questioned, her voice shaking slightly as she tried to keep herposure. Suddenly, a figure emerged from the shadows, walking toward her with a slow and deliberate gait. It was Shinya, his face covered in cuts and bruises from the earlier attacks. "You''re good, I''ll give you that," Shinya said, his voice cold and menacing. "But you''re not good enough to defeat me". With a flick of his wrist, the thorns tightened even further, causing Himiko to cry out in pain. "I should have known that wasn''t enough!" she shouted, struggling to break free. But it was no use - she waspletely at Shinya''s mercy. Shinya''s eyes glinted with triumph as he watched the vines tighten around Himiko''s body, causing her to wince in pain. "Oh no it was okay, I could have died, if not for my angel Joihurs," He said with a smile. "He can absorb all magic in a matter of minutes¡­ so basically, your attacks were useless from the start". He sighed, "This is it, Himiko, too bad we didn''t smash before this, I was graciously looking forward to that." His grip on the vines tightened and they began to constrict even more, causing Himiko to gasp for air. Even her sword, which was stabbed into the ground, was ensnared by the red glowing thorns. Himiko''s face contorted in agony as the thorns started to drain her magic, her skin turning pale with every passing moment. "You''re not going to win this war¡­ Shinya" She managed to utter between gasps of breath. Shinya chuckled. "I''m sorry, what was that, Himiko? I couldn''t hear you over all the groaning you got going there." Heughed " Unfortunately for you, I am the strongest hero in this world. And you are nothing but a stepping stone on my path to greatness, nah, it''s probably the Sato dude.. just die, I don''t wanna¡­". Just before Shinya could finish his sentence, Ava burst onto the scene with a fierce determination. With a swift, fluid motion, she swung her sword, slicing through the glowing thorns that had ensnared Himiko. The thorns fell away in two neat pieces, and Himiko''s body dropped heavily to the ground. Shinya''s eyes widened in surprise and anger as he turned to face Ava. "You again," he growled, his grip on Joihurs tightening. "You won''t stop me this time." Chapter 186 A One Sided Fight Ava stood tall, her sword held in a defensive position as she stood between Himiko and Shinya. The air around them was tense, charged with the remnants of the battle that had just taken ce. Himikoy on the ground, gasping for breath as she tried to regain her strength. Shinya red at Ava with an irritated expression on his face, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword tightly. The sound of their heavy breathing filled the silence, broken only by the faint rustling of leaves in the wind. Ava stood her ground, her eyes locked onto Shinya''s, waiting for him to make his next move. Shinya''s sword crackled with energy as he eyed Ava with a mixture of amusement and hostility. "Who the hell are you?" He demanded. Standing tall and resolute, Ava met his gaze with a steady one of her own. "I am Ava, the witch of destruction," She replied calmly. "And if you value your life, you''ll return to where you came." Shinya''sughter echoed off the nearby trees. "So you''re one of the mysterious witches everyone was talking about," He said, shaking his head in amusement. "I must say, you look impressive." His eyes narrowed. "Too bad it seems like you are working for that failure Sato". Ava''s eyes narrowed, her gaze fixed on Shinya as she strode confidently towards him. The air around her crackled with electricity, the ground beneath her feet trembling with each step. In her hands, her sword gleamed with a deadly, otherworldly light. "How do you prefer I kill you?" She asked, her voice cold and menacing. Shinya''sughter faded, reced by a look of apprehension as he took a step back. He held up his sword defensively, the red energy swirling around it intensifying. "You think you can take me on?" He spat. "I''ve faced countless witches and mages, and they''ve all fallen before me". Ava''s lips curled into a sneer. "You haven''t faced me yet," She replied, her voice dripping with contempt. With a sudden burst of speed, Ava closed the distance between them in an instant, her sword shing through the air in a deadly arc aimed at Shinya''s neck. ''Shit she''s fast!'' Shinya panicked as Ava closed in on him, but he was lucky enough to block her first strike that was aimed at his neck. Shinya''s eyes widened in surprise as he blocked Ava''s lightning-fast strike. Despite managing to deflect the attack, the sheer force of it sent him hurtling into the air like a ragdoll, his sword ttering to the ground far below. As he soared higher and higher, Shinya struggled to regain control of his flight, desperately iling his arms in an attempt to right himself. The wind whipped past him, tearing at his clothes and tousling his hair, and he felt his stomach lurch as he started to plummet back towards the earth. With a cry of panic, Shinya managed to right himself at thest moment,nding in a crouch several meters away from where he had been standing moments earlier. He looked up at Ava with a mixture of fear and admiration, realizing that he had vastly underestimated her power. "That was only one strike?" He stammered, his voice barely audible over the sound of his own racing heartbeat. Looking at his hand to see how it was bruised and shakey it got just from blocking on attack. "You''ve got to be kidding me". Without a single flinch, Ava stood still on the ground. Her voice echoed through the field with an intense calmness, immediately startling Shinya. "Infinite domain," Ava uttered, her eyes fixed on Shinya. At hermand, the ground began to shake and tremble as if it was alive. Suddenly, the darkness started spreading from her feet, spreading like wildfire all around the ground and even towards where Shinya stood. Shinya''s eyes widened in fear, as he felt the darkness creeping closer to him. He tried to move, but his feet felt like they were stuck to the ground. He watched in horror as the darkness enveloped him, swallowing him from his feet. "She''s doing another attack!" Shinya yelled, he quickly reacted and stabbed his de to the ground to absorb the darkness that was covering his feet. The red glow on his sword intensified as it absorbed the dark energy, and the darkness around his feet dissipated. He stood up and raised his sword, ready to face Ava again. "Your attacks won''t work on me," Shinya said with a smirk. "I can absorb any kind of magic." Ava remained silent, her eyes focused on Shinya. Shinya felt irritated by it and wanted to kill her even if it meant blocking another one of her deadly attacks. "I am seriously going to kill this witch!" Shinya roared, his eyes zing with fury as he took a step forward, preparing tounch himself at Ava. However, as he lifted his foot to take another step, a sudden vision shed before his eyes - a multitude of ways in which he had met his demise, each one more gruesome than thest. The dread that filled him was intensified by the intense gaze that Ava fixed upon him, her eyes burning with an otherworldly fire. For a moment, Shinya hesitated, uncertain of what to do next. The fear that had taken root in his heart was so overpowering that he felt as though he couldn''t move. ''What the hell was that?''. Without any warning, Ava''s sword sliced through the air with an ear-splitting crack, the dark energy radiating from it enough to make the very ground tremble. Shinya''s reflexes kicked in just in time, and he hastily lifted his own sword to meet hers in a sh of steel. Despite the force of Ava''s blow, Shinya managed to hold his ground and deflect the attack. But even with his sword absorbing most of the impact, he still felt a jolt of pain as the shockwave sent him hurtling backwards through the air. He crashed against a boulder, sending a shower of debris raining down around him. Shinyay sprawled on the jagged rocks, his sword lying haphazardly beside him. His body was a mess of bruises and cuts, and he struggled to draw in each breath. The pain was overwhelming, and he could barely feel any sensation in his limbs. His eyes fluttered open and shut as he tried to stay conscious, but darkness crept at the edges of his vision. It was clear that he had beenpletely battered in the fight.. Chapter 187 The Sword Hero Shinya. [Earth¡­Tokyo Japan Boys high school dorm]. Shinya''s ssmates had been bullying him for months, but this time they had chosen to corner him in the alley near his hostel. The high school student kicked Shinya in the stomach, causing him to double over in pain. Shinya felt a mix of fear and anger, but he knew that fighting back would only make things worse. He tried to stand up straight and ignore the pain, but the bullies continued to taunt him. "What''s wrong, Shinya? Can''t handle a little roughhousing?" One of them sneered. Shinya gritted his teeth and tried to stay calm. He knew that he needed to find a way to get out of this situation, but his mind was nk. The beating had gone on for what seemed like an eternity until they grew tired of the senseless violence and left Shinya lying on the ground, surrounded by discarded trash. As the bullies retreated, Shinya gradually regained consciousness and struggled to sit upright. He leaned against the grimy trash can, his body throbbing with pain from the relentless barrage of blows, and his face badly swollen and discolored. Shinya let out a pained groan as he struggled to stand up again, the throbbing ache in his body reminding him of the beating he just received. "When will this ever end?" He muttered to himself, his frustration clear in his voice. "So what if I kissed your girl, just move on already," He continued to vent. As he attempted to use the trash can for support again, his hand slipped, causing him to fall face-first onto the ground. He winced in pain and closed his eyes, trying to collect himself. Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him. It was a fellow student, wearing the same uniform as him, who had run into the alleyway. The student looked exhausted, as if he had been running for a long time. "What happened to you? Are you okay?" The student asked, concern etched on his face as he helped Shinya to his feet.The student immediately sat down on the ground, panting as if he had been running for hours. Shinya''s mind raced as he tried to make sense of the situation. "He''s from my school?" He thought to himself. He took a deep breath and uttered, "I don''t have any money on me. Thest one took everything." The student looked at Shinya with a puzzled expression. "What are you talking about?" he asked. Before Shinya could reply, a voice echoed from outside the alley. "Quick, look for him!" Panic set in as Shinya realized he was in trouble. The student quickly kneeled down and covered Shinya''s mouth to prevent any noise. Shinya''s heart pounded as he waited for the danger to pass. He wondered who was looking for him and why. As he waited in silence, he hoped that he would make it out of the situation unscathed. Shinya''s eyes widened as he realized the seriousness of the situation. He stayed still and quiet, his heart beating fast in his chest as he heard footsteps getting closer. The voices grew louder and Shinya could hear the sound of someone kicking a trash can in frustration. The student next to him held his breath and tightened his grip on Shinya''s mouth. After a few tense moments, the footsteps started to fade away, and the voices became distant murmurs. The student finally let go of Shinya''s mouth and helped him stand up. "That was a close one." He said, his voice low. "Are you okay?!" The student asked Shinya, noticing his bruises and swollen face. Shinya hesitated before nodding his head weakly. "Yeah, I''m fine. Just a little roughed up," He replied, his voice barely above a whisper. The student offered a hand to help Shinya stand up. "I''m Inugami. I saw what they did to you, and I''m sorry. Nobody deserves to be treated that way," He said. Shinya stared at Inugami for a moment, surprised by his kindness. He hesitated for a moment before taking Inugami''s hand and standing up. "Why were you running earlier?" Shinya asked. "I was running away from some guys¡­ so speaking of running, I have to go." Inugami said, before taking to his heels and running out of the alley. Shinya let out a deep sigh as he retrieved his backpack from the trash can and began walking back to his hotel. It had been a long day, and he was exhausted. As he walked, he spotted Inugami again. He was talking to a woman who was wearing a stunning white dress that caught Shinya''s attention. He paused for a moment, curious to know what was going on. Shinya observed the conversation, and at some point, the woman began crying. He wondered if she was Inugami''s girlfriend or if something else was going on. Shinya watched as Inugami walked into the hostel, leaving the woman alone outside. He hesitated for a moment, contemting whether or not to check on her. In the end, he decided to continue following Inugami to see where he lived. Shinya trailed Inugami, careful not to attract attention. To his surprise, Inugami''s room was just one door down from his own. Once Inugami entered his room, Shinya stood outside the door, contemting what to do next. In a moment of impulsivity, Shinya decided to peek through the keyhole to see what was happening inside. He took a deep breath and peered through the hole. The passage was empty and no one seemed up be around, what amazed Shinya even more was the fact that, Inugami''s apartment was only two room away from his. But throughout his years of leaving in the school dorm, he had neverid eyes on Inugami, or maybe he did but was to carefree to notice. Either way, at that moment, Shinya, felt drawn to what ever Inugami was up to and wanted to know more, but little did he know about the event that was about to happen. Chapter 188 I Am The Witch Of Bargain As Shinya peered through the keyhole, he could see Inugami walking towards the window. Suddenly, the room was engulfed in mes, and Shinya was caught in the inferno. He tried to back away, but the intense heat prevented him from moving. The fire spread quickly, consuming everything in its path. Shinya could feel the mes licking at his skin, and he knew he had to act fast. Panic set in as he frantically searched for an escape. He banged on the door, hoping someone would hear him ande to his rescue. But the smoke was thick and suffocating, making it difficult to breathe. As the fire raged on, Shinya''s vision began to blur, and he felt himself losing consciousness. He tried to scream for help, but his voice was silenced by the smoke and mes. In the final moments of his life, Shinya thought of himself, "I guess¡­ dying now won''t be so bad". As the mes consumed him, he closed his eyes and let out onest gasp of air. The world around him went silent as he slipped away, leaving only the sound of the raging fire as it continued to consume everything in its path. ¡­.. "Sir hero! Sir hero! Sir¡­" Shinya''s eyes snapped open, and he bolted upright, gasping for air. His body was covered in a sheen of sweat as he frantically scanned his surroundings, trying to make sense of what had just happened. As he looked down at himself, he saw that he was unharmed and that his clothes were not even singed. It took a moment for him to realize that what he had just experienced was only a nightmare, or so he thought. He shook his head, trying to dispel the lingering fear and anxiety. The memory of the mes still haunted him, and he couldn''t shake the feeling that something terrible was about to happen. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm himself down, reassuring himself that it was only a dream. But the unease lingered, and he knew that he wouldn''t be able to rest until he figured out what it all meant. "Ehm¡­Sir Hero." A female voice suddenly spoke, causing Shinya to jump in surprise. He quickly scrambled back on his butt, looking around frantically to see who had spoken. "Who are you?" he asked, his heart racing with adrenaline. The girl in front of him smiled, seemingly unfazed by his reaction. "My name is Eri," She said, standing up from where she had been kneeling. "And I am the priestess of the Warthniq Kingdom." Shinya looked at her skeptically, wondering if he was still dreaming. "Warthniq Kingdom?" he repeated. "Where is that?" Eri''s smile faltered slightly. "You really don''t remember anything, do you?" She asked. "You were summoned here by the King himself. You are the hero we have been waiting for." Shinya''s eyes widened in shock as the realization hit him. "Wait, you mean I''m in a different world? And I''m supposed to be a hero?" he asked incredulously. Eri nodded. "That''s right," she said. "The kingdom is in great peril, and we need your help to save it." Shinya stared at her, unsure of what to do next. He had always dreamed of being a hero, but this was not how he had imagined it. Nheless, he knew he had to do whatever he could to help. With a deep breath, he stood up and faced Eri. "Alright," he said. "What do I need to do?". ¡­. Shinya winced in agony as hey on a pile of jagged rocks, his body bruised and battered. Memories flooded his mind, causing him to groan in pain. "Why am I suddenly remembering this?" he muttered, giving a weak, pained chuckle. He lifted himself slightly from the ground and spotted Ava standing a few distances away from him, her hands outstretched as a massive ball of dark magic began to form in front of her. Shinya sighed heavily and closed his eyes, resigned to his fate as he knew he had no strength left to evade such an attack. Ava''s grin widened, a wicked glint in her eyes. "Next time, watch what you say about the Sessor... now die," she sneered, before unleashing the massive ball of dark magic at Shinya with deadly uracy. The ball hurtled towards him with incredible speed, the crackle of lightning echoing around it. But then, in the blink of an eye, a figure appeared at the center of the ball and beside Shinya. "I am space, all-devouring and infinite," Terafona dered, her voice strong andmanding. A ck hole materialized before her, rapidly engulfing the dark magic ball in a matter of seconds. Shinya gazed at Terafona in awe, his mind racing with questions. Terafona looked at him, almost disgusted by his presence. "I am a scorpion, deadly and poisoned," she uttered with a sneer. Shinya felt a sudden sharp pain on his neck, and he fell to the ground, shivering with his eyes still closed. His mind raced with fear and confusion, wondering what kind of poison he had been injected with. Terafona continued to watch him with a cold expression, as if his suffering was of no concern to her. "What was that Terafona! Why did you bud in." Ava questioned, anger written on her face. "You do know the Sessor is linked to us too, using too much magic just to dispose of a significant human will only put more strain on the sessor." Terafona responded. Ava remained quiet, knowing Terafona was right. All of a sudden, loud cries of soldiers started to echo throughout the battlefield, drawing Ava''s attention to the distance. Terafona smiled, "They are here." At the left side of the battlefield, Riojas charged forward with their horses, their weapons glinting in the sunlight. At the same time, Terra''s army approached from the right side, their shields locked and ready for battle. Both armies had their sights set on Warthniq, determined to im victory in this longsting war. Chapter 189 Warthniq Retreats. Amidst the chaos of the battlefield, Eri, the healer of the Kingdom of Warthniq, made her way to Shinya''s location. She saw him lying amidst broken rocks, battered and wounded, and fear gripped her heart. As she approached him, she saw Ava and Terafona, the two witches, engrossed in the battle and unaware of her presence. "Shinya," Eri called out, kneeling down beside him. "You have to get up. You can''t die here." Shinya stirred, barely conscious, and managed to utter, "Eri, is that you?". "Yes, it''s me," Eri replied, relief washing over her. "Don''t worry, I''m here to heal you. Just hold on a little longer." With a sense of urgency, Eri began to channel her healing magic into Shinya, closing his wounds and restoring his strength. She could feel the magic flowing out of her, and her heart raced with the intensity of the battle raging around them. As she worked to heal Shinya, Ava and Terafona suddenly turned their attention towards her. "What do you think you''re doing?" Ava sneered, brandishing her sword. "Don''t think I won''t kill you too". Eri stood up, taking a defensive stance. "I won''t let you hurt him any further. He''s injured and defenseless, and it''s not right to attack someone in that state". Terafonaughed, her eyes gleaming with malice. "You say that, yet your Kingdom is the one attacking us, surely you can''t still be expecting mercy?". Eri gritted her teeth, her resolve hardening. "Fine, we are going to retreat, how is that? No more attacks". Terafona smiled, "Wise decision, besides, another kingdom already began their match towards you, ¡­ retreating is really the only option". Eri scoffed, looking down at Shinya before she raised her hand to the sky, and shooting fire to the sky three times, signaling the soldiers it was time to retreat. In the midst of the battlefield, Rextra and Divanchi were locked in a fierce battle, their grudges fueling their determination to emerge victorious. The sh of their powers echoed through the air as they battled it out, dragon against Phoenix. After what seemed like an eternity, Rextra finally managed to gain some distance from her opponent andnded a few meters away from Divanchi. She let out a heavy sigh, frustration etched on her scaly face. "How long do you n to keep this up?" Rextra asked, her voice filled with exhaustion and annoyance as she moved around in her dragon form. Divanchi turned to face Rextra, her feathers ruffled and her eyes zing with anger. "As long as it takes for you to tell me where Kuronashi is!" She roared, her words dripping with venom. Rextra shook her head in disbelief. "Why must we continue with this pointless fighting? I''ve told you several times, I haven''t spoken with father in years". Divanchi snorted in derision. "You are very dishonest. You always were. It''s no wonder my kind despises yours". Rextra gritted her teeth, her eyes narrowing in anger. "You know nothing about us, Divanchi. And besides, I admit what my father did was unbelievable, but have you forgotten, I was the one that saved you!". Divanchi let out a mockingugh. "Saved? You did that so you could return me to him, honesty¡­ That is a concept that your kind will never understandt". Rextra let out a deep breath, trying to control her temper. They had been enemies for far too long, and she doubted that anything he said would ever change her mind. "Looks like we are retreating," Rextra uttered, looking to the left to see Warthniq running before she looked back at Divanchi, "Father should be in a Kingdom called Raja, it''s in the human territory¡­ that''s all I know, whatever you do, don''t get me involved". With a heavy heart, Rextra took to the skies once more, preparing to engage in battle once again, knowing that this fight would continue until one of them emerged victorious. ¡­ The same thing was happening with the Fiona Kingdom, as Sato''s forces pressed on, the Fiona Kingdom found themselves on the brink of defeat. The valkyries valiantly fought to keep the wall up, while Benihime and Yuri made their way away from the wall with their bodies cloaked in magic to ward off the deadly fog. The battlefield was chaotic, with screams and shing of swords filling the air. Despite the odds, Benihime and Yuri pushed through the horde of soldiers, determined to find their way to the heart of the conflict. As they made their way through the chaos, they caught glimpses of the valkyries struggling to maintain the wall. The mist was relentless in its advance, and it was clear that it would not be long before it overran the defenders. Benihime and Yuri knew that time was running out, and they quickened their pace, dodging past des and leaping over bodies. The magic around them glowed brighter as they drew closer to their destination, their eyes fixed on the prize of victory. Despite the thick mist, Lilith remained alert, her magic book tightly clutched in her hands as she cloaked herself in magic to avoid getting turned into salt. The sounds of her men dying echoed around her, but she remained focused, trying to discern any movement in the dense fog. Out of nowhere, Benihime emerged from the mist with lightning speed, her sword aimed at Lilith''s neck. Lilith swiftly raised her magic book, a protective barrier forming in front of her just in time to deflect Benihime''s attack. She had a grin on her face as she looked at Benihime, "Trying to sneak up on me¡­ that''s not going to wor¡­.". Lilith was caught off guard. Lilith''s face contorted in shock and pain as Yuri''s hand pierced through her chest and grasped her beating heart from the other side. Blood gushed out of the wound, sttering on Yuri''s hand as she pulled out Lilith''s heart. With a cold expression, Yuri looked at Lilith''s lifeless body and dropped the heart on the ground. "Have fun in hell." She said, her voiceced with bitterness. Benihime watched the scene unfold with a mix of shock and admiration. She knew Yuri was skilled, but she had never seen her take down an opponent so effortlessly. "I don''t know how I feel, seeing a valkyrie die by my hands," Benihime said, breaking the silence. "Certainly not the feeling I was expecting to get". Yuri nodded, wiping her bloody hand on her clothes. "Let''s go, we still have to cancel out this fog". Chapter 190 I The Witch Of Envy Have Slain Your Leader Yuri and Benihime dragged Lilith''s lifeless body toward the Fiona army, her blood trailing behind them. As they approached, the soldiers on both sides ceased their fighting and turned their attention to the scene before them. "Is that... Demon Lord Jira''s personal advisor?" A demon shouted, his voiceced with fear as he took a step back from Yuri. The battlefield was filled with murmurs, as many struggled to believe that their Lord''s trusted advisor had been defeated by the enemy. Ignoring the whispers, Yuri lifted Lilith''s body and addressed the demons below. "Listen, you fools of Fiona," She called out in amanding voice. "I am Yuri, the Witch of Envy and the personal secretary to the Lord of Elves, Sato Inugami. I have in your leader". Yuri held Lilith''s lifeless body tightly and scanned the soldiers, her gaze piercing through their armor. "I am giving you two options," She dered, her voice ringing across the battlefield. "You can either retreat and never set foot on thisnd again, or bow your head and pledge your unwavering loyalty to the Lord of Elves". At first, her words were met with stunned silence. But then, to Yuri''s surprise, some of the soldiers began to drop their weapons and step forward with their heads bowed. "A lord who can overwhelm us this much has my respect," One of the demons spoke out. "I will pledge my loyalty". Yuri raised an eyebrow, impressed by the demon''s bravery. "Very well," she said, her tone firm. "But know this: any betrayal will not be taken lightly. The Lord of Elves does not tolerate disloyalty". As she watched the demon nod in understanding, Yuri couldn''t help but feel a sense of satisfaction. Benihime''s apprehensive gaze was fixed on Yuri. "Are you certain that this is what Lord Sato wants?" she inquired. Yuri paused for a moment before replying, "I hadn''t considered it, but we''ll deal with thatter". Suddenly, a demon bellowed, "Traitor! You would betray the demon lord! You deserve to die!" The high-ranking demon''s voice echoed through the throng of demons who were making their way towards Yuri''s side. Another demon unsheathed his sword, sneering, "We won''t retreat! We won''t bow to some witch¨C". Before the demon could finish his sentence, Diana darted in out of nowhere. She lunged towards the demon, tearing his neck open with her razor-sharp ws, and then gracefullynded in front of Yuri. "Oops, I couldn''t resist," Diana said, savoring the blood on her hands while her wolf tail wagged happily behind her. The demons'' eyes widened in dread as they watched theirrade''s body fall to the ground, covered in his own blood. Fear and suspicion filled the air as they looked at Daina, wondering where she hade from. Suddenly, a voice yelled from the left back nk, "There are more,ing from the back...!" All the demons immediately looked behind them to see Ond, his dark wolves, and more beastmen riding towards them on Deerhugs. "From behind? Did they camp out in the kingdom?" The demons thought to themselves, realizing they had been caught in a trap. With no morale to fight, they dropped their weapons one by one and started retreating. Some of them moved toward Yuri and knelt to pledge their loyalty, recognizing the power and might of the Lord of Elves. As thest of the demons fled, Yurinded on the ground and looked at the soldiers who had pledged loyalty to the Lord of Elves. "Well done," She said, "You have made a wise decision." Then, she turned to Benihime and said, "Let''s go. It''s time we find where master is". With that, the group mounted their Deerhugs and started their journey back to the kingdom of elves. The battle had been won, but the war was far from over. ¡­.. "Ahhh!" The air was thick with tension as Sato and Jira stood in the center of an open field, their movements too quick for the naked eye to follow. With each punch they threw, the ground shook beneath them, adding a thunderous soundtrack to the intense battle. Suddenly, Jiraunched a devastating stomp at Sato, causing him to drop down to one knee in pain. Before Sato could even react, Jira followed up with a ferocious punch straight to his face, sending him hurtling through the air and crashing into a nearby boulder. The impact was so forceful that the boulder cracked under Sato''s weight, sending debris flying in all directions. Satoy on the jagged rocks, coughing up blood as he struggled to stand. His vision was blurry, and his body ached with every movement. "Aril¡­ is it ready yet?" he managed to choke out, hoping for some sign of hope. <> came the reply, a note of disappointment in the voice. Sato''s heart sank. Without enough magic essence, he was at a disadvantage. He braced himself for Jira''s next attack, but it came sooner than he expected. Jira picked him up by the hair, his face contorted in rage as he red into Sato''s lifeless eyes. "This can''t be all you''ve got," he growled, shaking Sato violently. "Come on, are you mocking me?". Jira''s face twisted in frustration as he red at Sato''s lifeless body. He scoffed and viciously mmed Sato''s head against the ground repeatedly without pause. The sickening sound of flesh colliding with the hard earth echoed across the battlefield. "Pathetic," Jira spat on Sato''s face before grabbing him by the leg and hurling him across the field to disy to his own people. As Jira turned, he caught sight of Yuri, Divanchi, and Delta standing at the far end of the way with anxious expressions etched on their faces. His lips curled into a cruel grin as he advanced towards them, relishing the thought of capturing them and adding them to his collection of prisoners. "Damn you bastard!" Yuri yelled, ragefully, getting ready tounch herself toward Jira but then Divanchi held her hand. "What are you doing Divanchi, can you see master is over there?!" Yuri shouted, her anger written on her face. "Wait,... Look." Divanchi uttered, pointing at Sato''s hand to show Yuri that he was gesturing a countdown. Chapter 191 Ultimate Skill Hellfire! <> "Ahhh, thank you Aril." Sato muttered, despite his weakened state, Sato managed a feeble smile of gratitude as he addressed Aril. His body was being dragged across the ground by Jira, while hisrades, Divanchi, Yuri, and Daina, looked on from a distance. Jira, meanwhile, wore a smug grin as he strode confidently towards the girls, his eyes reflecting a sense of pride and satisfaction at having defeated Sato, and now poised to do the same to his remaining opponents. Suddenly, Jira felt a strong grip on his thigh, but before he could react, he knew instinctively that it was Sato, struggling to stand up against all odds. Jira sneered down at him, taunting him with a mocking tone, "It''s almost like you want me to kill you, you just had to stand up." As Jira turned his attention back to the girls, his eyes widened in shock at the sight before him. Sato had managed to raise himself up, using his left hand for support, while his right leg was raised high in the air. Baaam! With a swift and powerful motion, Sato delivered a devastating kick to Jira''s face, sending him hurtling backwards, crashing to the ground in a dazed heap. The force of the blow was enough to leave Jira reeling, stunned by the sheer strength and agility of his opponent. Satonded on the ground, his eyes fixed on Jira''s prone form as he addressed Yuri and the others. "How is the war going?" He asked urgently, his concern for hisrades outweighing the pain of his injuries. "Wait, I''ming over.." Before Yuri could even take a step towards him, Sato quickly shouted, "Don''te any closer! Listen to me carefully. Whatever happens, do not cross that line." He gestured towards the spot where he had fallen, emphasizing the gravity of the situation. "But.." Yuri protested, eager toe to his aid, but Sato''s tone was firm as hemanded her to stay put. "Yuri," He said sternly, his gaze locking onto hers. "I need you to trust me. Do not move from where you are standing, no matter what happens. Understood?". "As you wish.".Yuri nodded, her expression a mixture of sadness and concern as she watched her master change his attention back to Jira. Jira rose to his feet with an ominous aura enveloping his body, emanating a dark and intense energy. His eyes zed with fury as he fixed his gaze on Sato, and he advanced towards him with deliberate, menacing steps. The air around Jira crackled with an unsettling tension, as if he was a force to be reckoned with. Sato stood his ground, preparing himself for anything that''s toe. "Aril, how long can the magicst?". <<20 mins at most, depending on how you use it.>> "I see." Sato uttered, a small grin showing on his face as he also began to walk slowly toward Jira. Sato steadied himself, his heart pounding with anticipation as he watched Jira approach. He could feel the power building within him, the magic surging through his veins. As they closed in on each other, their pace quickening with each step, the ground beneath their feet began to tremble. The air was thick with tension, the atmosphere charged with electricity. With a deafening roar, they collided in a burst of magical energy. Their fists met with bone-crushing force, sending shockwaves rippling through the earth. The ground groaned and buckled, unable to withstand the ferocity of their attack. The force of the impact was so great that a gust of wind swept up around them, hurling debris and dust into the air. The sound of the sh echoed through the mountains, drowning out all other noise. Sato and Jira stood locked inbat, each refusing to back down. Blood trickled from their noses and lips, but neither showed any sign of weakness. Their eyes zed with intensity, the magic crackling around them like lightning. For a moment, they were frozen in time, suspended in the midst of their epic battle. Then, with a fierce cry, they bothunched themselves forward once more, ready to unleash their full power upon each other. Divanchi watched in awe as Sato faced off against Jira with unwavering determination. It was clear that he was giving it his all, not backing down even for a moment. Yuri''s voice suddenly broke the silence, her tone tinged with sadness. "Don''t you think it would be faster if we all took on Jira together?" She asked, her eyes searching for an answer. "Is it that.. master doesn''t trust us?". Divanchi let out a chuckle, a wry smile spreading across her face. "We''re talking about the same man who linked over 3000+ pain to his body," She replied. "He''s just...selfish. He wants the glory and victories for himself, but doesn''t want to suffer any loss in the process". Daina''s voice suddenly rose in a howl of encouragement. "Whoop! Get him, master!" she yelled, her enthusiasm contagious. Divanchi couldn''t help but smile at Daina''s antics before turning her attention back to the battle. "Yes Master... I don''t believe you know what losing is." She murmured under her breath, knowing that Sato was going to need all the luck he could get. As the battle raged on, Divanchi watched with bated breath, her heart pounding in her chest. She knew that Sato was risking everything in this fight, but she also knew that he was capable of pulling off the impossible. And as the sh between Sato and Jira intensified, Divanchi felt a surge of hope rise within her. Perhaps, just perhaps, they could emerge victorious in this battle. Sato took a devastating knee to the jaw that sent him tumbling backwards. His head snapped back violently, and for a moment, it seemed as though he might copse to the ground. Jira''s face twisted into a cruel grin as he advanced on his fallen opponent. "Ahh, I love it when they act tough!" He taunted, his voice dripping with malice. But Sato was not about to give up. With a fierce determination in his eyes, he pushed himself back up to his feet, his hand clenched tightly with magic swirling around his fist. "Encounter!!!" He roared,unching a powerful punch at Jira''s chest that shattered the ground beneath them. Despite the incredible force behind the blow, Jira remained standing, a smirk ying at the corners of his lips. "Was that supposed to be a punch?" he jeered, goading Sato on. Suddenly, Jira''sughter turned maniacal as he grabbed Sato by the hair, his grip tight and unforgiving. "Come on, y harder!" he bellowed, delivering a brutal kick to Sato''s stomach that sent him hurtling through the air. The impact was bone-shattering, and Satonded in a heap, his body wracked with pain. The sheer force of the blow had torn apart the ground, sending chunks of rock and dirt flying in all directions. The air was thick with the acrid smell of magic, and for a moment, it seemed as though the world itself might crumble under the weight of their battle. Sato struggled to his feet, his body battered and broken from the intense battle with Jira. He surveyed the destruction that they had wrought upon thend, the ground torn apart and smoking from the force of their attacks. "I don''t have enough magic left," Sato stammered, blood pouring from his wounds, "I have to end this fast." His injuries were slowly healing, but it was a painfully slow process, and Sato knew that he didn''t have much time left. His eyes flicked over to Yuri, Divanchi, and Diana, all of them looking at him with concern etched on their faces. "Don''t worry," he muttered, his voice hoarse and strained, "I wille out ontop". A small smile yed at the corners of his lips, and suddenly, his eyes zed with a fierce determination. "There''s no way I''m about to lose to some demon!!!" he roared, his voice ringing out across the battlefield. With a surge of energy, Sato charged forward, his body moving with incredible speed and agility. Heunched a flurry of punches and kicks at Jira, each blow imbued with the full force of his remaining magic. Jira fought back with equal ferocity, his body crackling with dark energy as he unleashed a barrage of spells and attacks. The twobatants shed again and again, the ground shaking beneath their feet with each blow. Despite his injuries, Sato refused to give up. His eyes burned with an unquenchable fire, and he continued to fight with everyst ounce of strength he had. In that moment, nothing else mattered except for defeating his opponent and emerging victorious. Chapter 192 Ultimate Skill Hell Fire! II ? Jira taunted Sato with an air of superiority, "How much longer can you keep up this futile fight?" He gloated, "You''re nearly broken, drenched in blood and you can barely stand on your own two feet. It''s almost pathetic, really." Sato remained standing, despite his ragged appearance. His breathing wasbored, and one eye was swollen shut, his visage a bloody mess. His fingers were gnarled, twisted from the ferocity of the battle. "Aril¡­how many minutes left?" Sato asked, his voice was strained as he spoke to his angel. <<8 mins, I really suggest that I take over and finish the battle>> "You don''t have to do that, Aril." Summoning all his strength, Sato spoke a single word, "First heal." His body began to glow with a bright, pulsating light as his wounds slowly started to knit themselves back together. The broken bones in his fingers straightened, his swollen eye returned to its normal size, and his battered body started to regain its strength. Despite the pain that still lingered, Sato stood tall and ready to face Jira once more. Jira and Sato stared each other down, their intense gazes piercing through the silence that dominated the battlefield. Suddenly, they both charged at each other, fists raised and determination etched on their faces. The impact of their punches was so forceful that the air around them trembled, sending shockwaves through the ground beneath their feet. Jira''s punch was faster, hitting Sato squarely in the face, causing his head to snap back, his eyes rolling back in his head. But Sato was not one to give up easily. With sheer willpower, he pushed through the pain, springing back up in one swift movement, his hand clenched into a tight fist. With a powerful headbutt, his forehead smashed into Jira''s jaw, causing him to stagger backwards, dropping to one knee. Blood gushed from the wound on Sato''s forehead, his eyes aze with a fierce rage as he prepared to unleash his next move. His lean muscles tensed as he focused his energy, ready to face his opponent with all his might. Jira, on the other hand, was on his knees, holding his torn jaw with one hand while ring at Sato with pure hatred in his eyes. Suddenly, his jaw began to heal, and he wasted no time dashing straight at Sato while screaming, "Damn you, Elf boy!!!". Jira leaped into the sky, throwing multiple fast punches that fired huge blue fireballs at Sato. The zing projectiles hurtled towards Sato with incredible speed, their heat scorching the air around them. Sato remained perfectly still, his eyes locked onto his opponent. He stretched out his hand, waiting patiently for the fireballs to get close before he unleashed his next move. "Predator!" He roared, and a dark mist-like thread escaped from his hand, quickly enveloping the charging fireballs. For a moment, the air around them crackled with intense energy, but then the mist disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. "Uhn?" Sato muttered, his confusion quickly reced by horror as multiple fireballsnded on him with brutal force. The earth erupted in mes, explosions shaking the ground with a deafening roar. Despite the intense pain, Sato refused to give up. His eyes glinted with a fierce determination as he summoned all his strength and focused his energy to quench the fire around him. "Alter?!" He shouted, his voice echoing across the battlefield. Jira, now hovering in the air, snarled in response. "I''m done ying around, Elf boy!" he yelled, his fists crackling with blue mes as he dropped straight into the burning ground. Yuri stood frozen, her body trembling with fear as she watched Sato engulfed in mes. Her heart pounded in her chest, desperate to run over and help him, but a part of her didn''t want to disobey Sato. Divanchi and Delta''s faces were equally stricken with concern, their eyes locked on the raging inferno that engulfed Sato. They both wondered if he was okay inside the mes. Suddenly, a deafening sonic boom shattered the silence. It whooshed through the air, growing louder and louder until it shook the very foundations of the earth. The ground beneath them split open, spewing debris and rocks in all directions. The sonic boom cleared away the mes, revealing Jira standing triumphantly over Sato''s broken body. The evil grin on his face was a sickening sight, sending shivers down Yuri''s spine. Jira''s hand was plunged deep inside Sato''s gut, and blood gushed out of the wound, staining the ground with a deep red hue. Yuri gasped in horror, her eyes wide with disbelief at the scene before her. Divanchi and Delta''s expressions turned to rage, their eyes zing with fury. "Master!" Divanchi shouted, her voice filled with righteous anger. Delta''s eyes narrowed, and she stepped forward, her body trembling with fury. "You will pay for this!" She yelled, her fists clenched tight. Jira merely chuckled, his eyes gleaming with sadistic pleasure as he stared at Sato. "And with that, the Lord of elves, has fallen." He taunted, his grip on Sato''s body tightening. Sato''s eyes were widened in shock and agony as he felt Jira''s hands swarming inside his guts, tearing at his insides with merciless force. Blood dripped from the side of his mouth, and his hand weakly rested on Jira''s chest as he tried to find his footing. His mind was a whirlwind of pain and confusion as he struggled to hold on to consciousness. His body trembled with the force of Jira''s attack, and he knew that his life was hanging in the bnce. But even in the midst of his agony, Sato refused to give up. His will to fight burned bright within him, and he refused to let Jira break him. Yuri could feel her heart pounding in her chest as she watched the two warriors face off. The air around them crackled with tension, their energy levels rising with each passing moment. In that instant, Yuri knew that things were about to get even more violent and destructive. SuddenlyDivanchi''s body was engulfed in mes as her eyes zed with fury. "That''s it, I''m going to aid him!" She yelled, her voice echoing across the battlefield. "I agree," Delta chimed in, her body crackling with blue energy as she lifted off the ground. "I want to kill that demon so badly!". But before they could take a step, Yuri grabbed them by the hand and halted their movement. "What are you doing?!" Delta yelled, her eyes still aze with anger. "Master said to trust him and not get any closer," Yuri replied, her voice tinged with uncertainty, "I won''t let anyone disobey that". "Are you for real¡­ he was stabbed!" Divanchi yelled, "I thought you of all people would¡­". Yuri interrupted, "Don''t get me wrong, I want nothing more than to step on that demon and make him beg for mercy." She uttered before looking at Sato, "But the look on Master''s face when he told me to stand back¡­ I don''t want to betray that". The air was thick with tension as the group stood there, unsure of what to do. Sato was in grave danger, and every second that passed felt like an eternity. Divanchi''s mes flickered as she struggled to contain her anger. She wanted nothing more than to rush to Sato''s aid, but she knew that Master''s orders were absolute. Delta gritted her teeth, her fists clenched with rage. She could feel her power surging through her, begging to be unleashed, but she knew that she had to trust in Master''s n. As they stood there, the emotions of the group were a tempestuous whirlwind. Fear, anger, and uncertainty warred within them, each one vying for dominance. At that moment, they were all acutely aware of the gravity of the situation. Sato''s life hung in the bnce, and every decision they made could mean the difference between victory and defeat. With a grunt of effort, Sato lowered himself onto Jira''s chest, his eyes barely open as blood continued to drip from his gut. He took shallow, ragged breaths, each one a struggle as he fought to stay conscious. Sato''s breathing grew slower and morebored, his body weakening with each passing moment. The wound in his gut was deep, and the blood loss was taking its toll. For a long time, they stood in silence, watching as Sato fought to stay alive. It seemed as though the world had stopped, as though nothing else mattered except for the small, broken figure lying on the ground. Finally, after what felt like hours, Sato stirred. His eyes opened fully, and he looked up a bit with a small smile. Jira''s twisted grin faltered as his grip tightened around Sato''s neck. "Tell me...how does it feel to know you''ll die, and all this could have been prevented if you had just listened to me," Jira taunted, his breath hot on Sato''s ear. "I''d say..." Sato wheezed, struggling to breathe. "Don''t...count your eggs before...they hatch." Jira''s confusion was short-lived as Sato''s body suddenly surged with strength. With a fierce cry, he tackled Jira to the ground, his arm wrapping around Jira''s neck in a brutal sleeper hold. Sato''s eyes zed with a fierce intensity as he looked up to the sky, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "Come now...your master beckons you...Hell fire!!!" Chapter 193 Ultimate Skill Hellfire III ? Sato''s eyes zed with a fierce intensity as he looked up to the sky, his voice echoing across the battlefield. "Come now...your master beckons you...Hell fire!!!" The previously cloudy sky suddenly shattered, with the thick cover splitting apart and revealing a scorching, blinding light. The radiant beam descended from the heavens, plummeting down with intense speed towards the ground where Sato had Jira trapped in a sleeper hold. Jira''s face was contorted with exertion, his body writhing as he struggled to break free from Sato''s vice-like grip. "Get your hands off!" he roared, his fists pounding relentlessly against Sato''s ribs. Despite the barrage of punches, Sato refused to relinquish his hold. He gritted his teeth in agony, his muscles straining with the effort of maintaining the sleeper hold. His eyes were fixed on the sky, a look of fierce determination etched on his face as he awaited the arrival of hell fire. Divanchi''s eyes widened with horror as she saw the enormous fireball hurtling towards Sato''s position. "Master can''t survive a hit from that, we should go help," she eximed, clenching her fist in frustration. But Yuri, who was surprisingly calm andposed, held up a hand to stop her. Her attention was fixed solely on Sato, who was still struggling against Jira. "Not yet," she said firmly. "What do you mean, not yet? Can''t you see the...?" Divanchi protested. Yuri cut her off. "Divanchi, trust me," she said with unwavering confidence. Sato''s grip tightened around Jira''s neck, his muscles bulging with exertion as he tried to maintain the hold. Sweat dripped down his face as he gritted his teeth, determined to seed at any cost. Jira''s punches were bing weaker, but Sato knew he couldn''t let his guard down. Suddenly, the sky split open, and a zing fireball hurtled towards them. Sato''s thoughts raced as the fireball drew closer. He couldn''t let go of the sleeper hold, but he also couldn''t take the hit. "I refuse to... lose," he thought fiercely, his arms straining with effort. "I''ve messed up everything so far, but not this time. I''m taking you down with me, if it''s to save my people?..." He let out a guttural yell, pushing his head back with all his might. Jira''s body jerked as Sato''s hold tightened, crushing his windpipe. The ground beneath them cracked and crumbled, and the fireball was almost upon them. "Then I''ll dly sacrifice my life for that!!!" Sato screamed, his voice echoing through the air. The intense heat from the fire was almost unbearable as it closed in on Sato and Jira. Divanchi and Yuri watched in horror as the mes drew closer and closer, feeling helpless to do anything. "Yuri¡­" Divanchi called out, her voice trembling with fear as she watched the impending disaster. Yuri''s face was tense with concentration as she watched the scene unfold. "Hold on, not yet," she replied, her tone urgent. "Yuri!!" Divanchi shouted again, desperation creeping into her voice. But Yuri remained steadfast, her eyes locked on Sato and Jira. The light of the fire was already shining on Sato''s face, indicating how close it already was to hitting him. Sato''s eyes were closed, a serene smile on his face. "This is for the best," he whispered, his voice barely audible above the roar of the mes. As the heat intensified and the fire came closer, Divanchi''s anxiety grew palpable. "Yuri!" she shouted urgently, her body tense with the need to act. "Now!" Yuri replied, her voice firm and determined. Without hesitation, Divanchi, Yuri, and Delta sprang into action, their movements a blur as theyunched themselves towards Sato with incredible speed. The sonic boom from their charge reverberated throughout the area, and for a moment it seemed as though they might not make it in time. With sweat pouring down their faces, the team sprinted towards Sato, their muscles strained as they fought against the rushing wind. Suddenly, Ava, the witch of destruction, showed up and sped past the trio, she was the first to reach him, grabbing Sato by the cor and yanking him away from Jira just as the fire hit the ground with an ear-splitting roar. As Jira attempted to escape, Yuri''s voice boomed across the battlefield, "Gravity!" A massive force mmed down upon Jira, pinning him to the ground as the raging mes consumed him. The heat was overwhelming, and the team shielded themselves from the intense re with their arms. The ground shook and rumbled beneath them, threatening to give way. Suddenly, there was a deafening explosion that tore through the area, hurling everyone in different directions and reducing the once-beautifulndscape to a smoldering wastnd. As the explosion subsided, Ava slowly opened her eyes to find herself on the ground, with Sato clutched tightly in her arms. She carefully lifted herself off of him, positioning herself on top of his chest to shield him from any lingering debris. Her intense gaze met him as she took a moment to catch her breath, her heart racing with adrenaline. Sato''s eyes were still closed, and she leaned in closer to him, checking to make sure he was alright. The ground beneath them was scorched and shattered, littered with rubble and debris from the st. But Ava remained focused on Sato, her entire being consumed with the need to protect him at all costs. Sato''s eyes flew open in disbelief. "I''m alive?" he muttered, his expression a mixture of shock and confusion. "That must mean Jira is still..." He attempted to rise, but Ava swiftly pushed him back to the ground, preventing him from moving. "What are you doing?" Sato protested. Ava''s eyes welled up with tears as she shouted, "Idiot!" Her voice trembled with emotion as she gazed down at him.Ava''s voice was choked with emotion as she gazed down at Sato, tears streaming down her cheeks. "You''re barely holding on, and yet you still want to keep fighting, risking your life again and again, just like back then. Why are you so selfish?" Her voice quivered as she spoke, the fear and pain evident in her words. "What if you had died again? Do you know how much that would have hurt us?". Sato''s eyes widened as he looked up at Ava, his own tears welling up. He had never thought that she could so emotional, and the sight was both heart-wrenching and overwhelming. "I¡­I didn''t think¡­" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. "Of course, you didn''t think!" Ava eximed, her voice rising in frustration. "You never think about anyone else but yourself! You always put yourself in danger, without any regard for the people who care about you. How could you be so careless?" Sato''s head hung low, his shoulders slumped in shame. He knew that Ava was right. He had been reckless, and he had put himself and others in danger because of it. He didn''t know how to make it up to them, how to make things right. Without any warning, Sato suddenly burst intoughter, hisughter echoed through the ruined area, mixing with the sound of the raging fire in the background. His face was still contorted with pain, but there was something else there, a glint of hope that shone through his tears. Ava couldn''t help but be moved by hisughter, despite the situation they were in. She looked at him with tear-filled eyes, her heart aching at the sight of her friend in such a state. "You really haven''t changed," She said softly, her voice choked with emotion. "You''re still the same stubborn, reckless person you always were". Sato''sughter died down, and he looked up at her with a serious expression. "I know I''m far from perfect," he said. "But still¡­ to avoid losing anyone close to me, I''ll do what it takes". Ava nodded, understanding his words. "I know," she said. "But sometimes you have to think about yourself too. You can''t keep sacrificing yourself like this." Sato smiled weakly, his eyes closing as he leaned his head back against the ground. "I''ll try," he said. "But I can''t promise anything". Ava sighed, but couldn''t help but smile back at him. "You''re hopeless," she said, lending him assistance to his feet. With Sato''s arm draped over her shoulder for support, Ava guided him towards the spot where the fiery explosion had urred. Their steps were slow and unsteady, as both of them were injured and exhausted from the intense battle. As they approached the site, they could see the devastation that the explosion had wrought, with debris and ash scattered all around. Ava''s heart was heavy with worry as they searched for any sign of Jira. She could feel Sato''s grip on her shoulder tightening with each passing moment. Finally, they spotted a figure lying amidst the rubble, motionless. Chapter 194 The Ultimate Skill Hellfire IV ? As they approached the site where the fire hadnded, Sato kept his arm securely around Ava''s shoulder to steady himself. In front of themy Jira, sprawled on the ground and bathed in the red-orange glow of the raging mes that surrounded him. The intense heat emanating from the inferno had caused the nearby rocks to shatter into countless fragments, which now littered the area around Jira''s prone body. Sato''s eyes fixed on Jira''s motionless form, a sense of unease creeping over him as he wondered if their fight hade at too great a cost. Ava stood beside him, also gazing at the scene before them, her expression tense with anticipation as they both waited for some sign that Jira had been defeated. From a distance, a familiar voice boomed, "Master!". Ava and Sato turned their heads in the direction of the voice and saw Yuri running toward them, tears streaming down her face. As she got closer, she could barely contain her emotions and practically leapt at Sato, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace that sent them both toppling to the ground. Sato hugged her back, feeling an overwhelming sense of relief wash over him at the sight of his loyalpanion. Yuri frantically checked Sato''s body for any injuries as she held his head in herp. Her hands moved with precision and speed, as she checked for any burns or wounds. "Are you hurt? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice trembling with worry. "Say something. Wait...I''ll heal you now," she said as she began to channel her healing magic into Sato''s body. Sato smiled weakly at Yuri''s touch, feeling the warmth of her magic slowly spread through his body. "I''m okay, Yuri," he reassured her. "I thought I told you not to move any closer". Divanchi and Delta approached them, relief washing over their faces as they saw that Sato was alive and well. They stood by silently, giving Yuri the space to do her work. The air was thick with tension and emotion as the group took in the aftermath of the battle. The ground was charred and broken, and the air still smelled of smoke and fire. The sound of Ava pulling out her sword echoed through the air, drawing everyone''s eyes towards her. Her hand wrapped tightly around the hilt of the weapon, her body tense with readiness. "Witch of envy," Ava began, her voice low and cold, "as much as I despise your hands on the Sessor, I''m going to have to ask you to hold him back for me." She turned her gaze to Yuri, "The enemy isn''t down yet." Yuri swiftly turned to face Jira, who was slowly rising from the ground. With a fierce determination, she positioned herself between Sato and the raging mes, ready to confront any danger thaty ahead. Delta, on the other hand, went on all fours, ws at the ready, as she focused her piercing gaze on Jira. Meanwhile, Divanchi''s eyes glowed with flickering mes, her fist clenched tightly as she prepared to unleash her fiery power. "Im¡­possible!". Jira muttered, getting up from the ground and falling to his knees almost instantly, "How did I lose to someone like you?.... How the hell is that even possible!!!". He yelled, "I should be the strongest! I should be the most powerful! ¡­ I am supposed to be the winner!... Me!!!". Jira roared in anger, his voice echoing through the air as he got up from the ground, his body trembling with fury. He pounded the earth with his fists, creating a shockwave that shook the ground beneath them. His eyes zed with rage as he stared at the group in front of him. "I am the strongest!" He bellowed. "No one can defeat me! How dare youe here and challenge me! You should all be begging for mercy, begging me to spare you!" He took a deep breath, his chest heaving with anger. "I won''t ept this defeat! I won''t allow it!" He yelled, his voice hoarse with fury. Jira''s body was covered in cuts and bruises, his clothes ripped and torn from the intense battle. But his anger was greater than any physical pain he could feel. He gritted his teeth, his muscles tense with rage as he prepared to attack once again. Ava''s eyes narrowed as she watched the demon lord with disgust, her hand still gripping the hilt of her sword tightly. "Shall I end him Sessor?" she asked, her voice cold and devoid of any emotion. Sato''s gaze was focused on Jira as he slowly stood up with the help of Yuri and Divanchi. He took a step closer to the defeated demon lord, who scowled in anger at the sight of him. With a calm yet firm voice, Sato spoke to Jira, "It''s over, Jira. You''ve lost. There''s nothing more you can do." Jira''s eyes widened with fury as he red up at Sato. "Lost?! How can I lose to the likes of you?!" he spat out, his fists clenching in rage. Sato remained unfazed by Jira''s outburst, his expression unwavering as he continued to speak, "You lost the moment you decided to attack the forest. You might be a demon lord, but I still outmatch you in terms of true strength." Ava watched the exchange between the two, her sword still at the ready as she prepared to strike if necessary. "Don''t get cocky¡­you merely knocked me out for a few seconds!!!"Jira yelled, suddenly leaping from the ground and charging toward. Ava, Yuri, and Divanchi were poised for action, ready to defend Sato against Jira''s sudden charge. But Sato remained calm and collected, his eyes filled with a fierce determination. In a low, steady voice, he muttered, "Divine punishment." Instantly, Jira was writhing on the ground, howling in agony as invisible mes engulfed his body. The air crackled with the intensity of the divine punishment, and the girls watched in stunned silence as Jira rolled on the ground, trying to extinguish the mes that seemed to burn through him. Despite the intense heat and Jira''s agonized screams, there was no sign of any burn marks on his skin. The girls exchanged bewildered nces, wondering how Sato had unleashed such a powerful attack. "Master, what was that?" Divanchi asked, her eyes fixed on Jira writhing in agony. "It''s a skill," Sato replied calmly, "One that I acquired after my contract with Divanchi." He went on to exin that the skill was called Hellfire, an ultimate power that allowed him to summon a divine me upon his enemies. Those who were unfortunate enough to be caught in its deadly embrace were doomed to burn for eternity if Sato so willed it. The girls listened in awe as Sato continued to exin the true power of the Hellfire. It was a skill that only a handful of beings in the world possessed, and Sato was now one of them. As they watched Jira burn in the inferno, they knew that they were in the presence of a truly powerful and unstoppable force. And they couldn''t help but feel grateful that he was on their side. The mes began to dissipate, leaving Jira writhing in pain on the ground. Ava approached him cautiously, ready to strike if he tried anything. But Jira was helpless, his body burnt to a crisp by Sato''s hellfire. He looked up at Sato, fear and desperation in his eyes. "Please... spare me," he begged, coughing up blood. Sato approached him slowly, looking down at him with a mixture of pity and contempt. "You brought this upon yourself," he said, before delivering the final blow. "Kill me! I beg of you!" Jira''s body was trembling, and his eyes were filled with fear and desperation as he pleaded for death. Sato''s expression remained unchanged as he watched the demon lord suffer from the agony of the mes. With a snap of his fingers, the mes dissipated, leaving Jira on his knees gasping for breath, still feeling the searing pain on his body. Sato towered over him, his eyes fixed on Jira''s trembling form. "Now... let''s make a bargain, shall we?" he said in a calm, even tone. Jira looked up at him, his face twisted in confusion and fear. He couldn''t believe that Sato was offering him a bargain after what he had done. But he also knew that he had no choice but to listen to the sessor of the Great Sage. "What do you want?" Jira asked, his voice barely above a whisper. Sato''s lips curled into a sly smile. "One, I want you to sign a peace treaty with me, ept my kingdom as a nation and split Nervek from rules and ce it under my jurisdiction" He replied. "In exchange, I will spare your life and allow you to retain your position as a lord of the demon world." Jira''s eyes widened in surprise at the offer. He had expected a harsher punishment, but even the thought of doing what Sato asked was irritating. "I... I ept," Jira said, his voice trembling. Chapter 195 The Victory We Seeked ? After Jira begrudgingly agreed to Sato''s demand, Sato and his loyal subordinates began their journey back to the maind, dragging Jira''s unconscious body behind them. However, their victory was short-lived, as Jira''s forces had regrouped and were now hot on their trail. Despite the impending danger, Sato''s confidence remained unwavering as he watched his army sessfully fend off their pursuers. A smile spread across his face as his people erupted in cheers, basking in the glory of their recent victory. Finally, Jira was handed over to his people, a symbol of Sato''s triumph and a clear demonstration of his dominance over his adversaries. With their mission aplished, Sato and his subordinates retreated back to their kingdom, heads held high and a sense of satisfaction permeating through their ranks. Warthniq was left with no option but to retreat when attacked by thebined forces of Terra Kingdom and the witches of Lilivil. The sudden attack caught them off guard, and despite putting up a valiant fight, they were ultimately overpowered by the might of their enemies. After assessing the situation, Terra Kingdom decided to hold off on their attack, sensing that Warthniq''s retreat may have been a strategic move. However, they remained vignt, knowing that they may have another opportunity to strike and im victory. The witches of Lilivil''s army, on the other hand, continued to pursue Warthniq, their relentless pursuit a testament to their unwavering determination to defeat their enemy. With their powerful magic and formidablebat skills, they were a force to be reckoned with, and their pursuit sent a clear message to Warthniq that their victory would note easily. Despite the setback, Warthniq remained resolute and determined to ovee their enemies. They retreated to regroup and strategize, knowing that their next move could mean the difference between victory and defeat. As Sato and his people arrived at the vige, they were met with a scene of pure jubtion from other viges and monsters. The armies that had valiantly fought alongside them were now reduced to tears of joy, relieved to have survived the relentless attacks of two kingdoms. Sato''s leadership had undoubtedly yed a critical role in their survival. His unwavering determination, tactical prowess, andbat skills had inspired his people and rallied them to victory. They knew that without him, they may not have made it through the grueling battles that had tested their resolve and endurance. Despite the emotional toll of the battles, the people of the viges in the forest remained grateful for Sato and his army''s intervention. They weed them with open arms, providing them with food, shelter, and whatever else they needed to recover and prepare for their next move. For Sato and his people, the victory was bittersweet. They knew that their enemies would not rest until they were defeated, and they must remain vignt and prepare for the next attack. But for now, they could savor the moment and bask in the glory of their triumph, proud of their resilience and determination in the face of adversity. As night fell, the victorious army of Sato and his people celebrated their hard-won victory with great fervor. The atmosphere was electric, as drinks flowed freely and the sound of music andughter filled the air. Amidst the festivities, the female elves joined in the revelry, dancing around the fire with wild abandon. The celebration was a testament to their joy and relief after surviving the grueling battles that had threatened their very existence. Some of the soldiers chose to take a break from the festivities, gathering around in groups to y games and share stories about their experiences in the war. These tales were filled with the bravery and heroism of theirrades, as well as the sacrifices and losses they had endured. Despite the scars of battle, the celebration was a moment of respite for Sato and his people. As the festivities continued, Deka retreated from the revelry and found sce in the quiet of the night. He sat on a sturdy tree log, a bottle of wine in his hand, and watched as hisrades celebrated their hard-won victory. Taking a sip of his wine, Deka gazed up at the moon and let out a heavy sigh. Memories of a dear wife flooded his mind, and a bittersweet smile crossed his lips. "I wish you were here," he murmured to himself, "you would have been the life of the party tonight." The night was alive with joy andughter, yet for Deka, the memories of his lost wife, Latina were never far away. He took another sip of wine and closed his eyes, savoring the momentary respite from the harsh realities of war. "What''s this?" Diana spoke, walking toward Deka and sitting beside him, "Why are you sitting out here alone?" She asked, looking at him with a curious look. Deka opened his eyes and looked at Diana, a fellow warrior who had be a friend during their time at war. He offered her a small smile before taking another sip of his wine. "Just needed some fresh air," he replied, his voiceced with a tinge of sadness. Diana nodded, understanding the weight of loss that they all carried as soldiers. She looked up at the sky, taking in the stars that dotted the dark canvas above them. "It''s beautiful, isn''t it?" she remarked softly. Deka followed her gaze and nodded, admiring the twinkling lights above. "Latina used to love looking at the stars," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Diana ced aforting hand on his shoulder. "I''m sorry, Deka," she said. He looked at her and gave her a small smile. "It''s okay, Diana. We all have our losses to bear," he replied, before taking another sip of his wine. Silence descended upon them as they both looked up at the sky, lost in their own thoughts. The distant sounds ofughter and merriment from the party behind them seemed like a distant memory at that moment. Finally, Diana broke the silence. "Do you think we''ll ever find peace, Deka? Or are we destined to keep fighting until the end of time?" Deka thought about her question for a moment before responding. "I don''t know, Diana. But as long as we have each other, we''ll keep fighting. For our fallenrades and for the hope of a better future." Diana smiled, her eyes glimmering with determination. "You''re right, Deka. We''ll keep fighting until the end, together." The two warriors sat there for a while longer, lost in thought, before finally getting up and making their way back to the party. As they walked, Deka felt a small glimmer of hope in his heart. Even in the darkest of times, there was still a sliver of light to hold onto, and he knew he had Diana and his fellow soldiers to lean on. Sato Inugami, the skilled warrior, marched across the unforgiving desert with a stoic expression on his face. His long ck coat billowed in the relentless wind, its tails trailing behind him like a g of victory. With each step, his sturdy boots kicked up dust and sand, leaving a trail of footprints behind him. His eyes scanned the horizon, searching for any sign of danger or obstacles that may impede his journey. Despite the harsh conditions, Sato remained resolute and focused, his mind set on the task at hand. He knew the road ahead would be treacherous, but he was determined to reach his destination no matter the cost. The sun zed overhead, casting a bright light that threatened to blind him. Yet, Sato continued forward, unwavering in his determination to seed. He was a man on a mission, and nothing would stand in his way. But this wasn''t the same Sato anyone knew, he was a clone, created by the real Sato himself to carry out a specific mission. While the main Sato was fighting in the way, the clone made his way to an ancient site in the human territory, his mission was to retrieve the souls of Elena and Latina, by any means necessary. As the wind howled and the sand stung his face, the clone of Sato trudged through the desert with a singr purpose. Unlike the original Sato, this clone was devoid of emotion, driven only by the task assigned to him. He wore a long coat that pped wildly in the wind, revealing the weapons and tools he carried on his person. His eyes glinted with a cold determination as he neared his destination - an ancient site hidden deep within the human territory. The clone knew that the souls of Elena and Latina were crucial to the sess of the mission. He had been programmed to retrieve them at all costs, even if it meant sacrificing his own existence. With each step, he scanned the horizon for any signs of danger. But he was prepared for any eventuality, having been equipped with thetest technology and weapons by the real Sato. Finally, he reached the entrance of the ancient site and paused, assessing the situation. He knew that the retrieval of the souls would not be an easy task, but he was ready for whatevery ahead. Chapter 196 The Demon Lord Of Chaos And Turmoil. ? Sato sat leisurely against a tree trunk, surrounded by a sea of white clouds. The ground beneath him had a soft, fluid-like texture, adding to the serene and surreal atmosphere. Aril, his trusted angel, rested her head on his leg, while Hikari, a close friend, sat before him. "What predicament have you found yourself in this time?" Hikari inquired, her voiceced with concern. Sato calmly stroked Aril''s head, a gesture offort and reassurance, before responding, "You know me too well to feign ignorance, Hikari. As always, so drop the act." His tone was casual." Hikari let out a deep sigh, her expression conveying a sense of worry and disbelief. "So, you created a clone with the sole purpose of killing the goddess of death and retrieving the souls of the deceased. Sato, do youprehend the gravity of the situation you have put yourself in?" she asked, her voiceced with concern. Sato met Hikari''s gaze, his eyes portraying a hint of determination and resoluteness. "I knew exactly what I was getting myself into before I embarked on this mission. If ites down to it, and the consequences demand it, I am prepared to face whatever punishment is meted out to me," he responded, his tone firm and unwavering. Despite the gravity of the situation, Sato appeared unfazed, his confidence stemming from his unwavering conviction in his actions. However, Hikari couldn''t help but worry about the potential repercussions of Sato''s actions and the toll it might take on him in the long run. Hikari shook her head in disbelief, her voice tinged with frustration. "Frankly, I find it hard toprehend your thought process, Sato," she said with a deep sigh, before turning to address Aril. "Why aren''t you worried? It''s not just about his well-being, Aril. If Sato''s clone seeds in killing a god, it will be seen as a grave offense by the Punisher and other deities. It could result in severe repercussions for him." She exined, her tone conveying her concern. Aril remained serene and collected, her unwavering loyalty to her master evident in her demeanor. "In the event of any punishment, my master would simply revive the goddess of death, and any misunderstandings would be cleared up," she replied confidently. Hikari furrowed her brow in confusion at the notion of reviving the goddess of death. "Correct me if I''m wrong, Aril, but didn''t you sacrifice that skill for your evolution?" she questioned. Before Aril could respond, Hikari''s expression suddenly changed to one of realization. "Ah, I see now," she said with a devious smile creeping across her face. "You gained a status upgrade, didn''t you?" she spected. After a moment of silence, Hikari''s eyes widened in astonishment as she came to a sudden realization. "You became a demon lord," she stated incredulously, looking at the unperturbed expression on Sato''s face. Sato let out a resigned sigh, acknowledging that there was no point in trying to hide his newfound status from Hikari any longer. "I guess there''s no fooling you," he admitted. Hikari leaned in eagerly, her face almost touching his as she spoke. "Naturally, I should have realized this earlier," she mused. "Defeating a demon lord automatically grants you their title, so now you''ve taken that title for yourself. What is it? What''s your new title?" she asked, her eyes alight with excitement and curiosity. Sato regarded her for a moment, a faint smile ying across his lips. "Apparently, the Demon lord of Chaos and Turmoil," He revealed. The title held significant weight and power, and Sato had worked tirelessly to earn it through his actions and aplishments. Hikari''s eyes widened in astonishment and respect, clearly impressed by Sato''s newfound status and title. "The Chaos King," She repeated in awe, "Truly, you are a force to be reckoned with". Hikari rose from her seated position, and walked to her throne, her tone shifting to one of intrigue and interest. "Well, well, well, if you truly have be a demon lord, that certainly changes things," she mused. "During the Pirinity, the other demon lords will undoubtedly rally to support their new recruit. I highly doubt they will allow you to be punished for killing a god." Sato furrowed his brow in confusion. "Pirinity? What is that?" Aril stepped forward, her voice clear and concise. "Pirinity is the name given to the eight demon lords who hold dominion over different parts of the demon world," she exined. "It is also the name of a meeting they hold every five years, during which they discuss matters of importance." Hikari nodded in agreement. "And in your case, Sato, they will likely want to meet the new demon lord who has stolen their coveted title," She added with a sly smile. Sato sighed again, "And I was hoping to keep my status as a demon lord a secret." He said. "Why would you want to do that?". Sato moved Aril''s head to the side gently before he stood up, "Let''s just say it''s going to make negotiating with the human territories difficult with a demon lord of the title chaos in front of them". His voice wasced with a hint of resignation, "The truth is that not everyone is fond of demons or their lords. Many humans will see me as a threat rather than a potential ally if they knew my true status." Hikari nodded in agreement, "And it''s not just the humans, even some of the other demon lords might see you as a rival, especially if you have a title as ominous as ''Demon Lord of Chaos''." Sato brushed himself off and looked towards the horizon, "Well, there''s no point in worrying about it now. The Pirinity wille, and I''ll have to face the other demon lords eventually." "Ehhhh." Hikari muttered with a smile, her hand resting under her jaw as she focused her sight on Sato, "You''ve changed". "Uhn?". "Nothing." Hikari looked away with a confident smile, "Well, looks like time''s up". Sato looked at his legs and noticed he was already fading, he turned and looked at Aril, patting her on the head, "I''ll be back." He said with a smile before his bodypletely vanished. Hikari''s smile slowly faded as she watched Sato disappear. Aril, on the other hand, remained calm and collected, her loyalty to her master unwavering even in his absence. As the white clouds surrounding them began to dissipate, the ground beneath them started to feel less like water and more like solid earth. Hikari let out a small sigh, "I hope he knows what he''s doing¡­" she muttered to herself. Aril looked up at her, "Do not worry, Hikari. Master always has a n." Hikari smiled at her, "I hope you''re right." As thest of the clouds disappeared, the two girls found themselves back in their respective worlds, the memory of their meeting with Sato still fresh in their minds. ... ''What¡­is this?...'' Sato''s eyes widened as he realized where he was. He was lying down in a bed, surrounded byplete darkness. He tried to move, but found that his arm was trapped, and he was holding onto something soft. As he looked down, he saw that his hand was resting on Yuri''s breast, and she was sound asleep, her arms wrapped tightly around him. Sato carefully tried to extract his hand from Yuri''s grasp, making sure not to wake her up. He slowly pulled his hand away and looked down to see her sleeping peacefully. As he turned to get up, he felt something pressing against his back, and when he looked behind him, he saw Erza and Divanchi sleeping soundly next to him. Sato got to the edge of the bed and looked down to the ground with a deadpan expression as he noticed his legs weren''t touching the floor. "Has the bed always been this high?" he thought to himself before jumping down with a soft thud. As hended, the sound seemed to have disturbed Yuri''s sleep, causing her to stir and stretch, her eyes still closed. Sato couldn''t help but admire her beauty for a moment before he turned to face the other two sleeping women. Erza was snoring softly, her face peaceful and her hair slightly tousled. Divanchi, on the other hand, was lying on her back with her mouth slightly open, her chest rising and falling rhythmically as she breathed. Sato shook his head and let out a small chuckle. "What a crazy night," he muttered to himself, making his way towards the door.Sato got to the edge of the bed and looked down to the ground with a deadpan expression as he noticed his legs weren''t touching the floor. "Has the bed always been this high?" he thought to himself before jumping down with a soft thud. As hended, the sound seemed to have disturbed Yuri''s sleep, causing her to stir and stretch, her eyes still closed. Sato couldn''t help but admire her beauty for a moment before he turned to face the other two sleeping women. Erza was snoring softly, her face peaceful and her hair slightly tousled. Divanchi, on the other hand, was lying on her back with her mouth slightly open, her chest rising and falling rhythmically as she breathed. Sato shook his head and let out a small sigh. "These women are so tempting." He muttered to himself, making his way towards the door. Chapter 197 Is This...Lord Sato? ? Leaning towards the door, Sato tried to reach the door knob but noticed his hand wasn''t reaching the knob. He suddenly moved back, a foreshadowed look on his face as he slowly stretched out his hand and a water ball formed. As Sato examined his reflection in the water hovering in front of him, he couldn''t help but feel disoriented and confused. The sight of his small stature was both bewildering and rming, leaving him to question how he had be so diminutive. "Is this some kind of sick joke?" Sato muttered, his eyes scanning the surroundings as he tried to make sense of his situation. The water ball in his hand glowed with a faint blue light, casting a pale hue across his face as he pondered his next move. With a deep breath, Sato focused his mind, trying to recall any knowledge or experience that could exin this bizarre transformation. But no matter how hard he tried, the memories remained elusive, leaving him feeling even more frustrated and anxious. "I have to find a way to reverse this, can''t let the rest see me like this." Sato thought to himself, his jaw clenched with determination. "Aril, what is going on here?". Suddenly, Divanchi woke up, yawning and rubbing her eyes. Her hair was scattered on her face as she stumbled towards Sato, still half-asleep. "Good morning, master," she said groggily. "Why are you up so early?" But as soon as she caught sight of Sato''s new form, she stopped mid-sentence, her jaw dropping in shock. She blinked a few times, thinking she must still be dreaming. "Master," She said, her voice shaking slightly. "What happened to you?". "Sshh!" Sato quickly put a finger to his lips to signal Yuri to be quiet, "Don''t wake the others," he whispered, trying to keep a low profile. "Ahh, how long was I out?" Yuri woke, sitting up in bed while rubbing her eyes as she tried to make sense of what was going on. She nced over at Sato and Divanchi, who were frozen in a halted position. It took her a moment to realize what had happened, and once she did, she was left speechless, her mouth hanging open in shock as she pointed at Sato, stuttering, "Ma..ma¡­ma¡­ma." Sato let out a sigh, "Yes, it''s me," he said in a childlike voice, looking down at his small hands. "Something happened, and now I''m like this, but we have to keep it a secret". Divanchi couldn''t help but let out a small chuckle, finding the sight of her master in such a state amusing. Almost like in a cue, Erza woke up also, "What''s all the noise about." She said, ncing to the side to see a child standing in the middle of the room, Yuri dumbfounded and Divanchi stiff as a rock. Erza kept quiet and just stood up from the bed¡­ she then pointed at the baby before she instantly looked up with a flustered look on her face as she screamed, "Don''t tell me¡­ one of you had a baby with darling!". Erza''s voice echoed through the room, causing Sato to take a step back in surprise. Divanchi tried to speak, but all that came out was a stutter as she shook her head frantically. Yuri was still trying to process the sight before her, but she managed to speak up, "No, no, Erza. It''s not what you think." She said, trying to keep her voice calm. Erza''s expression turned from shock to confusion as she looked at the small figure in front of her, "Then what is it? Why does the baby look so much like darling then?!" she asked, her hand shaking as she pointed at Sato Sato finally found his voice, "I''m Sato. I''m just¡­ small now." he exined, gesturing to his diminutive form. Erza''s eyes widened in surprise as everywhere fell silent but was immediately followed by Erza''s yell,"Oh God! It can even talk?!" She asked, taking a step awaypletely stunned by the sight. Sato''s face immediately held a deadpan expression, "Why the hell won''t I be able to talk?" He said, looking up at Erza who was still shaking. Erza''s eyes widened in disbelief as her mind struggled toprehend what she was seeing. The room fell silent for a moment, punctuated only by the sound of Sato''s voice. She fell to her knees, her eyes focused on the ground, she muttered to herself, "They had a child¡­ before¡­ me?" Just then, a voice was heard from outside the door. "Hey, Jiro, we shouldn''t just barge in like this?!" A female voice spoke. "Rx, it''s fine," Jiro replied. The door suddenly opened and Jiro was immediately met with the sight of child Sato standing in the middle of the room. He paused, stunned, his eyes widening in disbelief. As Daina walked toward the room, she noticed Jiro''s stunned expression and his gaze fixed on something. "Jiro, what''s wrong? It looks like you saw a ghost or something," She giggled, trying to lighten the mood. But as she stepped into the room andid her eyes on Sato, her face went into an instant shock. She stood there, rooted to the spot, staring at Sato with wide eyes, unable to believe what she was seeing. "it''s¡­ Lord S..Sato?". "Oi!" Deka yelled from outside, when he saw both Jiro and Daina statued in front of Sato''s room, "How many times have I told you not to sneak inside lord Sato''s room!". As Deka approached, he scolded Jiro and Daina for sneaking into Sato''s room once again. However, he was taken aback when he caught sight of the child version of Sato standing in the middle of the room. It was as if he had been struck by lightning as he stood frozen, staring at the tiny figure before him. For a few moments, the group was locked in stunned silence, staring at Sato in disbelief. It was difficult to reconcile the image of the powerful and imposing Sato with the small child before them. Finally, Sato spoke up, breaking the silence. "Okay!!! That''s enough, feels like you guys are staring a hole in me?!!" He yelled, his voice more high-pitched than usual. The group exchanged nces, unsure of how to answer. ¡­.. The vigers had gathered in the center of theirmunity, forming a semi-circle around Sato who was seated on a raised tform. As he looked out at the faces of those he had sworn to protect, he felt a strange sense of detachment from his former self. He had be a child once more, but with all his memories and knowledge intact. But since Aril already exined to him why he was the way he was, he felt a bitfortable knowing it wasn''t a permanent thing. <> Yuri sat on a cushion on the ground, providing afortablep for Sato to sit on. Erza and Divanchi were seated beside him, looking somewhat amused by the spectacle. Deka and Ond stood behind them, looking just as confused as the rest of the vigers. Sato cleared his throat and began to address the crowd. Despite his childish appearance, his voice was still deep andmanding, and the vigers listened attentively to his every word. "Apologies for summoning you all on such short notice, especially after the grueling battle we fought yesterday. But I have important news that I must share," Sato began. He took a deep breath before continuing, "Due to a certain circumstance, I was able to defeat the Demon Lord of Fiona in a one-on-one battle. As a result, I have imed the title of Demon Lord for myself." The vigers were stunned, their faces disying a mixture of shock and awe. A voice finally broke the silence, "Lord Sato...you have be a Demon Lord?" Sato nodded, "Yes, that is correct. Normally, the changes should have been immediately apparent to all of you, but due to my unconsciousness during the status update, it may take some time for the effects to reflect on everyone." "So, I want you all to remain calm if one of you suddenly drops to the ground with no warning." Sato said, looking at the mass crowd in front of him. However, his words were soon put to the test as Gambi, a young elf, abruptly crumpled to the ground, a glowing magic circle appearing beneath him. The surrounding elves and beastmen recoiled in fear and confusion as the same strange phenomenon began to afflict others in the crowd. One by one, the elves dropped to the ground, writhing in pain as their own magic circles appeared beneath them. The only individuals unaffected by the mysterious magic were the demons and beast people standing at the fringes of the crowd. Even Erza, Yuri, and Divanchi sumbed to the strange affliction, their prone forms outlined by a pulsing blue magic circle. Chapter 198 Please, Give Me A Name. ? The sudden copse of Sato''s subordinates had thrown the vige into chaos, with frightened whispers and shuffling feet filling the air. Carion, one of the beast men, was taken aback by the scene before him. "What is going on here?" he muttered, trying to make sense of the situation. Another beast man, visibly shaken, took a few steps back from the unconscious bodies. "I don''t like this," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. Meanwhile, Sato let out a deep sigh as he stood up from Yuri''s thighs, where he had been sitting moments before. As he gazed out at the scattered bodies around him, his expression was one of neutral and calm. Sato let out a sigh, running a hand through his hair as he tried to process the situation. "How long is this going to take?" he asked, his tone filled with frustration. "I still have to meet up with the chief goblin and the Cat men." <> "A few hours?" Sato muttered to himself, his ns for the day abruptly changing. He then turned to Carion, one of the few standing alongside him. "Carion, help me position them well in a straight line," he said, pointing at the unconscious bodies. Carion nodded, his face a mix of concern and confusion, before he and the rest of the beast men joined Sato in arranging the bodies of the fallen. Once they finished positioning the unconscious bodies, Sato returned to his seat on the stone, lost in thought about the uing treaty signing with Jira. Suddenly, Carion appeared before him, a concerned expression on his face as he spoke, "Lord Sato..." He called out hesitantly. Sato lifted his head, his attention shifting to Carion as he asked, "What is it, Carion? Do you need something?" Carion hesitated, his gaze drifting back to the unconscious bodies before he found the courage to ask, "Lord Sato, can you tell me what''s happening here?". Sato reclined with his hands supporting him, his gaze fixed on the horizon. "You needn''t worry, they are undergoing changes due to my new status as a Demon Lord. It''s nothing to be concerned about." "I...I see," Carion said, his eyes lingering on the unconscious bodies before he posed another question. "If that''s the case, then may I ask why it didn''t affect any of us beastmen?". "Uhn?" Sato muttered, "Well I didn''t name you guys, did I? So we aren''t exactly linked in any way". Sato''s statement seemed to hit Carion hard, and he suddenly fell to his knees, bowing his head in realization. It dawned on him that he had never been given a name by his lord, and that he had been simply referred to as "beastman" all this while. Ovee with a sense of duty and loyalty, Carion lifted his head and looked directly at Sato with a determined expression. "Lord Sato! I would be honored if you would grant me a name," he said with conviction. "Eh?".. Sato mummered. "I''d also be honored if you would grant me a name as well." One of the demons said, falling to his knees with his head bowed beside Carion. Although the rest wanted to join and have Sato name them, but they knew the amount of magic naming a species, especially one who had been named before, can take a toll on the body. After much consideration, Sato finally spoke, "Very well." He said, standing to his feet and walking toward the two who had their heads bowed. Sato''s expression was calm as he approached Carion and the demon kneeling beside him. He took a moment to study them both, his mind working through different possibilities for their names. Finally, he spoke again, "Carion, from this day forward, you shall be known as ''Raijin''." The beastman''s eyes widened in surprise and gratitude as he lifted his head to meet Sato''s gaze. "And as for you," Sato turned to the demon beside Raijin, "you shall be known as ''Azazel''." The demon nodded in thanks, his expression respectful and awed. The other demons and beastmen watched in silence as theirrades were named, feeling a mixture of envy and awe at the honor they had been given. They knew that it was not an easy task to name a species, especially for a demon lord with as much power as Sato. Sato returned to his seat on the stone, his eyes once again focused on the ground as he settled back into his thoughts. The newly named Raijin and Azazel remained kneeling beside him, their expressions one of reverence and loyalty. ¡­.. The zing sun was high up in the sky, casting its golden light upon the vige. The bodies of the unconscious elves and subordinatesy scattered on the ground, with Azazel and Raijin among them, stilling to grips with their newfound names. Sato had left the vige, entrusting the safety of his newly acquired territory to the watchful eyes of the beastmen and the newly appointed demon guards. With the vige secure, Sato set out to meet the witches of Lilivil. With agile movements, Sato weaved through the dense foliage of the forest, his steps silent as he swiftly made his way towards his destination. As he approached the gateway, his pace quickened, and he moved with such speed that he left a blur in his wake. Coming to a sudden stop, Sato stood before the gateway, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger. The gateway, a mystical tree, passage to the witches'' sanctuary, stood tall and imposing, surrounded by a thick mist that obscured the view beyond. Sato took a deep breath, preparing himself for whaty ahead. Sato approached the tree, a solemn expression on his face. He ced his hand on the rough bark, feeling the energy coursing through it. "Lilivil, are you there?" he whispered, his voice barely above a breath. As if in response, the tree began to glow with an ethereal light. The glow intensified, and suddenly, Sato was pulled forward by a powerful force. He stumbled forward, struggling to keep his bnce as he was drawn into the tree. In an instant, he was gone. The tree returned to its normal state, and the surrounding forest was once again shrouded in silence. ¡­. *Kingdom of Fiona* Jiray sprawled on the floor, his breathing shallow and his body covered in deep wounds. Three female healers were gathered around him, tending to his injuries with great care. One was gently wiping his body with a damp towel, while another was skillfully bandaging his wounds. The third healer was assisting the other two, making sure that they had everything they needed. Despite their efforts, Jira remained unconscious, his chest rising and falling with each shallow breath. The healers worked tirelessly, their hands moving quickly and precisely as they applied their healing magic to his battered body. Gn, the first General of the Fiona army, stood at the entrance with his arms folded, a scowl etched onto his face. His long ck hair cascaded down his back, and his pale gray skin gave him an ominous appearance. Gn''s most striking feature, however, was his four strange eyes, which seemed to glower at everything around him. Beside Gn stood the 3rd General, Yayha, a male with a small stature and a bald head. His snake-like eyes darted around the room, taking in everything with a calcting gaze. Despite his diminutive size, Yayha exuded a sense of danger and power that was hard to ignore. "You must be thinking the same thing I am," Yayha said, his gaze fixed on Jira, who was being tended to by three female healers. Gn let out a groan, "I still can''t wrap my head around the fact that we lost a war... against some weak elf," he asserted. "Are the lower generals really that ipetent?" Yayha smiled, "Don''t forget, even Lord Jira lost to them... hard to believe anyone could beat him this badly." Gn''s eyes narrowed, and he turned to face Yayha, grabbing him by his clothes. "Are you implying that Demon Lord Jira... is weak?" "No," Yayha responded calmly. "What I am saying is, whoever roughed up Lord Jira this much probably spared him, and if that''s the case, he would have most definitely earned the title of Demon Lord.". Gn''s grip on Yayha''s clothes tightened as he leaned in closer. "Watch your tongue, Yayha. Remember who you''re talking to." The bald-headed general remained unfazed. "I''m fully aware, Gn. But we can''t afford to be in denial about the situation. We lost the war, and we need to rethink our steps ande up with a new strategy because if people find out Lord Jira isn''t a demon lord anymore¡­ we could have a problem in our hands." Gn''s scowl deepened, but he reluctantly released his grip on Yayha. "Fine, but we need to act fast. Our position as one of the top demon generals is at stake." Yayha nodded in agreement. "I couldn''t agree more. That said¡­can you let me now?". Chapter 199 I Am You, From The Future. ? The oppressive atmosphere was punctuated by the sound ofbored breathing, which reverberated ominously through the dimly lit space. The steady drip of blood as it hit the hard floor added to the unsettling ambiance, while the all-epassing silence was almost suffocating in its intensity. In the oppressive stillness and pitch-ck darkness, a voice pierced through, a female voice that was eerily familiar. "Yuri," the voice called out, strained and feeble, as though it was a struggle to even utter the word. The darkness seemed to swallow the voice, as if it were emanating from a great distance. It was a female voice, familiar yet unrecognizable in the thick ckness. "Y..uri," it called again, the sound strained and desperate, as if the speaker were in pain. The silence that followed was deafening, broken only by the sound of the voice gasping for air. It was clear that whoever it belonged to was struggling to speak. "What''s going on¡­?" Yuri''s voice rang out, full of confusion and concern, "Was that¡­a woman?". There was no response, only the sound of heavy breathing and the asional drop of blood hitting the ground. "Yuri¡­wake up¡­ you have to wake up!!!". In an instant, Yuri''s eyes sprang open, and she found herself kneeling in the midst of an unfamiliar space, cloaked in darkness except for the area immediately surrounding her. In front of her knelt a figure, dressed in a mysterious ck ensemble with a veil concealing their features. Bloodstains marred parts of their clothing, and they used one hand to steady themselves. The scene before her was shrouded in an eerie silence, save for the faint sound of her own breathing. Yuri''s mind raced as she attempted to piece together her current situation. How had she ended up in this unknown ce, and who was this enigmatic figure before her? She could feel a sense of danger emanating from them, and her instincts told her to be cautious. As her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit surroundings, she began to take in her surroundings, searching for any clues or hints as to her whereabouts. The air was thick with an ominous energy, and the silence only served to heighten her apprehension. Suddenly, the figure spoke, "Ahh, I made it." The figure panted, desperately trying to keep themselves bnced. From the tone, Yuri was able to guess that the person in front of her was a female. She stood up from the ground and looked down at the person before she asked, "Who are you?". The individual gave out a heavy sigh, before using her blood painted hand to remove the veil from her face. Shock was instantly written on Yuri''s face when she noticed that the individual kneeling in front of her was literally her. The figure in front of her was dressed exactly like Yuri, with the same hairstyle and facial features. However, there was a stark difference between them. The individual''s eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles under them, and her skin was pale as if she had not seen sunlight in ages. Yuri stumbled back a few steps, trying toprehend what was happening. "What...what is going on here?" She stuttered, still in shock. The other Yuri chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "I...am you," She said, her voice barely above a whisper, struggling to speak from the loss of blood. "Or rather, you..from the future". Yuri frowned, her confusion turning to frustration. "I don''t understand. You''re telling me I learnt how to time travel?". The female spoke with a weak voice, her body trembling as she struggled to maintain her bnce. Yuri could see the desperation in her eyes and the exhaustion etched on her face. "I..don''t have time to go into details," The female said, looking up at Yuri with blood trailing down her mouth. "The¡­war with Jira¡­has it happened yet?" She asked urgently. Yuri''s heart skipped a beat. She hesitated for a moment before responding, "Yes, we already defeated Jira in the war." The female let out a deep groan, frustration evident in her voice, "Ahh, I waste." Yuri was confused, "What do you mean? What are you¡­saying?". The female''s voice trembled with emotion as she spoke, her eyes brimming with tears. "Before the war began, master did something... stupid," She began. "I didn''t notice. I didn''t know the death of Latina and Elena was still weighing on his mind." Yuri''s heart sank as she listened, the gravity of the situation bing clearer with every passing word. "What did he do?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "He sent a clone of himself to retrieve their souls," The female replied, her voice breaking. "In the process, the clone killed the goddess of death." Yuri''s eyes widened in shock and horror. "Killing the goddess of death? How is that¡­even possible?" She whispered. The female nodded, tears still streaming down her face. "It preserved the bnce, but it angered most of the other gods. Including a particr Campione, a godyer, Asrath. He came and took master to the god realm for questioning, and that was when... the observer showed up." "What happened then?" She asked, her voice barely audible as she tried her best to remain calm. The female''s voice trembled as she spoke, and tears continued to stream down her face. Yuri could feel the weight of her words, and her heart sank with every passing moment. "I didn''t know what was happening until it was toote," The female said, her voice cracking with emotion. "The observer appeared, and I knew something terrible was going to happen." Yuri could feel the fear in the room, and she knew that something terrible had happened to the female in front of her. "What did the observer do?" she asked softly, repeating herself. The female took a deep breath before continuing. "He¡­ he took master," She said, her voice barely above a whisper. "He said that master had broken the rules and that he had to be punished. And then he¡­" She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence. "Don''t just stop half way, spill it!" Yuri yelled, going to her knees in front of the female and grabbing her arms. "He¡­ he killed him," The female said, her voice shaking with grief. "The observer killed master, and there was nothing I could do to stop him." Yuri felt a surge of emotion as she listened to the female''s words. She could feel the pain and sadness emanating from her, and she knew that there was nothing she could do to ease her suffering. All she could do was listen and wonder what on earth was happening. Chapter 200 I Am You, From The Future II ? Yuri stood before the injured female, her heart heavy with the weight of the woman''s words. She could see the fear and desperation in the woman''s eyes, and knew that there was something truly grave at stake. "Whatever you do¡­you must not let Master go with Asrath¡­he must not meet with the Observer, I beg of you!" the woman implored, her voice trembling with emotion. "I understand," Yuri said softly, her voice gentle but resolute. "Under no circumstances should he meet with the Observer!" the woman yelled, her voice hoarse with urgency. Despite her injuries, she still managed to sound aggressive. "I said I understand," Yuri repeated, still keeping her voice calm and soothing even though she was clearly getting annoyed. But the woman was not satisfied. "No you don''t!" she suddenly yelled, her eyes focused on the ground as tears followed. "You don''understand¡­.I''ve been restarting, from the same point, over and over and over and over and over and ¡­ over¡­ again." Yuri''s heart sank as she listened to the woman''s words. She could feel the weight of the woman''s despair, it felt as though she was the one feeling it. "Every time, he dies. No matter how many times I restart, he still dies, right in front of me¡­every¡­time." The woman cried, her voice breaking with emotion. "He¡­he always slips from my hand and there was nothing I could do!" Yuri felt a lump form in her throat as she listened to the woman''s words. She knew that feeling of helplessness all too well, the despair of watching someone you care for slip away despite your best efforts. "I had to watch him die every time, from my failure," The woman said, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you don''t do something, he''s really going to die this time..do you get it? Master is going to die!" Yuri''s heart clenched with sorrow as she looked into the woman''s eyes. She could feel the urgency of the situation, the gravity of the consequences if they failed. But she also felt a fierce determination building within her. She would not let Master die, not if there was anything she could do to prevent it. "I understand," Yuri said firmly, her voice filled with conviction. "And I will do everything in my power to make sure that Master is safe. I swear it." "If you are truly me from the future, then I have no doubt you''ve tried everything in your power to protect him¡­this only means I have to try harder". The woman''s eyes searched Yuri''s face for a moment, before finally nodding in agreement. "I''m d you understand¡­ I was just¡­". Suddenly, Yuri''s eyes widened in shock as the woman''s hand exploded, leaving her writhing in pain on the ground. Blood gushed from the wound, staining the ground red as the woman clutched at the stump where her hand used to be. "What the hell just happened?!" Yuri gasped, staring at the woman in horror. "I''m¡­ I''m in a battle." The woman gritted out through clenched teeth, her face twisted in agony. "Divanchi is keeping the enemy busy". Yuri felt a cold sweat break out across her skin as she realized the gravity of the situation. "We need to get you help," Yuri said, her voice urgent as she knelt beside the injured woman. But the woman shook her head, her eyes zing with determination. "No. That would be¡­stupid. What you need to do Isplete the coption ritual with master, after that¡­you''ll have the power to reset". Yuri could see the desperation in the woman''s eyes, the sheer willpower that kept her going despite the pain and trauma she had endured. "Coption? Sure¡­I''ll get it done." Yuri vowed, clenching her fists with determination. "I won''t let him reach the Observer." The woman nodded, her eyes closing as she slumped against the ground. "Good luck," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "You''ll need it." Yuri felt a surge of determination fill her chest as she rose to her feet, her heart set on stopping Asrath before it was toote. But as she turned to leave, she could not shake the feeling of unease that lingered in the back of her mind, a sense of dread that whispered of things yet toe. ¡­.. Like a shock, Yuri suddenly opened her eyes and found herselfying on the ground next to the remaining o f Sato''s subordinates. She immediately stood up from the ground, "I passed out?" She uttered, looking around to see how lots of people were lying unconscious on the ground. "Oh right¡­master was holding a meeting with and then¡­" Yuri paused when she suddenly remembered the discussion she had with her future self. Her heart was pounding with confusion and anxiety. She took deep breaths and tried to clear her mind, but her thoughts kept circling back to the ominous warning her future self had given her. She sat on the rocky ground, her eyes fixated on a distant point, lost in her thoughts. The unconscious bodies of Sato''s subordinates were scattered around her. The sky was turning orange as the sun began to set. "Could it have been real?" Yuri muttered to herself, her voice barely audible. "What did she mean by ''watched him die over and over again''?" Yuri tried to shake off the uneasy feeling, but it lingered like a bad dream. She felt a sense of responsibility to protect Sato, but she didn''t know how or where. As she sat there lost in thought, she felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to see one of Sato''s subordinates, a young beastman with bandages around his arms, looking at her with concern. "Miss Yuri, are you okay?" He asked. Yuri looked at him, momentarily surprised. She had been so lost in her thoughts that she had forgotten where she was. "I''m fine," She said, forcing a smile. "Just lost in thought." The young man nodded, but Yuri could tell he was still worried. She tried to put on a brave face and focus on the task at hand. She looked at the beastman and asked, standing to her feet with a smile, "Where is lord Sato?". Chapter 201 I Plan To Turn This Land Into A Nation! ? "What, what is it? Why are you all staring at me like that?" Sato inquired, seated upon the table with his hands folded. The group of witches who were previously seated in their chairs appeared astonished and taken aback by what they were witnessing. Their gazes were fixed on Sato, who appeared to have transformed into a child, or at the very least resembled one. The sudden alteration had left the witches in disbelief, and they could not help but stare in shock at their former Sessor. The room was filled with a palpable sense of confusion and uncertainty as the witches struggled to make sense of what they were seeing. "Uhm, Sessor," Kirah spoke up, her tone firm as she struggled to find the right words. Sato turned his attention towards Kirah, his expression curious as he awaited her question. "I apologize for any rudeness, but I must ask," Kirah paused, ncing around the room at the other witches before continuing, "What is the reason for your sudden transformation into a cute child?". The room fell silent once more as all eyes turned towards Sato, awaiting his response. The atmosphere was tense, filled with an air of uncertainty and confusion. It was not every day that they witnessed such a peculiar urrence, and the witches were understandably curious about the reason behind it. Sato appeared to take a moment to gather his thoughts before speaking, "I used too much magic during the war, and now I look like this." He replied. "Could this be a side effect of the forbidden technique you utilized?" Levia inquired, her tone stern as she gazed at the table. "I was unable to partake in the war, and thus I was not present to prevent you from using it," She continued, directing her attention towards Sato. Terafona, seated calmly as always with her umbre shielding her from the stares, was the next to be addressed. "Why did you not intervene and stop him from utilizing the forbidden technique?" Levia asked, her toneced with usation. Terafona responded with a simple "What?" which only served to further incite Levia. "Don''t ''what'' me," She snapped. "You are far more mature and responsible than anyone else here, including the Sessor. Why did you not prevent him from using such a reckless technique?". "Hey! I''m responsible!" Kirah yelled underneath Levia''s words. Terafona remained unfazed. "It was his choice to make," She stated calmly. "There is no need to be so emotional about it." Terafona''sposed demeanor remained unchanged as Levia''s face turned red with frustration at the response. "I am not¡­ emotional," Levia insisted, although her tone betrayed her agitation. Suddenly, Ava interjected with a conciliatory tone. "You are right," she admitted. "We should have paid closer attention to the Sessor." Ava stood up and walked over to Sato, who was still seated on the table observing the drama. She picked him up and sat down on the nearest chair, cing Sato on herp and running her fingers through his hair. "That is precisely why I will keep an even closer eye on him from now on," Ava dered, a gentle smile on her face as she looked down at Sato. Her words seemed to soothe the tension in the room, and the witches gradually rxed as they watched Ava interact with their new, younger-looking Sessor. Out nowhere, Selfy let out a teasing remark directed towards Ava, "My, my, Ava, you have be quite bold," She said with her fist resting under her chin. "Just make sure Yuri doesn''t catch you like that," She added with a sly grin. Ava scoffed and turned her head to the side, clearly unimpressed by Selfy''s teasing. "I am not afraid of that witch," She retorted. Selfy, however, continued to poke fun at Ava, reminding her of her past losses to Yuri. "You say that, but didn''t Yuri already beat you twice now?" She teased, her tone lighthearted. "I was not at my best on those days," Ava replied defensively. "Please do not bring it up." Selfy let out a yful giggle, clearly amused by the exchange. "Oh my, how udylike of you," she remarked. "Shut up!" Ava yelled. Despite the yful banter between the witches, Sato grew bored and let out a deep sigh. "Enough already," he interjected, effectively breaking the tension. "We''ve already sidetracked from the reason I came here in the first ce". The witches immediately quieted down, sensing the seriousness in Sato''s tone. They turned their attention back to him, their yful expressions reced with more solemn ones. "Oh yeah, I was wondering that too, why did youe? Not that I mind it." Kirah asked, her voice respectful and deferential. Sato took a deep breath, considering his next words carefully. "I''m ready to take the next step of turning thisnd into a nation," He dered, his voice firm and resolute. "But I can''t do it without your help". Kirah looked up from the table, her expression one of confusion. "Why not?" she asked. "We already gave thend to you, so what''s the big deal?". Terafona interjected before Sato could answer. "That is something only we Lilivils know," She exined. "It''s not like every person who turned the forest into their home knows about it." Sato nodded in agreement. "And that is correct," He said. "The first step in turning and into a nation or kingdom is its citizens, in this case, the vigers here." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "I can''t just enter any random vige in the forest andmand them to acknowledge me as their lord," He continued. "I need to gain their trust, or atleast make them see that I am the ruler either way". "That''s not a problem at all." Kirah stood up from her chair, mming her hands on the table with her focus on Sato, "If anyone refuses to serve you, I''ll simply destroy them¡­". "That''s not exactly, very helpful." Sato responded. "Then what would you have us do?" Selfy asked. "Before anyone could enter the forest, they always had to seek recognition from you guys, if I''m not mistaken." Sato hinted. The atmosphere in the room shifted as the witches exchanged looks of understanding. Terafona was the first to speak up, her tone serious and thoughtful. "That''s correct," she said. "We have always been the gatekeepers of the forest." Ava added her agreement, her expression contemtive. "So far, only one person has been able to pass our radar undetected, and that person would be you, of course." Sato nodded, pleased with their acknowledgement. "Exactly," he said. "Now imagine this¡­ if one of the witches goes to every vige in the forest and announces the new ruler, and if they don''t ept this ruler, they''ll get kicked out. How do you think most of them would react?" Terafona''s eyes widened in surprise as she realized where Sato was going with it. "That''s definitely going to work," She muttered, impressed by the simplicity of the n. Kirah''s face lit up with a smile as Sato''s n seemed to being together. "When do we begin?" She asked eagerly. Sato considered for a moment before responding, "I''ll be heading to the human territory tomorrow to sign a peace treaty with Warthniq, but I n to finish whatever needs to be done here first." Levia, who had been quiet until now, suddenly spoke up. "I have more influence on the west side of the forest, I could start from there," she offered. Kirah''s confidence was evident as she said, "Oh, I have more in the north, so leave that to me!" Selfy, always eager to help, said, "I''ll take the Canyons, that''s mostly where I meet the travelers." Ava''s response was more resigned, "I''ll just go with the west," she said with a sigh. Terafona, who had remained quiet until everyone had spoken, finally added, "I''ll take whatever ce is left." p¦Ánd¦Á---no¦Í?1,§ão§® Each of the witches seemed to have a specific area of the forest that they were more familiar with and had more influence in. It was clear that they were ready to use their powers and influence to help Sato achieve his goal. "Awesome, this should reduce the¡­" Sato suddenly paused when he sensed something, his expression foreshadowing danger. "Hey Ava¡­ put me down," he said urgently. Ava, who had been holding Sato in her arms, looked confused. "Uhn¡­ why is that? Do you not like my thighs?" she joked. "No, that''s not it," Sato replied, his tone serious. Selfy also sensed the danger and quickly stood up from her chair. "Ava, you need to put the Sessor down right now!" she eximed. "What has gotten into you guys?" Ava asked, still perplexed by their sudden reactions. "No time to exin," Selfy said as she walked towards Ava and grabbed Sato by the legs, pulling him away from her. "Selfy, you''re hurting him!" Ava protested, refusing to let go of Sato''s arms. "Then you let go!" Selfy retorted. Sato sighed in relief as a bright light suddenly filled the room, and Yuri appeared, causing both Ava and Selfy to freeze. Yuri red at them coldly. "What are you two doing to my master?!" she demanded. Chapter 202 From Reapers To Soul Hunters. ? Yuri held Sato protectively in her arms, casting a fierce gaze at the witches gathered in the room. "I ask that you show more respect to my master and refrain from dragging him into your meaningless banters," She scolded, her voiceced with authority. Ava shifted ufortably and muttered under her breath, "Shut up already." Yuri''s eyes narrowed as she turned her attention to Ava. "Excuse me?" She asked, her tone sharp and unyielding. Ava recoiled, unable to meet Yuri''s unwavering gaze. "I...I didn''t mean anything by it," She stammered. Yuri''s expression softened slightly, but her voice remained stern. "My master has not yet recovered his magic as you can see." She said, hinting at Sato''s small child-like body, "Show some consideration at least". Sato suddenly let out a nervousugh, "Yuri, let''s go, that''s enough." He said. "Very well," Yuri responded, striding towards the wall and in an instant, disappeared into thin air. The rest of the witches just watched, not uttering a word until Yuri waspletely gone. Then Levia broke the silence, "Are you guys sure that was a good idea?" She asked, looking up with her arms tucked, "This was our chance to make him remember his life as the Sessor and the goddess alliance." "I''d rather he doesn''t remember," Terafona uttered, which immediately drew the attention of the remaining witches. "Besides," She continued as she stood up, "I''m sure if he wanted to remember, he would have figured out a way. There''s no use stressing about it." "I hope you''re right." Kirah said, resting her head on the table with a huge sigh following right after. Meanwhile, outside the gateway. As they walked through the forest, Yuri carried Sato in her arms, cradling him protectively as they made their way back to the vige. "Honestly, those girls are so selfish," Yuri muttered under her breath, her voice filled with annoyance. "If I hadn''te, who knows what they would have done." Sato chuckled softly. "It wasn''t that serious, Yuri," He said. "They were just trying to help." "You''re equally to me as well, Master," Yuri scolded, her grip on him tightening unconsciously. "Why did you go to the gateway without me?!". Sato released a frustrated sigh, trying to wiggle himself free from Yuri''s grip. "As I said before, it wasn''t my fault," He reiterated. "You were unconscious during the evolution, and there was no way I could have woken you up." Yuri paused suddenly, a glint in her eye as she remembered something. "Oh, I almost forgot!" She eximed, her grip loosening as she shifted her focus to a new topic. "I wanted to show you something." Sato raised an eyebrow in curiosity, wondering what it was that had caught Yuri''s attention. "What is it?" He asked, his interest piqued. Yuri gave him a small smile before continuing to walk, "let me take you there." She said, leading him off the path and into the deeper parts of the forest. As they walked, Sato couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at the beauty of the forest around him. The trees towered above him, their leaves rustling in the gentle breeze. Birds chirped in the distance, and small animals scurried about their business. Finally, after a few minutes of walking, Yuri stopped in front of arge rock. "Here it is," She said, gesturing towards the boulder. Sato looked at the boulder, confused. "What am I looking at?" He asked. <> ''Oh,'' Sato muttered, still looking at the boulder, ''Why would she want to show me this though, I already know about them?''. "Master, remember when I told you about the Grim reapers I rule over?" Yuri asked before cing a hand on the boulder. "Yes I remember, what about it?". "Well." Suddenly, the rock began to glow, and Sato gasped as he saw intricate designs and symbols appearing on the surface. It was like nothing he had ever seen before. "What is this?" He asked, his eyes wide with wonder. Yuri smiled. "It''s a secret domain I created for them," She said. "It''s one of the oldest and most powerful spells I can use. The designs you see are the records of all the magic that has ever been used in this forest". Sato was amazed. "That''s incredible," he said, still staring at the glowing boulder. "Yes, it is," Yuri agreed. Suddenly, Sato couldn''t believe his eyes as he saw the boulder splitting open like a celestial gateway, revealing a blinding light shining from the inside. He watched in awe as Yuri confidently walked towards the light. "Let me show you," Yuri said, beckoning Sato to follow her. Without hesitation, Sato jumped down from Yuri''s arms and followed her inside the boulder. As soon as they stepped into the light, the rock closed behind them, engulfing them in a soft, warm glow. Sato stepped inside and found himself standing on top of a high rock surrounded by other rocks. The air was cooler than he expected, yet it felt strangelyfortable. He looked around, observing the walls adorned with shining rocks that emitted a soft magical energy, keeping the cave cool and warm at the same time. "This was why you wanted us to walk to the vige rather than teleport." Sato said as he knelt down to inspect the ground beneath him. "Yes, master," Yuri replied with a smile, standing beside him. Suddenly, Sato''s eyes widened in shock when he saw a group of people interacting with each other,pletely naked. His surprise was evident when he uttered, "What the hell?". Yuri calmly exined, "These are the grim reapers". e¦Áglesn?¦Íel "You''ve got to be kidding, there''s no way, did¡­they evolve or something?" Sato asked, his eyes still fixed on them. <> ''That''s¡­kinda impressive.'' Sato muttered with a smile, he then looked to Yuri and said, "Quite the loyal subject you''ve got here¡­good job". Yuri''s eyes sparkled for a moment before she regained herposure. "It''s good, but I don''t know what to do with them," she said with a hint of concern in her voice. Sato stood up and approached Yuri, "What do you mean by that?" he asked, trying to understand her thoughts on the matter. "I mean," Yuri began, "It was easier keeping them here, they were lifeless and had no form, only followed the simplemands I gave them¡­but now that they have a form it''s moreplicated". Sato nodded thoughtfully, barely understanding the gravity of the situation. "I see," He said, before speaking to his angel ''Aril, trante''. <> ''Ahh, you''re right, that could be a problem,'' Sato thought to himself, while looking down at the Soul hunters. <> ''Great thinking Aril, as always.'' Sato replied with a smile. < > "Master?" Yuri called out, feeling a sense of unease as Sato fell silent. Maintaining aposed demeanor, Sato gazed at Yuri with a small smile on his face. "There is no need for concern. I have a solution, all I need from you, is to get their attention". "O-Okay." Yuri strode purposefully to the edge of the rocky outcropping, her gaze fixated on the bewildered Soul Hunters below who had been stripped of their corporeal forms. Without hesitation, she surveyed their positions, mentally calcting their numbers and positions before uttering a single word, "Yosh!" As if on cue, the Soul Hunters looked up in unison, their eyes widening in recognition as they beheld Yuri standing above them, nked by Sato. "Arrgh!" One of the Soul Hunters cried out, immediately dropping to his knees in reverence. The others quickly followed suit, their postures deferential as they bowed their heads in submission. Having captivated the attention of the Soul Hunters, Yuri turned to Sato and announced, "Master, I have their attention." A small smile tugged at the corners of Sato''s lips as he nodded in approval. "Excellent. Now, it''s time to begin," he said, directing his gaze towards the Soul Hunters below. "Good day, Soul Snatchers," Sato began, his voice projecting with a measured tone. "I hope this day finds you well," he continued, his words carefully chosen to convey a sense of respect and diplomacy towards their audience. Yuri observed her master''smunication skills with admiration, recognizing the art of persuasion he had honed over many years of experience. She stood by his side, fully engaged in the unfolding dialogue with the Soul Hunters, ready to support Sato in any way possible. Chapter 203 A Village For The Soul Hunters ? The Soul Hunters knelt with reverent heads bowed in unison as Sato, positioned atop arge rock, delivered his address. Yuri, positioned at his side, stood tall and attentive, surveying the group with a watchful gaze. Standing tall above the kneeling Soul Hunters, Sato spoke with amanding voice that echoed throughout the cavern. "I understand that you may be confused about your current state, which is quite reasonable, but I assure you, there is no cause for concern," he began. "This is a natural part of your evolution, and in a matter of days, you will adapt to these changes." As he surveyed the cavern, his eyes fell upon the magic stones adorning the walls. "However," he continued, "it is important to note that you can no longer subsist solely on magic. Food and other resources will be necessary for your survival in this new habitat." Turning to his trustedpanion, Sato called out to Yuri, who stood poised at his side. "Yuri!" he eximed. "Hai!" she responded with unwavering loyalty and attentiveness. Sato''s attention remained fixed on the kneeling Soul Hunters as he spoke to Yuri. "Would you be able to lead them out of this cave and into the surrounding forest?" He inquired. "Of course, master," replied Yuri, her unwavering loyalty to Sato evident in her voice. "May I ask what your n is?". A confident smile crept across Sato''s face as he replied, "We are going to establish a vige for them". With this announcement, the Soul Hunters looked up in surprise, their faces awash with confusion and wonder. Sato continued, his voice ringing with conviction, "It is time for us to build a newmunity, one that will enable them to thrive and grow in this new world¡­ funny, I''m actually excited". Yuri deftly opened therge rock that sealed the entrance to the cave, and the Soul Hunters emerged, one by one, into the bright sunlight. Each of them wore an expression of eager anticipation, their faces lit up with excitement as they stepped out onto the rough, unfamiliar terrain. For many of them, this was the first time they had ever experienced the sensation of sun on their skin and the roughness of the ground beneath their feet. As Grim Reapers, they had been confined to the shadows, never venturing out into the light. But now, as they took in the sights and sounds of the forest around them, their excitement was palpable. Their journey had just begun, and as they set off into the unknown, the Soul Hunters knew that they were about to embark on an adventure unlike any they had ever known. Yuri stood at the forefront of the group of Soul Hunters, while Sato soared overhead, taking in thendscape from a bird''s eye view. As he surveyed the area, Sato muttered to himself, "This should be a good spot. Okay, Aril, this is where youe in." <> At hismand, Sato''s eyes flickered with a bright green light, and his Angel, Aril, took over control of his body. The Angel''s powerful presence was palpable, and the Soul Hunters could feel a surge of energy emanating from Sato''s body. "I shall now begin," Aril intoned in amanding voice, as Sato''s body moved with an otherworldly grace. The Angel''s auto mode had been activated, and its powers were being channeled into the task at hand. ¡­.. Back at the vige, where most of the elves had woken up from their sudden unconsciousness, Erza stirred from her unconsciousness, slowly lifting herself from the ground. "What happened?" She murmured, rubbing her temples as she tried to regain her bearings. Suddenly, her eyes widened with rm. "Did I fall asleep?!". Divanchi, who was sitting nearby on a rock with a solemn expression, turned to face her. "No, you were unconscious for a few hours," She replied, her voice tinged with sadness. Erza nodded,ing to terms with what had happened. "Ah, I see. So that''s what Darling was warning us about," She said, her attention suddenly turning to the look on Divanchi''s face. "Divanchi, are you alright?" She asked, concern etched on her features. After a moment of silence, Divanchi finally spoke, her voice low and hesitant. "I...just remembered something I shouldn''t have," she admitted. "But it''s nothing, really. Just one of those things..." Before she could finish her sentence, Erza had already wrapped her arms around her in a warm embrace. Divanchi was taken aback by the sudden gesture, unsure of how to respond. "What are you doing?" She asked, her voice tinged with surprise. Erza''s smile was gentle and reassuring as she held her friend close. "Shh," she said softly. "It''s okay. My mom always does this to my dad when he''s feeling down. It''s a way to help calm someone down. So...is it working?" Slowly, Divanchi''s tense posture began to rx as she leaned into Erza''s embrace. Despite the weight of her troubling thoughts, she feltforted by the simple act of human connection. For a moment, the world around them seemed to fade away, reced by the warmth of their shared embrace. Erza suddenly broke the silence, "Oh, by the way, where is Darling?" She raised a question. "Why do you keep calling master that?" Divanchi asked. "Uhn?" Erza tilted her head to the side to get a good view of Divanchi''s face, "Cause he''s my darling". "Right." Divanchi sighed, "Well I heard from one of the beastmen that master went to speak with the witches of the forest". "Thosedies that helped in the war?" Erza asked. "Yes those." Divanchi, "For now, I''d just wait and see what happens next¡­it''d be stupid of me to think Jira isn''t going to have aeback". Erza nodded in agreement, "Yeah, you''re right. I, on the other hand, happen to dislike him very much." She looked around the vige, " But since I can''t really help in fights, I guess I can help with rebuilding everything that was destroyed during the war." Divanchi sighed, "Yeah¡­. I doubt it''s going to be easy though". Erza smiled, "Of course it''s easy. We''re the vampires, after all. We''ve faced tougher challenges than this". As they talked, they started walking towards the center of the vige where some of the other elves were gathered, discussing their ns for rebuilding. Erza and Divanchi joined in the conversation, sharing their ideas and offering their help. Meanwhile, Aril soared through the sky, marveling at the vast expanse of lush greenery beneath her. As she gazed upon the sprawling forest, her thoughts turned to her mission - to create a vige that would provide a safe haven for the Soul hunters. With a graceful motion, Aril extended her hand, and a beam of searing hot energy shot forth from her fingertips. Theser beam sliced through the earth like a knife through butter, carving out a massive hole in the ground. Aril continued to manipte theser with expert precision, carefully shaping the hole into the perfect foundation for her new vige. As she worked, Aril''s mind was focused and determined. She knew that building a vige from scratch would be a daunting task, but she was confident in her abilities. With each passing moment, the hole in the ground grewrger and more borate, taking shape before her very eyes. Finally, after what felt like hours of intense concentration, Aril stepped back to survey her work. The hole was now a massive clearing in the forest, perfect for building the foundations of a new home. With a sense of satisfaction, Aril began to prepare for the next phase of her mission. Shended on the floor, her eyes scanning the faces of the naked Soul hunters and Yuri who were all surprised, wondering what was going on. Without skipping a beat, Aril addressed one of the Ghost Hunters directly. "You,e please," she said, her voicemanding and confident. The Ghost Hunter quickly obliged, making his way to Aril''s side as the rest of hisrades looked on in awe. With a sense of purpose, Aril ced her hand on the Ghost Hunter''s head. A faint light emanated from her palm, and the Ghost Hunter''s eyes widened in amazement. "I''ll give you the knowledge needed to construct the buildings," Aril said, her voice steady and measured. "With this, you should be able to lead and teach the rest." As Aril removed her hand, the Ghost Hunter stood there for a moment, his mind processing the new knowledge that had just been bestowed upon him. He looked up at Aril, his expression one of gratitude and admiration. With the first Ghost Hunter now equipped with the knowledge needed to begin construction on the vige, Aril turned her attention to the others. One by one, she moved through the group, cing her hand on each hunter''s head and transferring a different set of knowledge. Some received knowledge on agriculture and sustainable farming practices, while others were given information on how to build sturdy and functional structures. Aril also shared information on how to manage resources, maintain hygiene, and promotemunity involvement. With each transfer, the hunters'' faces lit up with newfound understanding and determination. They began to discuss and n together, eager to put their newly acquired knowledge into practice. Chapter 204 Terence, The King Of Warthniq. ? Sato and Yuri stood at a respectful distance, watching as the Ghost Hunters worked tirelessly to construct their new vige. The hunters moved with purpose, using the knowledge Aril had bestowed upon them to build structures and nt crops. "Considering their numbers, they should be done in less than two days," Sato remarked, his arms crossed as he surveyed the progress being made. Yuri turned her gaze to him, admiring the excitement and pride evident in his expression. She couldn''t help but feel grateful for his guidance and support. "Thank you, master," She said with a warm smile. "For all the help you''ve given us. Without your knowledge and guidance, we would never have been able to build a vige like this." Sato''s expression remained serious as he spoke, his tone conveying a sense of determination. "It''s not really a big deal, anyone could have done this." He said. "As long as it makes you happy, I don''t mind it." Yuri feltl a rush of gratitude towards Sato. Despite his serious demeanor, he was always willing to support her in any way he could. "Thank you," She muttered, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. Sato then pointed towards the Ghost Hunters, drawing Yuri''s attention towards them. "You are going to have to give them names at some point," He said. "At least a few of them, if you are hoping to build a sessful society here". Yuri shook her head vehemently. "Names? No way," she said. "I don''t think I''m fit to name another creature." Sato let out a deep sigh, then turned to face Yuri. He ced both his hands on her cheeks before pulling her close. "Are you implying that I''m weak?" He teased, a small smile ying on his lips. Yuri let out a smallugh, feeling her heart swell with affection towards her master. "No, of course not," She said, a smile spreading across her face. "I just don''t want to mess it up, is all". Sato''s expression softened as he looked into Yuri''s eyes. "I was the one that named you, was I not? You won''t mess it up," he said. "You are one of the strongest women I''ve met. And besides, naming things is an important part of building a society. If you name a creature, he too will have the ability to name another, depending on the abilities of the namer, of course". Yuri''s cheeks grew even redder as Sato''s hands pressed against them, but she managed to nod in agreement. "I understand," she muttered. Sato released his grip on Yuri''s face and stepped back, his attention turning towards the workers who were busy constructing their vige. "Who knows," he said, a small smile ying at the corner of his lips. "When I''m no longer around, you might be able to take on the status of empress or queen, or maybe even..." But before he could finish his sentence, Yuri pushed him to the ground with surprising strength. She pinned him down, her eyes meeting his with a serious expression. "Master," she said coldly. "Please don''t say that again." Sato''s expression grew serious as he realized the impact of his words. "Hey¡­Yuri?," He called out, his voice filled with remorse. "Did¡­something happen?." Yuri''s grip on Sato''s eyes softened, and she kept her eyes locked on him. "Just..," She said softly. "Promise me you won''t say something like that again". Sato sighed in agreement, resting his headpletely on the ground. "Okay fine I promise," He said. "Happy?". "Yes I am." Yuri responded, the serious expression she had onpletely vanishing and reced with a smile. Sato''s countenance contorted with a mixture of mortification and tion as he processed Yuri''s deration. Her serene expression had melted into a radiant smile as shey her head on his chest. "To be honest," Yuri murmured, her voice soft and gentle, "I wouldn''t want any other status besides being your wife or assistant." Sato''splexion flushed a deep crimson, and he averted his gaze, acutely aware of the hard ground pressing against his back and the warm softness of Yuri''s skin resting against his chest. "Yuri," he called out, his voice thick with emotion, "We are on the ground." "I know," Yuri responded with a hint of amusement in her voice. "And you''re lying on my stomach," Sato added, his embarrassment mounting. "I know," Yuri replied, unfazed. The room fell into afortable silence as the two basked in the warmth of the moment. However, it was short-lived, and Sato''s difort finally reached a boiling point. "If you know, then please get up already!" He eximed, his toneced with equal parts embarrassment and exasperation. Yuri let out a musicalugh before sitting up, her hand extended to help Sato up from the floor. Their eyes met, and a spark of mutual affection passed between them, evocative of the deeper connection they shared. ¡­.. *Warthniq Kingdom* In the opulent throne room of Warthniq Kingdom, Terence, the king, sat atop a lofty throne. All around him, sultry women vied for his attention, their seductive gazes fixed on his form. "What?" He bellowed, his voice heavy with frustration as he addressed Eri, the Sword Hero''s priestess. She stood a respectful distance away from the king, her posture straight and unwavering. Eri''s face remained cid, betraying nothing of the turmoil within her. She hade to the kingdom to fulfill her duty as a priestess, but the king''s brusque tone did little to assuage her apprehension. Terence''s voice boomed through the throne room as he stared at Eri with intense fury. "You had one job to do," he asserted, his piercing gaze never leaving Eri''s downcast face. "To drive out the people in the forest and im thend for me. How could you have possibly failed me?". Eri swallowed nervously, feeling the weight of her failure press down on her shoulders like a boulder. "Apologies, my king," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were ambushed by Terra. We had no choice but to retreat." Terence''s eyes zed with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. "No choice?" he spat, his voiceced with disbelief. "You had no choice but to retreat?". He slowly stood to his feet, his regal bearing radiating a fierce intensity. Walking down the small stairs before him, he closed the distance between himself and Eri with deliberate steps. His eyes never left her face as he spoke again, his words dripping with venom. "Answer me this, Eri," Terence''s voice was low and dangerous. "How was Terra able to ambush you? I thought you already yed the demon lord of that Kingdom?". Eri''s eyes darted to the side, feeling the pressure of the king''s anger. "We don''t know," She stammered, her voice barely audible. "We were just as..." Before she couldplete her sentence, Terence''s hand shot out, the back of it striking Eri''s cheek with a resounding p. The force of the blow sent her flying to the floor, her body hitting the ground with a dull thud. As shey there, her hand on her stinging cheek, Eri looked up at the king who was towering over her. His face was twisted with anger, his eyes zing with fury. She knew that she had failed him, and that there would be consequences for her failure. "You are a disgrace," Terence snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. "I trusted you with this task, and yet, somehow, you failed¡­ What does that say about my decision?". He approached Eri with a deliberate stride, his eyes locked on her trembling form. He leaned in close, his hand firmly gripping her jaw and tilting her face upwards to meet his gaze. "You''ve be weak," Terence stated, his voice low and menacing. "I remember you being so strong, no man was able to hit you the way I just did. What happened, I wonder?" He paused for a moment, a sly smile creeping across his face. "Is it perhaps...the hero that was assigned to you?" he said with a sly grin. Eri shook her head frantically, her eyes wide with fear. She knew that the king''s wrath would be swift and merciless. She could not allow him to track down the hero and harm him in any way. But Terence was not satisfied with her answer. Seeing the weakness in her expression, his anger red to life once more. "What the hell are you crying for?!" He bellowed, his handshing out and gripping her hair tightly. With a brutal force, he mmed her face into the ground, the impact sending shockwaves through her body. Eri groaned in pain, her vision swimming as she tried to steady herself, "I''m sorry, my king¡­it won''t happen again". "What was that? Sorry, I couldn''t hear you over the sound of your tears!" Terence pressed her head to the ground. Suddenly, the door to the throne room opened and Shinya stormed in, "let her go¡­ right now!". e¦Áglesn?¦Íel ... Please don''t buy the next chapter. Chapter 205 Do Not Buy ? Sato and Yuri stood at a respectful distance, watching as the Ghost Hunters worked tirelessly to construct their new vige. The hunters moved with purpose, using the knowledge Aril had bestowed upon them to build structures and nt crops. "Considering their numbers, they should be done in less than two days," Sato remarked, his arms crossed as he surveyed the progress being made. Yuri turned her gaze to him, admiring the excitement and pride evident in his expression. She couldn''t help but feel grateful for his guidance and support. "Thank you, master," She said with a warm smile. "For all the help you''ve given us. Without your knowledge and guidance, we would never have been able to build a vige like this." Sato''s expression remained serious as he spoke, his tone conveying a sense of determination. "It''s not really a big deal, anyone could have done this." He said. "As long as it makes you happy, I don''t mind it." eaglesnov?1,§ão§® Yuri feltl a rush of gratitude towards Sato. Despite his serious demeanor, he was always willing to support her in any way he could. "Thank you," She muttered, her cheeks still flushed with embarrassment. Sato then pointed towards the Ghost Hunters, drawing Yuri''s attention towards them. "You are going to have to give them names at some point," He said. "At least a few of them, if you are hoping to build a sessful society here". Yuri shook her head vehemently. "Names? No way," she said. "I don''t think I''m fit to name another creature." Sato let out a deep sigh, then turned to face Yuri. He ced both his hands on her cheeks before pulling her close. "Are you implying that I''m weak?" He teased, a small smile ying on his lips. Yuri let out a smallugh, feeling her heart swell with affection towards her master. "No, of course not," She said, a smile spreading across her face. "I just don''t want to mess it up, is all". Sato''s expression softened as he looked into Yuri''s eyes. "I was the one that named you, was I not? You won''t mess it up," he said. "You are one of the strongest women I''ve met. And besides, naming things is an important part of building a society. If you name a creature, he too will have the ability to name another, depending on the abilities of the namer, of course". Yuri''s cheeks grew even redder as Sato''s hands pressed against them, but she managed to nod in agreement. "I understand," she muttered. Sato released his grip on Yuri''s face and stepped back, his attention turning towards the workers who were busy constructing their vige. "Who knows," he said, a small smile ying at the corner of his lips. "When I''m no longer around, you might be able to take on the status of empress or queen, or maybe even..." But before he could finish his sentence, Yuri pushed him to the ground with surprising strength. She pinned him down, her eyes meeting his with a serious expression. "Master," she said coldly. "Please don''t say that again." Sato''s expression grew serious as he realized the impact of his words. "Hey¡­Yuri?," He called out, his voice filled with remorse. "Did¡­something happen?." Yuri''s grip on Sato''s eyes softened, and she kept her eyes locked on him. "Just..," She said softly. "Promise me you won''t say something like that again". Sato sighed in agreement, resting his headpletely on the ground. "Okay fine I promise," He said. "Happy?". "Yes I am." Yuri responded, the serious expression she had onpletely vanishing and reced with a smile. Sato''s countenance contorted with a mixture of mortification and tion as he processed Yuri''s deration. Her serene expression had melted into a radiant smile as shey her head on his chest. "To be honest," Yuri murmured, her voice soft and gentle, "I wouldn''t want any other status besides being your wife or assistant." Sato''splexion flushed a deep crimson, and he averted his gaze, acutely aware of the hard ground pressing against his back and the warm softness of Yuri''s skin resting against his chest. "Yuri," he called out, his voice thick with emotion, "We are on the ground." "I know," Yuri responded with a hint of amusement in her voice. "And you''re lying on my stomach," Sato added, his embarrassment mounting. "I know," Yuri replied, unfazed. The room fell into afortable silence as the two basked in the warmth of the moment. However, it was short-lived, and Sato''s difort finally reached a boiling point. "If you know, then please get up already!" He eximed, his toneced with equal parts embarrassment and exasperation. Yuri let out a musicalugh before sitting up, her hand extended to help Sato up from the floor. Their eyes met, and a spark of mutual affection passed between them, evocative of the deeper connection they shared. ¡­.. *Warthniq Kingdom* In the opulent throne room of Warthniq Kingdom, Terence, the king, sat atop a lofty throne. All around him, sultry women vied for his attention, their seductive gazes fixed on his form. "What?" He bellowed, his voice heavy with frustration as he addressed Eri, the Sword Hero''s priestess. She stood a respectful distance away from the king, her posture straight and unwavering. Eri''s face remained cid, betraying nothing of the turmoil within her. She hade to the kingdom to fulfill her duty as a priestess, but the king''s brusque tone did little to assuage her apprehension. Terence''s voice boomed through the throne room as he stared at Eri with intense fury. "You had one job to do," he asserted, his piercing gaze never leaving Eri''s downcast face. "To drive out the people in the forest and im thend for me. How could you have possibly failed me?". Eri swallowed nervously, feeling the weight of her failure press down on her shoulders like a boulder. "Apologies, my king," she murmured, her voice barely above a whisper. "We were ambushed by Terra. We had no choice but to retreat." Terence''s eyes zed with anger, his fists clenching at his sides. "No choice?" he spat, his voiceced with disbelief. "You had no choice but to retreat?". He slowly stood to his feet, his regal bearing radiating a fierce intensity. Walking down the small stairs before him, he closed the distance between himself and Eri with deliberate steps. His eyes never left her face as he spoke again, his words dripping with venom. "Answer me this, Eri," Terence''s voice was low and dangerous. "How was Terra able to ambush you? I thought you already yed the demon lord of that Kingdom?". Eri''s eyes darted to the side, feeling the pressure of the king''s anger. "We don''t know," She stammered, her voice barely audible. "We were just as..." Before she couldplete her sentence, Terence''s hand shot out, the back of it striking Eri''s cheek with a resounding p. The force of the blow sent her flying to the floor, her body hitting the ground with a dull thud. As shey there, her hand on her stinging cheek, Eri looked up at the king who was towering over her. His face was twisted with anger, his eyes zing with fury. She knew that she had failed him, and that there would be consequences for her failure. "You are a disgrace," Terence snarled, his voice dripping with contempt. "I trusted you with this task, and yet, somehow, you failed¡­ What does that say about my decision?". He approached Eri with a deliberate stride, his eyes locked on her trembling form. He leaned in close, his hand firmly gripping her jaw and tilting her face upwards to meet his gaze. "You''ve be weak," Terence stated, his voice low and menacing. "I remember you being so strong, no man was able to hit you the way I just did. What happened, I wonder?" He paused for a moment, a sly smile creeping across his face. "Is it perhaps...the hero that was assigned to you?" he said with a sly grin. Eri shook her head frantically, her eyes wide with fear. She knew that the king''s wrath would be swift and merciless. She could not allow him to track down the hero and harm him in any way. But Terence was not satisfied with her answer. Seeing the weakness in her expression, his anger red to life once more. "What the hell are you crying for?!" He bellowed, his handshing out and gripping her hair tightly. With a brutal force, he mmed her face into the ground, the impact sending shockwaves through her body. Eri groaned in pain, her vision swimming as she tried to steady herself, "I''m sorry, my king¡­it won''t happen again". "What was that? Sorry, I couldn''t hear you over the sound of your tears!" Terence pressed her head to the ground. Suddenly, the door to the throne room opened and Shinya stormed in, "let her go¡­ right now!". Chapter 206 Terence, The King Of Warthniq II ? Terence''s grip on Eri''s neck tightened as she gasped for air, her eyes pleading for mercy. But his attention was drawn to the enraged Shinya, who had burst into the room with a fierce determination. "Let her go¡­right now!" Shinyamanded, his voiceced with fury. Terence paused, his head still pressed against Eri''s face, and slowly turned to face Shinya. His eyes narrowed in a cold, calcting stare. "Just what in the hell do you think you''re doing to her?!" Shinya yelled, his focus shifting from Eri, whoy injured on the ground, to the menacing figure looming over her. Terence''s lips curled into a cruel smile. "As expected, the hero arrives," He spat. "I had to get you out here somehow, looks like it worked". Shinya''s fists clenched at his sides as he red at Terence, his anger boiling over. "If you wanted me so badly, you could have just called¡­" He growled. Terence stood to his feet, his words seeping with a sense of contempt. "And where''s the fun in that?" He muttered, leaving Eri toy damaged on the ground. With deliberate steps, he made his way back to his throne, his hand resting under his jaw as he contemted the situation. Shinya called out, his voiceced with concern. "Oi! Eri, are you alright?" He took slow steps towards her, but before he could reach her, he stumbled and fell, his face contorted in pain. A slight groan escaped his lips as he looked down at his bandaged midsection. The cloth was slowly unwinding, revealing his wounds. Despite the pain, he managed to speak. "Eri!" He called out, struggling to stand back to his feet. "I''m¡­fine." Eri managed to blurt out, lifting herself up from the ground a little before she looked at Shinya, "You shouldn''t be walking around." She voiced. "Shut up and heal yourself!" Shinya yelled. Terence nced in his direction, taking note of the actions. "It''s almost sad how pathetic you two are." He sighed, his voice tinged with an almost mocking tone. Shinya struggled to his feet, his face twisted in agony. "Right now¡­ I really hate you to the core!" He replied, his tone filled with frustration. Terence''s lips curled into a smirk. "Must I remind you who you''re speaking to? Hero you forget, I am still your king." He said, relishing in Shinya''s suffering. Eri, who had been lying motionless on the ground, suddenly stirred. She groaned as she tried to sit up, her body battered and bruised. "I''m sorry my king, he didn''t mean that." She muttered, her voice weak. Shinya''s eyes zed with fury, his teeth gritted as he red at Terence. "Like hell I didn''t!" He yelled, his tone filled with anger. With a swift motion, his angel sword appeared in his hand, imbuing him with temporary strength. He rose to his knees, the sword held firmly in an attacking position as he fixed Terence with a deadly stare. "I don''t care if you''re a king or emperor," he hissed, his voice cold as ice. "Touch anyone I care about again, and I swear I''ll kill you". Terence merely chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Is that a threat?" He said, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "You''re a bold one, I''ll give you that". Shinya''s grip on the sword tightened, his knuckles turning white. "I meant every word," he said, his tone unwavering. Eri, who had been struggling to her feet, suddenly spoke up. "Shinya, don''t," she said, her voice filled with concern. "It''s not worth it". Shinya shook his head, his eyes never leaving Terence. "It''s worth everything," he replied, his voice low and dangerous. Terence leaned back on his throne, his eyes fixed on Shinya. "You''re a fool if you think you can take me down," He said, his voiceced with arrogance. "Looks like I have to remind you why I was given the title Emperor God." With a snap of his fingers, the once dimly lit throne room was bathed in a bright green glow as multiple mes materialized around the room, all aimed at Shinya. Shinya gritted his teeth, knowing full well that in his injured state, he couldn''t withstand those attacks head-on. His eyes flickered around the room, searching for an escape route, but he knew that he was trapped. "What is it you want?" he muttered through clenched teeth, slowly lowering his sword. "I''ll listen, but first, stop this game you''re ying, it''s pissing me off". A smirk yed on Terence''s lips as he uttered, "Very good, d to see you''re back to your senses." He snapped his fingers, and the mes immediately dispersed. Shinya breathed a sigh of relief, his muscles rxing as he slumped to the ground. "What do you want?" He asked, his voice low and wary. Terence leaned forward, his eyes glittering with malice. "Simple, really. What I want to know is how on earth you lost against a group of mere elves... Do youprehend the depth of disgrace in that?" He asserted, his face twisted with disgust. Shinya remained silent for a moment, his gaze averted as he pondered his response. "We underestimated them greatly... They were not just ordinary elves," he finally replied, his voice filled with a mix of regret and realization. He continued, his words flowing as Terence listened intently. "They had powerful creatures on their side, born from the very essence of the earth itself... And then, there was her." Shinya''s voice trailed off, the memories flooding back vividly. "She was unlike any opponent I had ever faced before," he continued, his tone filled with a mix of awe and trepidation. "ck hair, piercing red eyes, and elf-like ears... She possessed a presence and strength that surpassed anything I had encountered." Terence leaned back in his throne, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Interesting," he mused, his eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Tell me more about this remarkable elf. What made her so formidable?" "The witch of destruction." Eri chimmed in, trying her best to assist Shinya. Shinya took a deep breath, steadying himself as he delved deeper into his recollection. "Her agility was unparalleled. She moved with grace and precision, striking with a speed that was almost impossible to anticipate or evade," he described, his voice tinged with admiration. "But that''s not even the scary part¡­," he continued, his words gaining intensity."When another of herrades came¡­ it was clear, these people¡­are not people we can toy with ¡­they are extremely powerful". Terence''s eyes widened, a flicker of intrigue crossing his features. "Fascinating," he murmured, his mind already forming ns and strategies. "This elf... she could be a valuable asset." Shinya''s eyes hardened, his gaze meeting Terence''s with determination. "Impossible, she''s highly devoted to her master.," he dered firmly. Terence chuckled, his amusement evident. "So devoted that she would refuse me? The king of threerge kingdoms?," He asked, his voiceced with anticipation. "What master does she serve anyway?". "Ever heard of the Lord of elves?". ¡­.. With a sense of relief washing over them, Eri and Shinya stood at the entrance of the throne room as the heavy doors closed behind them. Despite the bruises that adorned her body, Eri found sce in the fact that they had escaped the clutches of Terence''s domain. Shinya leaned on her for support, his arm resting gently around her shoulder. They shared a momentary nce, their eyes reflecting the shared weariness and determination they carried. "Let''s go," Eri said softly, her voice filled with a mix of exhaustion and resolve. She led Shinya down the dimly lit hallway, guiding him towards a ce where he could finally rest and recover. As they walked, the sound of their footsteps echoed through the corridor, the rhythmic pattern providing a soothing cadence to their weary souls. Eri couldn''t contain the thoughts that swirled in her mind, and she decided to voice them aloud. "Shinya," she called out, her voice gentle yetced with curiosity. "That was the first time I''ve seen you so invested in someone other than yourself... to the point that it even seemed to irritate the king and prompt him to dismiss us." Shinya''s steps faltered slightly, his gaze turning inward as he considered her words. A hint of a smile yed at the corners of his lips, a mix of fondness and reflection. "You''re right," He admitted, his voice carrying a touch of introspection. "It''s not often that I find someone who captures my admiration and respect so profoundly. And I still feel sick after saying those words¡­". Eri couldn''t help but giggle at Shinya''s response. "Well, that''s a relief," she chimed in, her voice filled with warmth and amusement. However, Shinya''s expression turned serious as he interjected, his tone tinged with a hint of concern. "But I wasn''t exaggerating," he continued, his voice steady. "Those monsters in the forest, they possess an unimaginable power. It''s noughing matter." His gaze hardened, his eyes reflecting the weight of his words. "And there''s only one person I can trace it back to... Sato Inugami. That guy is starting to send shivers down my spine." Eri''sughter subsided, reced by a contemtive expression. She knew firsthand the dangers they had faced, the relentless battles against formidable adversaries. The mention of Sato Inugami only added anotheryer of uncertainty to their already perilous journey. Chapter 207 The Plan For A Town ? Several days had psed, and the resilient vigers diligently engaged in reconstructing their war-ravaged surroundings. The roads leading to Nervek were actively being restored, enabling the resumption of crucial trade with foreignnds. In the absence of Latina, who had previously overseen such matters, the responsibility now fell upon Nashida, who eagerly took charge. Meanwhile, the magnificent bar house stood proudly, having reached itspletion. Lura and her fellow elves brimmed with excitement, eagerly anticipating the moment when they could wee patrons with their exceptional hospitality, offering a delightful assortment of alcoholic beverages and delectable treats. Among the menu''s highlights were the sulent roasted Deerhugs, a delicacy bound to enchant the taste buds of all who partook. Sato walked out of his office, Divanchi and Yuri following behind him as he made his way to the construction site. And just as Aril predicted, the previous ascension to demon lord of Chaos and Turmoil was slowly changing his appearance. Rather than the ck eyes he had before, Sato now had red demon-like eyes and long eyshes that added to his menacing looks. His long ck her fell to hair fell to his back and his all ck outfit added to his demon lord look. On his way there, he ran into Delta, who was already running towards him as soon as he spotted him. "Master!" She called out, hugging him as tightly as she could. "Delta." Sato called out with a smile, "I see you''re doing a good job." He said, patting her head. Delta stepped back, a self-satisfied expression ying across her features, her middle finger lightly brushing the bottom of her nose in a gesture of confidence. "I handled everything remarkably well," she dered, her voice tinged with a hint of self-amazement. Sato''s smile widened, appreciating Delta''s newfound sense of aplishment. "Lord Sato!" A voice resounded in the distance, drawing their attention towards its source. Their gazes locked onto a beastman, sprinting toward them with unwavering determination, clutching a sizable document in his hands. As the crocodile-like beastman drew nearer, he came to a sudden halt in front of Sato, his voice brimming with excitement. "It is truly you! I spotted you from afar, but I couldn''t be certain until now." Sato stared at the beastman, watching as he spoke, ''Who is this?'' he said inside his mind despite keeping a calm look on his face. <> With a subtle sigh, Sato internally acknowledged this information. "Ah, I see," he murmured inwardly, his outward expression remaining serene. He then addressed Taha, his voice calm yet inquisitive. "Taha, is there something you require?". "Indeed, sir!" Taha eagerly unfurled the expansive paper he had been clutching, revealing an intricate set of blueprints sprawled across the ground. The meticulously drawn ns depicted the vision for a burgeoning city or town. "What am I looking at here?" Sato asked, casting a perplexed nce down at the intricate blueprints sprawled before him, his mind grappling toprehend the significance of the borate design. Divanchi and Yuri, unable to contain their curiosity, peered over his shoulder, their eyes fixated on the enigmatic diagrams. "It resembles those manga thingies from master''s memories," Divanchi murmured softly, a touch of awe coloring her words. Taha, observing the trio with eager anticipation, rified the purpose of the blueprint. "This is theyout of the town square," he exined, his voice brimming with excitement. "I wanted to present it to you for your input before wemence full-scale construction." Sato''s gaze lingered on Taha, pondering the beastman''s enthusiasm before responding, "Very well, show me what you have prepared." Lowering himself to his knees, Sato immersed himself in the detailed blueprints, methodically analyzing eachponent. His discerning eyes scanned the various structures, ranging from bustling markets to the fortified gate guarding the borders. The blueprints also delineated distinct sections of the town, allocated for different species of monsters. As Sato delved deeper into the intricacies of the blueprint, his mind formted a vision, envisioning the harmonious integration of architectural elements with the surroundingndscape. Sato''s admiration continued to permeate his words as he gazed upon the remarkable blueprints. "This is truly impressive work. You should be proud of what you have aplished," hemended, his attention still captivated by the intricate details before him. Taha''s countenance instantly brightened, a profound sense of gratitude etched across his features. "Thank you, Lord Sato," he squeaked with genuine appreciation. Not dwelling on Taha''s response, Sato''s focus remained steadfast on the task at hand. "By any chance, do you have some ink with you?" He inquired, his words directed to Taha, though his gaze never wavered from the blueprints. "Oh, yes, my lord," Taha responded eagerly, swiftly retrieving a feathered pen and a small jar of ink from his inner pocket. He carefully ced the items on the floor, positioned neatly in front of Sato. Sato''s gratitude manifested as he extended his thanks. "Thank you," he uttered softly, carefully opening the jar of ink and delicately submerging the feathered pen into its depths. Equipped with the pen in his hand, Sato embarked on refining the blueprint, methodically incorporating his suggestions and revisions. As he made alterations, he provided a detailed exnation at each step, his words resonating with authority and wisdom. "Your overall design ismendable," Sato began, his voice carrying a sense of assurance. "However, we must consider the possibility of outsiders seeking residence in this city. To amodate them, we should designate this left section solely for visitors". As this areacks protective walls, it would be prudent to integrate small warehouses within each section of the streets, facilitating the efficiency of the guards'' duties." With each stroke of the pen, Sato deftly added the suggested changes, meticulously weaving his vision into the blueprint. His words conveyed the foresight necessary to create a thriving and secure city, where both residents and visitors would find sce within its embrace. Satisfied with the final oue, Sato gracefully rose from the ground, carefully clutching the refined blueprints in his hands. With a sense of aplishment, he extended the document to Taha, offering his praise along with it. "This revised n should meet our needs. You have done amendable job," hemended, his voice filled with genuine appreciation. Taha received the blueprints with reverence, his head bowed in gratitude. "Thank you, my Lord. I will not disappoint you," he pledged fervently, his determination evident in his earnest expression. Eager to set his ns into motion, he swiftly departed, his anticipation palpable. A soft chuckle escaped Sato''s lips as he watched Taha''s energetic departure. "Such a cheerful fellow," he remarked, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. With a leisurely stride, Sato approached the edge of the rocky terrain, casting his gaze downward at the diligent workersboring with unwavering dedication. The atmosphere resonated with a sense of purpose and progress, evoking a sense of optimism within Sato''s heart. "Master, it is time for us to depart," Divanchi''s voice gently interjected from behind. "The vige still requires your presence and guidance." Sato nodded in agreement, acknowledging the truth in Divanchi''s words. However, a flicker of curiosity ignited within him,pelling him to investigate a matter of importance before leaving. "Seems like it, but first, I have something I wish to check on," Sato announced with a determined tone. With resolute steps, Sato directed his path toward the vige''s water bank. Unlike before, a noticeable increase in the number of guards was evident, particrly those with water-based beastman traits whom Sato had appointed to oversee this crucial area. Approaching the imposing rock that veiled the water''s surface, Sato''s smile grew wider as he drew nearer. With a sense of reverence, he extended his hands, gently resting them upon the rock''s weathered exterior. Yuri''s voice carried a hint of jealousy as she interjected, inquiring about Sato''s knowledge of this hidden ce. "Hey, Divanchi, has Master ever mentioned this location to you?" Divanchi, unwavering in her loyalty, assured Yuri, her gaze fixed upon Sato''s figure. "Rx, even I was unaware of this ce''s existence, and I am privy to nearly every secret our Master conceals." Tension sparked in Yuri''s expression as she felt a pang of betrayal. "Tch! I should have known, traitor. So you do know about this ce," she scoffed, diverting her gaze away from Divanchi. Exasperation tinged Divanchi''s voice as she retorted, "Did you even listen to a word I said?" Her words echoed with a mixture of annoyance and exasperation, emphasizing the importance of attentive listening. Abruptly, amanding voice resonated from behind, interrupting their conversation. "What are you two doing here?! This area is strictly off-limits!" Startled, both Divanchi and Yuri swiftly pivoted their gazes toward the source of the voice, their expressions tinged with disbelief at the audacity of the speaker. To their astonishment, Crustave stood before them, trembling with fear, hastily taking several steps back as soon as he recognized their faces. "I-I apologize, Lady Divanchi, Lady Yuri! I had no idea it was you!" he stammered, his voice quivering with remorse. Chapter 208 Revisiting The Goddess Allicance ? To their astonishment, Crustave stood before them, trembling with fear, hastily taking several steps back as soon as he recognized their faces. "I-I apologize, Lady Divanchi, Lady Yuri! I had no idea it was you!" he stammered, his voice quivering with remorse. Divanchi''s gaze fixated on the man before her, her eyes searching his face for any trace of familiarity. "Why do I have this unsettling feeling that our paths have crossed before?" she asked, her voiceced with curiosity. The Beastman, known as Crustave, met her gaze with a calm demeanor. "Allow me to introduce myself properly," he began, his voice resonating with authority. "I am Crustave, entrusted by Lord Sato himself to oversee the operations of this vital water bank." "In charge?" Yuri echoed, her brows furrowed in confusion. "In charge of what precisely?" Crustave sighed, a hint of weariness in his voice. "My responsibility primarily revolves around safeguarding these crucial water resources. I have been instructed to permit no one ess to the water bank, apart from those authorized by Lord Sato. Beyond that, my knowledge is limited." Yuri let out a resigned sigh, shifting her attention to Sato, who stood poised at the edge of the water bank, his hand resting upon the colossal rock concealing the precious liquid beneath. Sato''s eyes snapped open, a surge of power emanating from him as the colossal rock guarding the water bank shattered into fragments, cascading into the depths below. "Excellent," Sato murmured, his attention swiftly shifting to the two girls. "Divanchi,e with me!" hemanded, his voice resonating with urgency. Divanchi cleared her throat, politely excusing herself as she maneuvered past a bewildered Yuri, who couldn''t fathom why Sato had singled out Divanchi instead of her. As Divanchi approached him, Sato turned to address Yuri with a serious gaze. "You and I possess the ability tomunicate telepathically. If anything arises, contact me immediately," he instructed. Yuri nodded, her expression tinged with disappointment. "Understood," she replied, her enthusiasm dampened. With a purposeful stride, Divanchi joined Sato''s side, and without hesitation, they both plunged into the water, leaving behind Yuri amidst the distant murmur of guards conversing as they patrolled the area. With graceful movements, Divanchi swiftly submerged herself in the water, positioning herself just behind Sato as he took the lead. They navigated through the depths, their bodies propelled by the powerful strokes of their limbs. After a considerable period of underwater travel, they reached a cavernous enve, bathed in an ethereal glow. A colossal statue of a majestic frog stood poised at the entrance, its grandeur awe-inspiring. The water whispered softly as Divanchi and Sato hovered before the ancient amphibian sculpture, a symbol of mystical significance. It emanated an aura of wisdom and power that seemed to permeate the surroundings. Divanchi''s voice reverberated with a hushed tone. "Master, what is this ce? It feels... sacred". Sato''s eyes gleamed with a mixture of reverence and determination. "This, Divanchi, is the heart of the water bank, at least I call it ¡ªthe sanctum of the Water Guardians. The giant frog statue before us is a testament to their ancient lineage and Perhaps just a lonely bodyguard". A sudden reverberation echoed through the cavern, interrupting their conversation. The giant frog statue came to life, its stony visage animated with a touch of annoyance. [Hey! I can hear you, you know?!]" boomed the voice of the statue, resonating within the sacred space. Sato, positioned before the formidable frog, raised an eyebrow. "Great, thought you were dead," he retorted, an air of nonchnce coloring his response. Meanwhile, the interior of the cave ignited with a radiant disy of three vibrant colors, illuminating their surroundings. The frog statue''s voice dripped with a mix of surprise and curiosity. "[Tch! Always the Sessor! Wait, hold on... What''s this? You seem different than before.]" A surge of anger tinged the frog''s words as it continued, "[You sick bastard! You became a demon lord!]" Unperturbed by the statue''s usations, Sato brushed it off with a dismissive wave. "Yeah, yeah, I''m going inside. I have important work this time," he dered, resolute in his purpose, and began swimming towards the entrance of the cave. The frog statue''s voice grew increasingly indignant. "[Hey! Wait, hold up! You promised to answer my riddles anytime youe here!]" Sato pressed forward, unswayed by the statue''s protests. "I can''t do it this time, but she''ll answer them in my stead," he responded, motioning towards Divanchi, who stood by, her eyes shining with curiosity. The frog statue emitted a frustrated croak, its wordsden with exasperation. "[Damn you, Sessor!]" Eager to unravel the mystery, Divanchi''s voice cut through the tension. "What riddles?" she inquired, her anticipation growing with each passing moment. Sato propelled himself into the depths of the cave with remarkable speed, his surroundings blurring as he traversed the threshold. In an instant, he emerged in a realm entirely distinct from the one he had left behind. Before him stood two solitary walls, towering on either side. The ground beneath his feet stretched out infinitely, adorned with lush, vibrant green grass that swayed gently in an unseen breeze. Massive, awe-inspiring statue legs rose from the earth, reaching skyward until they disappeared into the vast expanse of the clouds. Sato''s eyes widened in astonishment as he took in the surreal scenery that unfolded before him. It was a sight both grand and enigmatic, the presence of the colossal legs hinting at an unknown narrative intricately woven within this mystical realm. Undeterred by the awe-inspiring surroundings, Sato steeled himself, focusing on his purpose. He treaded carefully amidst the sea of grass, the des whispering softly with each step. A sense of anticipation coursed through him as he moved forward, ready to face the challenges thaty ahead. As Sato reached the heart of the expansive field, he tilted his head back, his gaze fixed upon the billowing clouds above. A sense of uncertainty gripped him, and he voiced his ponderings aloud. "I wonder... Is breaking the seal truly the right course of action in this situation?" <> "True," Sato conceded, his voice tinged with a touch of mncholy. "Many people have told me that, but I have no recollection of it." <> Sato''s gaze remained fixed on the heavens above, contemtion etched upon his features. "I should rephrase that... I don''t want to remember." <> Sato''s resolve strengthened, a glint of determination shing in his eyes. "''I will only break the seals that hold them in suspended animation, not the seal of this pocket dimension... At least not until I ascertain whether they are allies or enemies." With a clear objective in mind, Sato prepared himself to face the uncertain future, mindful of the delicate bnce between his own quest for knowledge and the potential risks it posed to the world atrge. With an unexpected burst of energy, Sato propelled himself skyward, soaring at a breathtaking speed. He ascended higher and higher, leaving the expanse of the field behind and prating the barrier of clouds. His ascent carried him to a realm where the vastness of the heavens stretched out before him, an awe-inspiring sight that stirred a sense of insignificance within him. Far above the clouds, where mortal eyes seldom tread, Sato found himself in the presence of the colossal heads of the three statues. These ancient visages, weathered by time and imbued with an air of mystery, gazed down upon the world below with an unwavering solemnity. Sato''s eyes widened as he beheld the enormity of the statues, their features etched with intricate details that spoke of a profound history. "The Goddess Alliance..." Sato muttered, his voice carrying a mixture of determination and anticipation. Suspended in mid-air amidst the towering grandeur of the three statues, he contemted his next course of action. "Aril, a concentrated magical disturbance should weaken the seal, correct?" <> "Very well," Sato responded, his voice resonating with resolve. He gradually raised both arms in front of him, the ambient magic swirling around his body, causing his hair to lift and float with an otherworldly energy. With a sudden, fierce gaze, Sato unleashed his power. "Predator!" he dered, his voice echoing through the expanse. A burst of dark mist erupted from his hands, surging forth in three distinct streams, each veering toward one of the colossal statues. The ethereal mist enveloped the statues, weaving its way around their stony forms, seeking to undermine the strength of the seal that bound the ancient beings within. The atmosphere crackled with raw energy, anticipation hanging heavy in the air. Sato''s eyes remained fixed upon the statues, unwavering in hismitment to unlocking the mysteries held captive within them. In this pivotal moment, the bnce between his desire for knowledge and the potential consequences of his actions hung delicately, poised on the precipice of revtion and uncertainty. Chapter 209 Revisiting The Goddess Allicance II ? Sato extended his hand towards the heavens, a conduit for his power. As if responding to hismand, the dark mist that had surrounded the giant statues began to recede, swirling back towards him with an almost obedient grace. Closing his palm, Sato encapsted the mist within his grasp, its ethereal essence melding with his own. The atmosphere quivered with anticipation, as if the very fabric of reality recognized the weakening of the magical seal. <> Aril''s voice echoed in Sato''s mind, its toneced with a sense of aplishment. "Good," Sato murmured to himself, a spark of satisfaction glimmering in his eyes. "This is actually easier than I expected." Floating gracefully through the air, Sato moved closer to the statue on his left, his gaze fixed upon it with unwavering determination. <> Aril''s voice resonated in Sato''s mind, imparting crucial information. Sato''s gaze fixated upon the towering statue before him, its eyes emanating a subtle yet mesmerizing crimson glow. His brow furrowed in contemtion as he absorbed the revtion. "Come to think of it, why do I bear the same title as her? Chaos, I mean." <> Understanding dawning upon him, Sato nodded in acknowledgment. "I see. Well, dwelling on that won''t serve me now. Let''s focus on the task at hand." Resolute in his purpose, Sato moved closer to the colossal statue, the wind blowing against his face as he got closer. The gaze of the Goddess of Chaos bore into his very being, an unspoken connection formed between them. Sato stood motionless for a fleeting moment, his presencemanding and his determination unwavering. Then, in a burst of raw power, he clenched his fist tightly, his muscles coiling with tension. With an impassioned yell, heunched his punch towards the colossal head of the statue, his own insignificance inparison to the target magnified exponentially. The impact of Sato''s strike shattered the stony facade, fragments of the head scattering in all directions. A faint, ethereal red glow emanated from the broken remains, casting an otherworldly hue upon the surroundings. And from the midst of the shattered stone emerged a figure¡ªa woman adorned in ancient attire, her slumbering form evoking a sense of both fragility and enigmatic power. With an air of mncholy, the woman hugged herself, her delicate frame enveloped in an aura of solitude. Her emerald-green hair cascaded around her, entwined with the currents of ethereal energy that danced in the air. With a swift and graceful movement, Sato propelled himself towards the descending figure of the slumbering goddess. Like a guardian spirit, he caught her delicate form in his arms, cradling her with utmost care and reverence. Descending gently, he alighted upon the soft bed of grass below, the verdant des yielding beneath his feet. Lowering the goddess to the ground, Sato arranged her ethereal form in a regal manner, her presence reminiscent of a revered princess slumbering in a realm untouched by time. The earth seemed to embrace her, offering sce and tranquility, while a gentle breeze caressed her sleeping form, whispering secrets only the wind could hear. Sato remained in a reverent position, his gaze transfixed upon the slumbering form of the Goddess of Chaos. A whispered question escaped his lips, barely audible amidst the ethereal stillness surrounding them. "So, she''s a goddess?" he muttered, his voice carrying a mix of awe and curiosity. With utmost care, Sato extended his hand towards the goddess''s serene face, a gentle intention to brush away a strand of hair or unveil the mysteries hidden within her visage. But the moment his skin made contact with hers, a surge of energy coursed through him, like a torrent of memories cascading through his mind. In an instant, a vivid and borate shback consumed Sato''s consciousness. He witnessed himself, as if viewing a long-forgotten tapestry of events, diligently tending to the goddess who now stood before him. The images revealed an unspoken connection, a bond forged in the depths of time itself. Startled by the sudden influx of memories, Sato attempted to withdraw his hand, his expression tinged with surprise. However, before he could retreat, the goddess''s eyes fluttered open, revealing orbs brimming with ancient knowledge and flickers of uncertainty. Reacting swiftly, the goddess leaped up from the ground, creating a distance between herself and Sato. Her movements were swift and decisive, driven by a mixture of caution and an inherent instinct to protect herself. The air crackled with tension, a palpable reminder of the delicate bnce between trust and apprehension. Sato, still on his knees, maintained a respectful posture, his eyes locked onto the goddess. Though taken aback by her sudden reaction, he remainedposed, aware of the significance of the encounter. Upright on her feet, the goddess emanated an air of regality, her magnificent hair billowing around her as if guided by an unseen force. Her voice, resonant with a blend of curiosity and newfound realization, echoed through the surroundings. "This must be where I was sealed... Interesting... that would mean..." Her words trailed off, her gaze shifting towards Sato, who had risen from his kneeling position. Suddenly, without warning, the goddess unleashed a burst of incredible speed, her movements apanied by a resounding sonic boom that reverberated through the air. In an astonishing disy of agility, she closed the gap between herself and Sato in the blink of an eye, unleashing a ferocious punch with staggering power. Sato, his reflexes honed from countless battles, swiftly brought his arms up in a defensive stance. Though he managed to intercept the iing blow, the sheer force behind the goddess''s attack propelled him backward. His feet scraped against the ground, struggling to maintain purchase as his arms strained against the tremendous impact. The X-shaped formation of his arms bore witness to the strength required to withstand the assault. As Sato slid back, his determination remained unyielding, his eyes fixed upon the goddess before him. Sato''s focus shifted to the wisps of steam rising from his arms, a testament to the tremendous force he had absorbed. A wry smile yed upon his lips as he mused, "Yep, she''s a Goddess alright." <> Meanwhile, the goddess raised her head, her gaze fixed upon her clenched fist. A perplexed expression adorned her features as she voiced her thoughts, "That''s strange... It should have been enough to defeat you. Could it be that the seal has weakened me?" Summoning her attention back to Sato, the goddess Afrina called out to him, her voiceced with urgency, "Hey, human! How long have I been sealed here?!" Sato lowered his arms, his posture unwavering as he met the goddess''s gaze. "Approximately 700 years," he replied, his voice tinged with a mix of certainty and reverence. "Ehhhh, really?" Afrina''s voice carried a hint of disbelief, her bewilderment palpable. In an instant, she flickered, her form blurring in a disy of supernatural speed, positioning herself directly above Sato. With lightning-swift precision, sheunched a powerful kick towards him. Anticipating her attack, Sato swiftly dissipated into a cloud of ephemeral dust, evading the trajectory of her strike. The particles dispersed into the air before reforming, coalescing into his solid form a safe distance away from the goddess. The air crackled with an electric energy, a testament to the vtile nature of their encounter. It became increasingly clear to Sato that his path to gaining Afrina''s trust would require a delicate bnce of strategy and understanding, as the Goddess of Chaos proved to be a formidable and unpredictable force. In an outburst of frustration, the goddess bellowed, her finger jabbing towards Sato with unbridled aggression. "Oi! Cease your evasive maneuvers and allow me to strike you!" Undeterred by her tirade, Sato skillfully sidestepped her lunging attack once more, his movements fluid and precise. "This is hardly an expression of gratitude towards the one who liberated you from your imprisonment," Sato retorted as he gracefully touched down on the solid ground. A faint smirk tugged at the corners of Afrina''s lips as she considered his words. "True... but my disdain for humans runs deep, so it matters not," She dered, propelling herself forward once again with incredible speed, poised tounch another assault upon Sato. Their dance of conflict and defiance continued, a symphony of blurring movements and calcted evasions. Sato''s agile movements allowed him to elude yet another of Afrina''s relentless assaults. With a firm resolve, he called out to the enraged goddess, his voice filled with amanding calmness. "This futile struggle will lead us nowhere. You need to listen to me... I am not even human". Afrina''s retort wasced with skepticism and disdain. "Silence! I see no crystalline markings upon your forehead to denote you as a demon, nor any discernible traits of a beast tobel you as a demi-human. You are undoubtedly human!" As Afrina lunged forward once more, her punch aimed squarely at Sato, he swiftly seized her outstretched hand, their faces now intimately close. In that moment of intense proximity, Sato softly uttered words that resonated with power and significance. "I am not human... I am the Sessor." Chapter 210 Revisiting The Goddess Allicance III ? "What?" Arina muttered, her voiceced with disbelief as Sato''s words reverberated in her ears. Sato heaved a sigh, releasing his grip on her hands and took a step back. "I understand that it''s difficult for you to believe me, but I have encountered powerful witches who might vouch for me," he exined, his tone calm and resolute. Arina''s response was sharp and biting. "You''ve got a rather audacious tongue for a mere human," she retorted, her voice carrying a mix of skepticism and disdain. As Sato observed the immense surge of magic energy radiating from Arina''s body, a surge of wind erupted around them, causing his eyes to widen in astonishment. The glow emanating from Arina''s eyes intensified, casting an ethereal illumination in the midst of the tempestuous atmosphere. "First, you unsealed me from my timeless slumber, and you speak of my Sessor¡­ you dare utter his name!" Afrina''s voice thundered, resonating with a mix of fury and indignation. With a deliberate step forward, the ground quaked beneath her, trembling under the weight of her immense power. Observing Afrina''s unwavering resolve, Sato''s expression hardened, a steely determination flickering in his eyes. "It seems she is not inclined to listen to reason... It appears that a confrontation is the only path forward," He muttered, his resolve unwavering despite the destructive aura that surrounded him. <> "No need, Aril," Sato replied, a surge of dark magic energy emanating from his being. "I will handle this myself." His body enveloped in the ominous aura, Sato stood firm, ready to face the impending battle. The sh between a mortal Sessor and an awakened goddess loomed, each one prepared to unleash their full power in the ensuing struggle. ¡­.. In the bustling vige, the industrious vigers diligently toiled to improve their surroundings, driven by a sense of purpose and contentment. Overseeing their efforts, Erza found sce and satisfaction in her supervisory role, a responsibility she had relished in recent days. Taking a seat on a sturdy wooden structure, Erza leaned back, her gaze fixated on the elves diligently cleaning and working. A tinge of envy flickered in her voice as she muttered, "Their joy is almost unjust." At that moment, Daina, a familiar face, approached Erza, holding a warm cup of tea in her hands. She addressed Erza with a mixture of surprise and relief, "Lady Erza, I knew I would find you here." Erza''s eyebrows furrowed slightly as she tried to recall Daina''s name, a hint of uncertainty lingering in her mind. "Daina, was it?" she inquired, seeking confirmation. A hint of disappointment crossed Daina''s expression, her eyes reflecting a vacant gaze. "You... don''t remember my name?" she muttered softly, resembling a fish with lifeless eyes. Erza''s voice rose, filled with earnestness and reassurance. "No, no! I do remember your name. I apologize for the momentarypse. Please forgive me for the confusion," she insisted, determined to convey her sincerity. A gentle chuckle escaped Daina''s lips as she extended a cup of tea toward Erza. "Here, I brought this for you," she offered, her tone warm and friendly. Erza sighed gratefully, epting the cup of tea and peering inside. "What kind of tea is this?" she inquired, curiosity tinging her voice. "It''s green tea," Daina replied, settling herself down on the wooden structure beside Erza. "Green tea?" Erza echoed, a hint of surprise coloring her tone. Daina nodded, her smile radiating with a sense of contentment. "Yes, Lord Sato taught me how to make it, and it seems to be a favorite among the others as well," she shared. Erza took a sip of the green tea, relishing its soothing warmth. She couldn''t help but appreciate the gesture and the newfound connection it symbolized. "It''s delicious!" Erza eximed, her eyes sparkling with contentment as she took another sip of the tea. Daina leaned closer to Erza, excitement evident in her voice. "Oh, if you think this is amazing, you should try it with cookies... although, unfortunately, I didn''t bring any," she said with a hint of regret. Erza paused, her curiosity piqued. "Cookies? What are those?" she inquired, her tone filled with genuine interest. Daina smiled, exining, "They''re a type of snack. Lord Sato taught me about them too." Erza''s expression softened, a touch of admiration appearing in her eyes. "It seems Darling has quite the influence on all of you," She remarked, her voice carrying a slight seriousness. Daina nodded in agreement, her gaze shifting to the ground as a blush colored her cheeks. "Well, none of this would be possible without Lord Sato," She confessed, her voice filled with gratitude. "Although I''ve never said it to his face, I am truly grateful for everything he has done." The two women sat in silence for a moment, their thoughts intertwined with appreciation for the one who had changed their lives. Erza suddenly set the cup down on the wooden surface and turned to face Daina, her hands gently resting on Daina''s shoulders. "Listen to me," she said with a determined expression. "Y-Yes?" Daina nodded eagerly, waiting for Erza''s words. Erza let out a sigh, gathering her thoughts before voicing her heartfelt sentiments. "I wouldn''t mind if you were the one Darling chooses to be his... his second wi..wi..wi..wiiii," she struggled with the words, stumbling over them. Confusion shed across Daina''s face, but she quickly understood. "Do you mean his wife?" she asked, offering a gentle rification. Erza''s cheeks reddened slightly, and she nodded. "Yes, that." Daina stood up from the wooden surface and bowed respectfully, her smile radiating warmth. "Please excuse me," she said politely before swiftly leaving. Erza watched her go, a mixture of emotions swirling within her, unsure of the impact her words had made. "D-id I take it too far." She muttered under her breath before a sigh followed as she picked up her tea to have another sip. Just then, Divanchi appeared, her voice breaking the silence. "Erza? What are you still doing here?" she inquired, concern evident in her tone. Erza nced up at Divanchi and managed a weak smile. "Oh, hey Divanchi," she replied, her voice tinged with sadness. Sensing that something was amiss, Divanchi took a seat beside Erza on the wooden surface. "Did something happen?" she inquired, her eyes focused on her friend. Erza fidgeted with her fingers, struggling to find the right words. "I... I want to ask you something," she finally managed to say. Divanchi nodded encouragingly. "Sure, go ahead," she replied, giving Erza her undivided attention. Erza took a deep breath before continuing, her voice slightly trembling. "So... do you... do you also have intentions of bing Darling''s wife?" she asked, her words tinged with a mix of curiosity and vulnerability. Divanchi''s expression softened, and she offered a small smile. "Erza, you really need to stop referring to our master as ''darling''," she gently admonished. However, upon seeing Erza''s persistence, she relented and answered sincerely, her gaze fixed ahead. "Well, if it brings him happiness, then I have no objections." Erza let out a sigh, her fingers still restless. "Of course, but right now, I''m asking how you would feel if he suddenly asked you to marry him," she rified, her voice filled with a hint of longing. Divanchi''s response came as a soft whisper, her face turning away to conceal her embarrassment. "I would feel... happy," she admitted, her cheeks flushed with a rosy hue. Erza leaned closer, her curiosity piqued. "What was that?" she pressed, eager to hear Divanchi''s answer clearly. "I''ll be¡­happy". "Uhn? I couldn''t quite get¡­" "I said I would be happy! Geez!" Divanchi eximed, her embarrassment spilling over as she finally looked directly at Erza, her face turning a deep shade of crimson. Erza''s expression turned vacant, her mouth hanging open as if struck by an invisible arrow, her eyes devoid of their usual vibrancy as they stared nkly into the sky above. "Erza? Are you alright?" Divanchi asked, concern etched in her voice as she reached out a hand towards her friend. A small chuckle escaped Divanchi''s lips, amusementcing her words. "Sometimes, I forget that my fianc¨¦ is a lord, and it''s not umon for lords to have multiple wives... I''m not sure if my heart can fully grasp that concept," she confessed, her gaze filled with a mix of uncertainty and curiosity. "Uhmmm? Erza?" Divanchi questioned, puzzled by her friend''s sudden change in demeanor. Without warning, Erza''s hands shot forward, grabbing Divanchi by the cheeks and pulling her close. Her voice rang out, firm and resolute, as she proposed an unexpected alliance. "I propose an alliance," Erza dered, her eyes gleaming with determination. "No one else, apart from you, me, and that witch, will be allowed to marry him... Do we have a clear understanding?" Divanchi blinked, taken aback by the sudden intensity in Erza''s eyes. "What are you saying all of a sudden..." she trailed off, her voice a mix of surprise and confusion. Erza''s gaze bore into Divanchi''s, unwavering. "Are we clear?!" she repeated, her tone leaving no room for negotiation. Divanchi let out a resigned sigh, realizing that Erza was dead set on her proposal. "Sure," she acquiesced, her voice tinged with a hint of resignation. "Great," Erza responded, releasing her grip on Divanchi''s cheeks. With aposed demeanor, she rose to her feet. "If you''ll excuse me, I''ll be in Darling''s office, epting the reality of the situation," she announced, before turning and walking away, leaving Divanchi to ponder the implications of their newfound alliance. Chapter 211 The Demon Lord Of Vanity ? In the vast and treacherous demon territory, where darkness reigned supreme, eight formidable demon lords stood as the embodiment of the entire demon race. These powerful beings held immense sway over demon society, their influence stretching from the lowliest minions to the highest echelons of power. Each demon lord bore a title befitting their dominance, from kings to supreme emperors, and their authority was unquestioned among their kin. However, even in the presence of such might, the eight demon lords remained subservient to one figure¡ªthe unrivaled ruler known as the Demon Kings. This enigmatic beings held dominion over both monsters and demons alike, governing their actions with an iron fist andmanding their loyalty through a mix of fear and respect. Among the esteemed circle of the eight demon lords, one demon lord stood out, renowned for his exceptional talents and influence on the southern fringes of the demon territory. His name was Vmos, the Demon Lord of Vanity, a figure of exquisite allure and unfathomable ego. With his captivating presence and unmatched vanity, he had secured his position as the third strongest among the demon lords, perpetually striving to ascend further. Now, Vmos embarked on a journey to Fiona, a city nestled within the heart of the demon territory. His purpose? To pay a visit to Jira, a fellow member of the eight demon lords who bore no specific title or distinction. Jira''s enigmatic nature and mysterious demeanor intrigued Vmos, and he sensed an opportunity to forge a potential alliance or glean valuable information from this enigmatic counterpart, at least that was his initial sight until he heard about the war that was lost against Sato. Vmos embarked on his journey to Fiona astride a majestic steed, his regal figuremanding attention as he traversed the perilous terrain. Apanying him were his two trusted assistants, each possessing their own unique qualities. The first, Zelik, a striking noble with chiseled features and an air of refinement thatplemented Vmos'' elegance. The second, Catherine, a skilled warrior whose prowess matched her undeniable beauty, her eyes filled with determination and loyalty. The arduous journey from Vmos Kingdom to Fiona stretched over six days, a testament to their determination and the urgency that drove them forward. The pace at which they traveled was a testament to their unwavering resolve and the importance of their mission. The treacherous path presented numerous obstacles, from rugged mountains to dense forests, but Vmos led hispanions with unwavering grace and determination, his ambition guiding their every step. Finally, as they approached the towering gates of Fiona, Vmos reined in his horse, allowing himself a moment to survey the surroundings. The city before him bustled with activity, a thriving hub of demon civilization teeming with intrigue and hidden agendas. Vmos, with his acute sense of vanity, reveled in the attention his presencemanded. As his gaze swept over thendscape, memories of past visits flooded his mind, reminding him of the power he held within this territory. "It has been a while since I''ve been here," Vmos mused, his voice carrying a subtle undertone of satisfaction. He dismounted gracefully, his golden armor gleaming under the sun''s rays, and his assistants mirrored his actions, their eyes darting cautiously around, their senses attuned to any potential threats lurking in the shadows. Zelik, ever the eloquentpanion, offered a subtle nod of agreement. "Indeed, my lord. Fiona holds a unique allure, filled with secrets and opportunities for those with discerning eyes." Catherine, her hand resting on the hilt of her finely crafted de, exuded a quiet confidence. "I trust our visit will yield fruitful results, my lord. We shall remain vignt and prepared for any challenges that may arise." "Well, shall we." Vmos said with a smile on his face as he began his advance on horseback, but just when he was about to pass the gates, three demon guards showed up. "Hey, let me see your pass!" One of the demon guards yelled, pointing his spear directly at Vmos. Vmos regarded the three demon guards blocking his path with an air of amusement, a mischievous smile ying upon his lips. As their demand for a pass echoed through the air, his gaze fixated on the spear pointed threateningly in his direction. His eyes followed the glint of the weapon, studying it with a discerning curiosity. "Oh dear me, what pass do you mean?" Vmos replied, his toneced with feigned innocence. The guard''s brusque demeanor andck of decorum only served to further pique his interest. "Don''t y dumb with me! If you don''t have a pass, no entry, so leave! And don''t waste my time," the guard barked, his voice dripping with disdain, as he lowered his spear in a dismissive gesture. Vmos dismounted from his horse gracefully, his smile widening, an aura of calcted confidence emanating from his every movement. "You know, for a guard, you sure are quite rude," he remarked, his voiceced with a subtle hint of amusement as he closed the distance between them. "Yeah, what of it? Don''t waste my time, tch!" the guard retorted, his contempt undisguised. "My apologies, then. I shall be more expeditious," Vmos uttered, his words carrying a tone of assurance. With a flick of his finger, a surge of dark energy crackled in the air, and the guard''s hand was violently torn from its wrist, blood gushing forth in a crimson torrent. The guard crumpled to his knees, writhing in agonizing pain, clutching the stump where his hand once resided. His screams pierced the air, a symphony of suffering that echoed through the gates of Fiona. The sudden turn of events left the remaining guards frozen in shock and terror, their eyes widening with the realization of the power they faced. Vmos approached the injured guard, his expression unchanged as he surveyed the scene he had orchestrated. "Consider it a lesson in manners, my dear guard. Your discourtesy had consequences." He calmly stated, his voice dripping with a blend of satisfaction and mild reproach. As the wounded guard whimpered in pain, Vmos turned his attention to the remaining two guards. His gaze bore into them, a silent challengeced with a warning. "Now, would you kindly step aside and allow us entry? I do detest unnecessary dys," he dered, his voice tinged with a subtle undercurrent of authority. The remaining guard, his voice quivering with fear, dared to voice his question, "Who the hell are you?" His hands trembled, gripping tightly onto the sword that suddenly seemed inadequate in the face of the unfolding spectacle. In a swift and calcted maneuver, Catherine materialized behind the guard, her presence a shadowy apparition of lethal grace. With her knife poised menacingly at his neck, her voice held an edge of steel, "Do you have any idea who that is?" The guard''s fear intensified, beads of sweat forming on his forehead as he struggled to find his voice amidst the overwhelming intimidation. His eyes darted between Vmos, the embodiment of vanity and power, and Catherine, the fierce warrior standing at his back. "That is the king of Yimfir Kingdom and the 3rd demon lord of Vanity," Catherine revealed, her words dripping with authority and certainty. The guard''s face turned pale, his grip on the sword faltering, the weight of the truth sinking in. The realization of the dire mistake he had made in challenging Vmos sent shivers down his spine, the consequences of his actions now starkly evident. Vmos observed the guard''s reaction with a mixture of amusement and satisfaction, his regal demeanor exuding an air of superiority. He allowed a moment of silence to linger, relishing in the guard''s fear-stricken gaze. "Now, my dear guard, it appears you have stumbled upon an opportunity to rectify your previous transgressions," Vmos remarked, his voiceced with a velvet smoothness that contrasted with the underlying threat. Catherine tightened her grip on the guard, her eyes narrowing, a tangible aura of danger emanating from her poised stance. "Should you choose to cooperate and grant us entry without further dy, your life may yet remain intact," she added, her tone brooking no resistance. The guard, his voice quivering, nodded vigorously, his previous bravado reduced to a mere facade. He stumbled over his words, his fearden voice betraying his trembling resolve, "Y-Yes, of course! Forgive my ignorance, Lord Vmos. Please, proceed." The two guards, fear etched across their faces, hastilyplied, their confidence shattered by the brutal disy of power they had just witnessed and knowing the identity of the man they had just insulted. Vmos remounted his horse with graceful ease, hispanions following suit, as they resumed their advance into the heart of Fiona. Word of the encounter would undoubtedly spread like wildfire, leaving asting impression on the guards and denizens of Fiona. Vmos, the Demon Lord of Vanity, had made his entrance known, his reputation for both charm and cruelty further solidified. The echoes of his actions would ripple through the city, casting an ominous shadow over his forting meeting with Jira, the enigmatic member of the eight demon lords. With each step forward, Vmos reveled in the knowledge that his presence had left an indelible mark, solidifying his im as a force to be reckoned with in the demon territory. As Fiona unfolded before them, a stage of intrigue and hidden agendas, he prepared to navigate its treacherousndscape, his vanity and ambition guiding his every move. Chapter 212 Arrival Of A Certain Being. ? Jira stood with his bare torso in the center of the room, his gaze unwavering as it fixated upon the tall, imposing standing mirror before him. The room was filled with an air of tension, and the remnants of his past defeat clung to him like a suffocating shroud. Bandages adorned most of his arm, a stark reminder of the battle he had lost. A surge of overwhelming emotions flooded through Jira''s veins, threatening to consume him entirely. The memories of Sato, his adversary, relentlessly reyed in his mind, each instance more humiliating than thest. The searing pain, both physical and psychological, had pushed Jira to his limit. In a moment of fiery determination, Jira''s fist collided with the reflective surface, shattering it into countless shards that scattered across the room. As the fragments rained down, he stood there, panting heavily, his breaths ragged and erratic. "To think I would be defeated by a man like that...," Jira growled through clenched teeth, his voice filled with frustration and anger. He couldn''t forget the infuriating smirk that had adorned Sato''s face, mocking him even in the midst of his defeat. The echoes of Jira''s yell reverberated in the room, intertwining with the shards of ss that littered the floor. His fury knew no bounds as he unleashed another strike, this time a powerful kick aimed at the nearby drawer. The wooden structure exploded upon impact, splintering into fragments that collided with the wall, leaving behind a trail of destruction. Jira''s heart raced, his adrenaline-fueled fury palpable in the room. With his chest heaving and sweat trickling down his forehead, he stood amidst the aftermath of his outburst. The room bore witness to his turmoil, and the shattered mirror and splintered drawer mirrored the fragments of his shattered pride and wounded spirit. In the midst of the shattered wreckage, a sharp knock resonated through the room, interrupting Jira''s solitary contemtion. Startled, he turned his attention towards the door, uncertainty etched across his face. Then, a voice, gentle yet authoritative, emanated from the other side. "Excuse me, Sire, but I havee to change your bandage," spoke the female voice, a sense of purpose underlying her words. With a sigh, Jira made his way to the bed, his wounded arm exposed and covered in bandages. As he settled into a seated position, the door opened, revealing a woman dressed in a pristine white gown. Her hair, an extraordinary shade of vibrant green, cascaded down her back in an intricate braid. She approached Jira with a graceful stride, her eyes filled with empathy and dedication. Kneeling before him, the woman delicately began the task of unwrapping the bandages, her touch gentle yet firm. Jira''s gaze remained fixed on her, a mixture of frustration and disdain clouding his expression. She was renowned as one of the most esteemed physicians in the kingdom of Fiona, her healing prowess extending far beyond its borders and into the territories of other powerful realms. Her reputation as a skilled doctor was unrivaled, and her expertise was sought after by kings and queens alike. Yet, despite her fame and expertise, this was the first asion she had been granted the opportunity to attend to the king himself. The reason was simple: Lilith, the king''s trusted confidante, handled all matters concerning his well-being, including injuries and ailments. Lilith''s unwavering loyalty had, until now, shielded the king from the need for outside medical assistance. The woman''s reputation preceded her, whispers of her extraordinary skills reverberating throughout the halls of the kingdom. Her knowledge and expertise surpassed those of any other healer in the realm, earning her the admiration and respect of bothmoners and nobility. Her emerald tresses, a vibrant testament to her unique nature, framed herposed countenance as she began her work. With utmost care and precision, she attended to Jira''s wounds, her delicate touch exuding both confidence and gentleness. Her hands moved deftly, applying soothing ointments and meticulously recing the bandages, her actions a symphony of healing. The room was filled with a quiet reverence, the weight of the moment palpable in the air. As she worked, the woman''s thoughts turned to Lilith, the loyal guardian who had shielded the king from harm for so long. Lilith''s unwavering dedication and meticulous care had forged an unbreakable bond between them. And now, the esteemed physician found herself entrusted with the task of tending to the king''s injuries¡ªa responsibility she did not take lightly. "How long is this going to keep happening?" Jira''s voice dripped with bitterness, his frustration palpable in the air. The woman, undeterred by his resentment, continued her meticulous work, her attention unwavering. As she applied soothing ointments to the burns, she offered her professional insight. "Whatever you were burned with, it seems to be hindering your healing process. However, the burns have not worsened either. I suggest we exercise patience for a couple of days and observe how your condition progresses," She responded, her voice calm andposed. "Wait a couple of days?" Jira echoed, his gaze wandering to the shattered ss where his reflection flickered back at him. A surge of anger surged through his veins, fueling his resolve. In an impulsive outburst, he blurted out, "I''ll kill him... I swear I''ll kill him". The woman, unyielding in her focus, continued her ministrations, unperturbed by his words. She understood the depth of Jira''s anguish, the thirst for vengeance burning within him. With a serene determination, she met his gaze, her voiceced with apassionate firmness. "Sire, revenge may be tempting, but we must first ensure your recovery. Only then can we confront the one who caused you such suffering," She advised, her words carrying the weight of wisdom and caution. "What are you¡­" Before Jira could utter a word in response to the physician''sments, the heavy wooden door to his chamber swung open, revealing Vmos, standing tall with a self-assured smirk ying upon his lips. His presencemanded attention, as if he relished the opportunity to witness Jira in such a vulnerable state. "Well now, I certainly didn''t anticipate finding the great Demon Lord Jira in such a sorry state," Vmos dered, his voiceced with a mix of amusement and mockery. Chapter 213 You Are No Longer A Demon Lord. ? The maid gracefully entered the room, her presence quiet yetmanding. With a respectful bow, she ced a delicate tea set on the table before Veremos, the cups and pot emanating an enchanting aroma. Her attention to detail was evident in every gesture, her movements as elegant as a dancer''s. "How generous of you," Veremos praised, his lips curving into a warm smile as he delicately picked up a cup and inhaled the fragrant steam. "You have truly outdone yourself." The maid blushed slightly, her cheeks tinged with a soft rosy hue. "You are too kind, Your Highness," she replied, her voice filled with genuine gratitude, before gracefully withdrawing from the room, leaving Veremos alone with his thoughts. Jira, positioned opposite Veremos, sat with his chin resting upon his fist, his piercing gaze fixed upon the Demon lord. His eyes studied Veremos''s every movement, as if seeking to unravel the mysteries that shrouded his intentions. After a prolonged moment of contemtion, Jira''s voice broke the silence. "Why are you here?" He inquired, his tone a mixture of curiosity and suspicion. Veremos, his gaze meeting Jira''s unwaveringly, leaned back in his chair, a faint smile ying upon his lips. Hisposed demeanor exuded an air of calcted charm. "Ah, Jira, my dear rival," Veremos responded, his voice carrying a hint of amusement. "I am here because our paths are destined to intertwine once again. The currents of fate have brought us together, and I find myself irresistibly drawn to witness the unfolding of our shared destiny." Jira''s brow furrowed, his expression guarded as he listened to Veremos''s cryptic words. He knew all too well the significance of their past encounters, the turbulent history that bound them in aplicated web of rivalry and conflicting goals. "What game are you ying, Veremos?" Jira pressed, his voiceced with a mix of suspicion and wariness. Veremos chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling with an enigmatic gleam. "Game? Oh, dear Jira, this is no mere game. It is a dance of power and ambition, a sh of destinies that has been set in motion since time immemorial." Jira''s gaze hardened, a flicker of determination igniting within his eyes. "I will not be a pawn in your schemes," he dered, his voice resolute. Veremos leaned forward, his tone taking on a measured intensity. "See, that''s the thing, you think the whole world revolves around you¡­rest assured, you are no pawn. You were a key yer in a grand symphony, but now you''ve outworked your worth" The room held its breath, a heavy silence settling in the air, as if cognizant of the profound weight carried by their words. Jira''s eyes widened in shock, his heart pounding in his chest. In that moment, it was as if he already knew, on some instinctual level, the gravity of what was unfolding before him. Jira had known Veremos for years, their paths intertwined since his ascension as a demon lord by inheritance. Throughout their tumultuous history, Jira hade to understand that Veremos was a formidable force, a cunning and unpredictable adversary who thrived in the shadows. A mischievous grin yed upon Veremos''s lips as he leaned back in his chair, crossing his legs with an air of nonchnce. His eyes glinted with a mixture of amusement and intrigue, fully aware of the effect his presence had on Jira. "I stumbled upon an intriguing story, one that captivated me but left me longing for a different ending," Veremos began, his voice carrying a hint of mischief. "Would you mind if I shared it with you?" Jira''s mind raced, contemting the multiple possibilities that could have driven Veremos to seek him out. His instincts urged him to be cautious, to prepare for the unexpected twists and turns that apanied their encounters. "Tell me," Jira replied tersely, his voiceced with a mix of curiosity and wariness. Veremos''s grin widened, his gaze fixed upon Jira with an intensity that sent shivers down his spine. As he settled further into his chair, he wove his tale with a hypnotic cadence, drawing Jira deeper into his narrative. "Once upon a time," Veremos began, his voice smooth and captivating, "there was a boy, blessed with power and wealth beyond measure. Fortune smiled upon him, and adoration followed him wherever he went. No one could me them; he was truly a fortunate soul." Jira''s eyes widened, his attention captivated by Veremos''s words. It was as if the story held a mirror to his own life, reflecting the parallels and intricacies that bound them together. "The boy," Veremos continued, his voice tinged with a hint of mncholy, "encountered another boy¡ªa killer consumed by an insatiable hunger for power. Against all odds, they became fast friends, their bond forged through shared experiences and a thirst for something greater. But then, tragedy struck¡ªthe boy''s father perished, leaving behind a vast legacy of power and responsibility. The scales tipped, and the killer was left..." Jira''s patience reached its limit, his frustration simmering beneath the surface. With a sudden outburst, he mmed his hand on the table and jerked up from his seat, the impact reverberating through the room. "Enough!" Jira''s voice thundered, the intensity of his words filling the air. "What do you want from me?"Jira''s voice thundered through the room, his words carrying a storm of defiance. However, Veremos''s response was icy andmanding. "Sit down," he uttered coldly, his voiceced with an unmistakable air of threat. His piercing stare bore into Jira, a silent warning that made him reconsider his impulse to defy. Reluctantly, Jira turned his gaze away, his frustration mingling with a sense of resignation. He obediently returned to his seat, his emotions swirling within him like a tempest. A heavy sigh escaped Veremos''s lips, his voice tinged with exasperation. "Impatient as ever," he remarked, his words carrying a trace of weariness. "Since you have no interest in hearing the story, I shall spare you further suspense and get straight to the point." Jira''s eyes immediately locked with Veremos''s, anticipation etched upon his face. He leaned forward, his entire being focused on the words that were about to be spoken, yearning for a glimmer of understanding amidst the chaos. After a deliberate pause, Veremos finally broke the silence, his voice resonating with a weighty promation. "I am here to take Fiona from you.. you are no longer a demon lord." He dered, his words carrying an air of finality. . Chapter 214 You Are No Longer A Demon Lord II ? "I am here to take Fiona from you.. you are no longer a demon lord." He dered, his words carrying an air of finality. Jira, the once mighty demon lord, stared at Veremos for a moment, his eyes searching for any hint of deception or weakness. He took a deep breath, maintaining a calm facade despite the turmoil brewing within him. "And why, pray tell, would I surrender Fiona to the likes of you?" he questioned, his voiceced with a mixture of curiosity and defiance. A smirk tugged at the corner of Veremos'' lips, as if he relished the opportunity to enlighten his adversary. "Surely, you do not require an exnation for something so obvious," he replied, his gaze locking onto Jira''s with unwavering determination. "You have lost your right to rule over demons." Jira''s patience wavered, his control slipping as frustration threatened to consume him. In a sudden outburst, he shot up from his seat, the force of his hand mming onto the table reverberating through the room. "Cut the crap!" he bellowed, his voice filled with a mix of anger and desperation. "I am still the demon lord of¡ª" "Of what?" Veremos interjected, his voice dripping with condescension. "Even you must havee to realize it by now¡ªthe strength and power you once possessed as a demon lord, it is no more." Jira clenched his teeth, his jaw tightening as he fought to maintain hisposure. Though he longed to retort, to defend his position and refute Veremos'' ims, a flicker of doubt gnawed at him. There was an undeniable truth to the words spoken by his adversary. "What was his name again... oh yes... Sato Inugami," Veremos uttered with a sinister smile ying on his lips. At the mere mention of that name, Jira''s eyes widened in fear, memories flooding back in a wave of agony. He could almost feel the scorching pain again, searing through his being as Sato unleashed his fiery wrath upon him during their fateful battle. Veremos observed the sudden terror that washed over Jira''s face, a cruel satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. He had struck a nerve, exposed the depths of Jira''s vulnerability, and satisfaction in the power it gave him over his once formidable foe. "I see, so it is true then," Veremos burst intoughter, his voice echoing through the room. "You, the mighty demon lord, defeated by a mere vige boy... It''s quiteical, really." Jira''s face reddened with a mix of anger and embarrassment, his gaze averted to the side. He clenched his fists, his determination reigniting. "I will have my rematch," he dered firmly, his voice resolute. "I will reim my title from him." Veremos''sughter subsided, reced by a sly smile. "From who? Sato Inugami?" he taunted, relishing in Jira''s growing unease. Jira''s expression contorted with fear at the sound of that name, his body involuntarily tensing at the memories of the scorching pain he had endured at Sato''s hands. With a more serious demeanor, Veremos stood up, his eyes piercing into Jira''s weakened facade. "The other demons have voiced their desire to meet the new demon lord," he announced. "As you are no longer fit to rule over demons, I am hereby stripping you of your post." Throughout the exchange, Jira remained silent, his gaze fixed upon the ground, his thoughts consumed by the weight of his impending downfall. "Honestly, I am still perplexed as to why the vige boy spared your life," Veremos sighed, his tone carrying a mix of curiosity and disappointment. As he made his way toward the exit, he turned back to Jira. "I shall return next month to finalize the arrangements. You have until then to make your exit," he said dismissively. "Goodbye for now." Veremos''s departure left Jira alone in the room, the silence amplifying the gravity of the situation. A sense of foreboding hung in the air as he contemted his uncertain future, his once fearsome reign as a demon lord now reduced to a mere memory. ¡­.. With a swift and precise motion, Sato unleashed a spinning kick that collided forcefully with Afrina''s delicate cheeks, propelling her backward. She tumbled uncontrobly across the ground, her graceful form obscured by the cloud of dust that enveloped her upon impact. Sato, his eyes fixed on the swirling dust, waited anxiously to catch a glimpse of the fallen goddess. Relief washed over him as he observed her lying still, her prone figure partially obscured by the settling particles. However, his momentary respite was short-lived, when he noticed that his right arm was broken. "She truly possesses remarkable strength," he murmured under his breath, his voice tinged with a mix of admiration and surprise. With a swift flick of his wrist, Sato initiated a surge of ethereal energy, mending his broken bones in a matter of seconds. The divine power surged through his body, knitting together the fractured fragments, and restoring his arm to its previous state of wholeness. In the midst of this self-healing, Sato''s gaze remained fixed upon Afrina, his expression a mixture of awe and determination. The encounter had only served to deepen his respect for her indomitable spirit and unwavering resilience. It was clear that she was a force to be reckoned with¡ªa deity of unparalleled strength. As the dust settled, revealing Afrina''s motionless form, Sato approached her cautiously, his footsteps measured and deliberate. He knelt down beside her, his concern etched across his features. Tenderly, he extended a hand, poised to offer assistance should she require it. "Are you alright?" Sato whispered softly, his voice a blend of admiration and concern. He leaned closer to Afrina, his eyes filled with genuine care. "I have already told you, I am not your enemy." Afrina, though her eyes remained closed, mustered the strength to respond, her voiceced with defiance. "Shut up, human," she retorted, her words dripping with both annoyance and determination. "Just give me a moment... I will be back on my feet." Sato let out a weary sigh, his gaze shifting upward to the expansive sky, where the towering legs of the two remaining statues loomed ominously. "I still have to unseal them," he muttered to himself, his mind preupied with the monumental task ahead. <> ''Yeah sure.'' Sato nodded in response, his focus returning to Afrina. He gently ced his finger upon her forehead, where her divine essence pulsed with gradual healing. <> The transfer process began, signaled by a brilliant light emanating from the tip of Sato''s finger, permeating deep within Afrina''s consciousness. In an instant, Afrina''s eyes jolted open, her entire being engulfed by an overwhelming influx of memories. It was as if she had been transported into Sato''s very body, reliving the past events when he had cared for her and her sisters, safeguarding them from imminent danger. The flood of recollections washed over Afrina, intertwining her essence with Sato''s experiences, creating an unbreakable bond between them. She witnessed the trials they had endured together, the sacrifices made, and the unyielding determination that had carried them through countless battles. As the memories settled within her, Afrina''s gaze met Sato''s, now filled with a newfound understanding. A sense of camaraderie and gratitude enveloped her, forging an unspoken connection that transcended the boundaries of their respective origins. Afrina gradually straightened her posture, her gaze fixed upon the ground as she mustered the strength to speak. "You truly are him... the Sessor?" she inquired, her voice a mixture of awe and uncertainty. Sato responded with a wry smile, his toneced with a hint of amusement. "Yes, as I have been trying to tell you all along," he affirmed, his voice filled with a sense of quiet confidence. Afrina''sughter bubbled forth, albeit tinged with sorrow, her emotions flowing freely as tears streamed down her cheeks. "We are deeply sorry for causing so much trouble," she sobbed, her voice trembling with remorse. Sato, his expression calm and understanding, gently ced his hand upon Afrina''s head, offering sce. "I may not remember everything from that time," he began, his voice filled with sincerity, "but the glimpses I have now... they showed me how much you all meant to me. Let us leave it at that, for now." Afrina nodded, her voice still tinged with a lingering sadness. However, a glimmer of gratitude shone in her eyes, appreciating the shared connection that had been reignited between them. Yet, amidst the emotional exchange, Afrina''s countenance suddenly shifted, adopting a deadpan expression as she posed a question. "By the way, Sessor," she inquired, a mischievous spark gleaming in her eyes, "what''s with the ridiculous face you chose when you reincarnated?" Sato sighed, a mixture of exasperation and fondness evident in his response. "You truly are an entric one," he chuckled lightly. "Besides, I probably just because I ascended". A brief moment of silence passed between them before Sato rose to his feet, his gaze refocusing upon the remaining statues that stood as formidable obstacles. His resolve strengthened, he surveyed the scene with renewed determination, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead. "You know, Afrina," Sato remarked, a hint of warmth in his voice, "despite everything, it feels good to be reunited with you, let''s get to the others and then we''ll talk more about the past". Although he said those words, Sato wasn''t willing to remember anything from his previous life as the Sessor, not until he had made the people under him as happy as they can get. Afrina, wiping away her tears, nodded in agreement, a glimmer of hope rekindled within her. They stood side by side, prepared to confront the trials that awaited them, their bond forged anew amidst the uncertainty thaty ahead. Chapter 215 Welcome The Goddess Allicance. ? Satonded gracefully, his feet touching the ground with a gentle elegance, holding the goddess of Trinity, Nima, in his arms. Nima possessed flowing pink hair that cascaded down to her shoulders,plementing her ethereal beauty and delicate figure. With utmost care, Sato gently ced her on the floor, his eyes filled with a hint of weariness. As he exhaled a sigh, his gaze shifted upwards, catching sight of Afrina waving at him from a distance. Resolute determination filled Sato''s expression as he spoke, his voice carrying a hint ofmand. "Once she wakes, you know what to do," Sato instructed, his back turned to Afrina as he swiftly soared into the sky to retrieve thest remaining goddess. Afrina, wearing a smile on her face, approached the spot where Nimay and leaned in, delicately using her fingers to gently poke Nima''s cheeks. With a teasing tone in her voice, she urged the unconscious goddess to awaken. "Hey! Wake up already," Afrina yfully chided, her fingers continuing to prod the cheeks of the dormant goddess. She persisted, her voice filled with anticipation, "Come on, wake up already... Nimaaaa~." Nima''s eyes sprang open in an instant, and she swiftly sat upright on the ground, emitting a heavy sigh. Her hand instinctively covered the side of her face as confusion clouded her expression. "W-What happened?" she stammered, her voice trembling. "Rx, the Sessor has merely broken the seal," Afrina replied nonchntly, taking a seat on the ground while absentmindedly ying with her fingers. "The seal... was broken?" Nima murmured, extending her hands before her, examining her palms intently. "I suppose... you''re right." "Of course I am," Afrina retorted with an air of self-assuredness. "When have I ever been wrong?" A hushed silence enveloped the surroundings, only to be abruptly shattered by Nima''s exmation. She seized Afrina''s arm, pulling her closer, her eyes gleaming with urgency. "Did you just mention the Sessor?". With a mischievous grin, Afrina yfully replied, "Oh, you caught that, did you? Yes, indeed, my dear Nima. The Sessor is here, and he''s the one responsible for freeing us from our prolonged slumber". Nima''s eyes widened in astonishment as she tightly held onto Afrina''s arm, their faces in close proximity. The urgency in her voice was palpable as she sought confirmation, "Are you absolutely certain? The Sessor, here?". Afrina nodded, her expression now serious, "I swear upon my divine power, Nima. The Sessor has awakened and stands with us. His strength is undeniable, and his purpose is to restore bnce and protect our realm, just like he wanted all those years ago". Nima''s grip on Afrina loosened, but her eyes continued to shine with a mix of awe and excitement. "Finally, it wasn''t in vain, all the deaths." She whispered, her voice filled with anticipation. "We must find him. We must pledge our allegiance to the Sessor again and fulfill our duties as his servants". Afrina smirked, her yful demeanor returning. "Well, you''re in luck. The Sessor is already on his way here. So get ready, Nima, for a new chapter awaits us". As Nima absorbed Afrina''s words, a determined fire ignited within her. She released Afrina''s arm and rose to her feet, a newfound sense of purpose radiating from her. "I shall be ready," she dered, her voice steady and resolute. "The Sessor shall have my unwavering loyalty and support." Suddenly a voice came from behind, "What is it about the Sessor?". Nima immediately turned back to see Satoz descending from the sky with the goddess of immortality Fridina in his arms. His legs touched down on the ground and gently ced her back on the soft grass before he turned his attention to Nima who still had a shocked expression on her face. Suddenly, a voice resonated from behind, causing Nima to swiftly turn around. Sato descended gracefully from the sky, cradling the goddess of immortality, Fridina, in his arms. His feet gently met the ground, and he carefully ced Fridina on the soft grass before directing his attention towards Nima, who remained stunned by the unfolding events. Without a moment''s hesitation, Nima shifted her gaze towards Afrina, her fingers pointing at Sato as she posed her question with a deadpan expression, "Is this one of the Sessor''s servants?" Though Sato''s eyes twitched ever so slightly, he refrained from uttering a word, allowing Afrina to respond on his behalf. "He is the Sessor," Afrina replied wearily, emitting a sigh as she did so. Nima''s eyes shifted back to Sato, her face still disying the same deadpan expression. "Is this some kind of joke? The Sessor does not resemble him in the slightest." "Very well, I''ll prove it to you," Sato dered, his voice filled with determination as he approached Nima. A mischievous smirk formed on Nima''s face, and she clenched her fist, enveloping it in dark mes, eagerly anticipating the moment she could strike Sato. However, her excitement was abruptly halted as Afrina swiftly grabbed her from behind, restraining her tightly to prevent any movement. "What are you doing, Afrina? Let me go!" Nima protested, her voice filled with frustration as she struggled against Afrina''s hold. "Stay still, it''s for your own good," Afrina insisted, the strain evident in her tone as she maintained her grip. "Sorry about this." Sato said, unfazed by themotion, calmly approached Nima and gently ced his hand on her forehead. Instantly, a soothing wave washed over her, and her struggles ceased as Sato''s memories as the Sessor began to transfer into her mind. Tears welled up in Nima''s eyes, glistening with a mix of relief and overwhelming emotions. "You''ve truly returned," she whispered, her voice filled with a blend of joy and sorrow, as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks. With two of the goddesses now standing unwaveringly by his side, their ethereal presence emanating an otherworldly aura, Sato''s triumph was mirrored in the fate that awaited Fridina, the third and final goddess. Just as her divine counterparts, she sumbed to the irresistible allure of Sato''s charm and conviction. Emerging from the sacred cave, Sato led the three goddesses into the heart of the vige, where an air of cautious anticipation hung heavy in the atmosphere. The vigers, initially wary of these celestial beings, watched with guarded eyes as the group approached. However, any lingering doubts were swiftly dispelled as Sato stepped forward, his voice resonating with unwavering confidence and authority. In his eloquent and heartfelt words, Sato unveiled the true identities of the goddesses, illuminating their significance and purpose within the fabric of theirmunity. His maic charisma and genuine empathy bridged the gap between the familiar and the unknown, weaving a tapestry of understanding and admiration. The vigers, ovee by a newfound appreciation for these extraordinary beings, erupted into a chorus of cheers and apuse, their initial wariness transformed into unbridled enthusiasm. Having entrusted the care of the three goddesses to Divanchi and Yuri, Sato sought respite within the sanctuary of his office, a ce where weariness and triumph intermingled. The door swung open, creaking in unison with his exhaustion, and Sato entered the space that had be both a refuge and a battlefield of his dreams. His weary legs faltered beneath him, sending him crashing to the ground, his back meeting the cold, unforgiving surface. Lying prone on the floor, Sato''s gaze fixated upon the exquisitely adorned ceiling. Intricate patterns and celestial motifs sprawled across the expanse, an artistic testament to the grandeur of the world beyond. In this moment of vulnerability, with the weight of his aplishments pressing upon him like an unyielding burden, Sato''s chest rose and fell with eachbored breath. The culmination of his arduous journey, the magnitude of his task, now bore down upon him with relentless force. <> ''Yeah, you''re right.'' Sato sighed, ''Any words from the clone?''. <> ''Well, I don''t mind it, as long as they get the work done, it''s fine.'' Sato responded, his voice slowly losing its volume. <> ''Yeah sure.'' Sato''s eyes closed, seeking refuge in the tranquility of the stillness that settled around him. The ceiling, a silent witness to his struggles and victories, whispered secrets of ancient wisdom and celestial mysteries. In this quiet interlude, Sato surrendered himself to the temporary respite, allowing the weight of the world to momentarily lift from his weary shoulders. He found sce in the ornate tapestry above, its intricate details inviting contemtion and reflection. The path he had chosen, the sacrifices he had made, were etched indelibly upon his heart. And as his tired body merged with the cool surface beneath him, Sato surrendered to the gentle pull of rest, knowing that the journey, although arduous, was far from over. Chapter 216 The New Duke Has Arrived. ? As the sun rose on the horizon, painting the sky with hues of orange and gold, Sato, Divanchi, and Yuri embarked on their journey to Nervek. The weight of responsibility settled upon Sato''s shoulders, his impending role as the new Duke of Nervek loomingrge in his mind. The significance of this moment was not lost on him, and he understood the weight of the expectations ced upon his young shoulders. As they made their way through the countryside, Sato''s keen eyes observed the changes taking ce around them. Thendscape seemed to transform before his very eyes, a testament to d''s ambitious vision for the future. New roads had been carved out, weaving their way through the vast expanse of thend. These roads held the promise of connectivity, linking viges and towns, and most importantly, providing a direct route into the heart of the forest. Sato couldn''t help but feel a sense of awe at the sheer scale of d''s constructions. The determination and foresight behind these new roads spoke of a leader driven by a desire to unite the people, to create a path towards progress. The forest, once an enigma cloaked in mystery and trepidation, now beckoned with a newfound essibility. As the journey continued, Sato''s thoughts were consumed by the responsibilities that awaited him. After a journey of several hours, Sato''s carriage came to a halt at the grand entrance of the town. The imposing gates stood tall and majestic, the symbol of authority and prestige that awaited within. The carriage, carried him with a regal air, drawing the attention of those who caught sight of it. As the carriage came to a stop, Sato''s steady gaze surveyed the surroundings. The red district, with its opulent mansions and elegant estates,y before him. It was in this district that d''s mansion, a testament to his power and influence, resided. The very heart of Nervek''s political and social scene. With a serene demeanor, Sato stepped out of the carriage, his posture exuding confidence and grace. His subordinate, sensing the gravity of the moment, followed suit. The imposing mansion stood before them, a structure that spoke of wealth, authority, and the weight of responsibility that would soon be transferred to Sato''s shoulders. As he approached the mansion''s entrance, Sato''s eyes flickered with a mixture of anticipation andposure. He was keenly aware of the significance of this moment, the culmination of his journey and the beginning of his reign as the new Duke of Nervek. The entrance to the mansion seemed to invite him forward, beckoning him into the world of politics, power, and intrigue that awaited within its walls. Sato took a deep breath, centering himself, and with measured steps, he crossed the threshold, ready to embrace the challenges and responsibilities thaty ahead. As Sato stood at the entrance, the piercing gazes of the mansion''s workers seemed to bear down upon him. Their curious eyes followed his every move, whispering among themselves, their murmurs echoing in the air. Sato couldn''t help but feel the weight of their expectations and the enormity of the task thaty before him. He let out a soft sigh, his words barely audible as he muttered to himself, "Good grief, I don''t know what made me think this would be easy." The challenges and intricacies of his new role as the Duke of Nervek began to loomrge in his mind, a reminder of the trials that awaited him. Yuri, ever loyal and supportive, offered her unwavering faith in Sato''s abilities. Her voice carried a hint of mischief as she spoke, "I have full faith in you. If their eyes are bothering you, I''ll happily gouge them out for you." A mischievous smile yed upon her lips, emphasizing her fierce loyalty and protectiveness towards him. Sato''s expression softened as he nced at Yuri, grateful for her unwavering support. He shook his head gently, dismissing her offer. "That''s not necessary," he replied, his tone filled with a mix of determination and humility. He understood that earning the respect and trust of the workers would require more than just eliminating their curious stares. Before Sato could knock on the mansion''s door, it swung open with a suddenness that caught him off guard. Standing before him were Erza, the mansion''s mistress, and her trusted maids, Shuna, Luna, and Xanxia. Their presence at the entrance indicated their preparedness to receive him, their demeanor poised and attentive. "Lord Sato, it''s good to see you again." Shuna said with a smile as she slightly bowed her head. "Lord Sato, it is a pleasure to see you again," Shuna greeted with a warm smile, her demeanor respectful as she offered a slight bow of her head. Xanxia, unable to contain her astonishment, chimed in, "Indeed, you look different." Her eyes widened, clearly captivated by the changes in Sato''s appearance. Before Sato could respond, Erza swiftly intervened, her hand firmly grasping his arm. "Enough chatter,e, Father is waiting inside," she dered, her voice holding a sense of urgency and authority. With a gentle yet insistent pull, she guided him towards the entrance of the mansion, urging him to move forward. Yuri let out an exasperated sigh, her frustration evident in her mutterings, "Such an annoying creature." She cast a brief nce towards Divanchi, who stood outside, her senses keenly aware of a figure lurking in the garden to their left. Divanchi''s eyes darted to the side, her instincts guiding her attention to the hidden presence in the garden. Suspicion flickered in her gaze as she surveyed the surroundings, her instincts telling her that something was amiss. As the group proceeded into the mansion, a sense of intrigue and anticipation filled the air. Once inside the mansion, Erza guided Sato, Yuri, and Divanchi towards the balcony, where d, the patriarch of the family, sat. He reclined in a chair, a bottle of sak¨¦ resting before him along with a couple of grapefruits. The soft breeze gently rustled the leaves of the nearby trees, creating a serene atmosphere around them. Erza opened the ss door leading to the balcony, announcing their arrival with a warm smile. "Father, the Duke has arrived," she dered, her voice carrying a hint of pride. d''s eyes shifted towards the entrance, a smile beginning to form on his lips as he spotted Sato making his way towards them. However, his expression quickly transformed into one of astonishment and shock as he took a closer look at Sato''s face, realizing the transformation that had urred. "You have ascended," d voiced out, his words filled with a mix of surprise and admiration. The revtion of Sato''s changed appearance seemed to have caught him off guard. Sato returned the smile, a glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes. "I knew I didn''t have to exin it to you," he responded, his voice carrying a sense of reassurance and confidence. He moved closer, taking a seat opposite d, settling into thefortable chair. Erza gracefully settled beside Sato, while Yuri and Divanchi stood behind them, observing the scene with watchful eyes. The atmosphere held a blend of anticipation and reverence as the former Duke and the newly appointed Duke engaged in their private conversation. The rest of the group remained respectfully silent, their attention focused on their masters, awaiting the exchange of words that would shape the course of their future endeavors. "Indulge me a bit, what did you ascend to?" d asked. "Demon lord." Sato replied. d''sughter echoed through the balcony as he leaned back in his chair, ovee by amusement. "Demon lord, huh?" he chuckled, his voiceced with a mixture of surprise and pride. "Once again, you''ve managed to surprise me, Sato. I couldn''t be prouder of the path you''ve chosen." Erza''s smile widened, her grip on Sato''s arm tightening as she leaned closer to him. "When do we depart for the ceremony?" she inquired eagerly, her eyes shining with anticipation. d straightened himself, his demeanor filled with a sense of purpose. "Indeed, we have everything we need," he affirmed, his voice resonating with authority. "Sato is here, and with Erza by his side, we shall proceed. The people of Nervek are already eagerly awaiting the arrival of their new Duke." The realization of the impending ceremony sparked a surge of excitement within the group. The time for Sato to embrace his role as the Duke of Nervek had arrived, and their departure held the promise of new beginnings and the fulfillment of their collective aspirations. With d''s words serving as the catalyst, the atmosphere on the balcony transformed, brimming with a sense of urgency and determination. The final preparations were set in motion, and the journey to Nervek, where the destiny of the realm would be altered, was about tomence. ... A/N Author here, do join the Discord channel to see character references and discuss about the book. Your support is very much appreciated, thank you very much, viaments, power stones, golden tickets and gifts. Chapter 217 The New Duke Has Arrived II ? With a joyous giggle, a small child donning a resplendent traditional outfit burst out of the bedroom, trailed closely by his mother, equally adorned in exquisite attire. Her voice resounded through the house,ced with a touch of exasperation, as she attempted to catch the swift-footed youngster. "Come back, Gorge! I haven''t finished dressing you yet!" she called out, desperately pursuing her elusive son. However, her pursuit was abruptly halted as the boy''s father emerged from an adjacent room, intercepting the fleeting child with a loving smile. Lifting Gorge into his arms, the father''s face radiated warmth and amusement. "Why are you causing your mother such distress, my mischievous one?" he asked, his voice filled with affectionate reproach. Gorge''sughter rang out like tinkling bells, brimming with innocent delight. "I want to catch a glimpse of the new Duke," he replied gleefully. "My friends were raving about how extraordinary he is." The room was suffused with a sense of familial harmony, the air alive with the infectious mirth of a child and the tender bond between parents. "Remember, Gorge, if you wish to catch a glimpse of the Duke, you must behave," the father reminded his son, gently setting him down to allow the mother toplete the dressing. Once the family had finished their preparations, they stepped out of their home, only to encounter another family heading towards the same ceremony. A serendipitous encounter, it seemed. "Ah, Miss Ridha, I recall you being opposed to the coronation of the new Duke, so why are you attending the ceremony?" The husband remarked, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected encounter. Ridha''s lips curved into a serene smile, her eyes sparkling with newfound understanding. "Indeed, I once held reservations," she admitted, her voice tinged with a touch of reflection. "But after my husband enlightened me about the new Duke''s extraordinary deeds, saving us from the clutches of death not once, but twice, I couldn''t help but feel a profound sense of gratitude. Moreover, the Duke himself expressed his desire for this celebration, and it became clear to me that honoring his achievements was a matter of respect". Curiosity flickered in the mother''s eyes as she inquired, "Pray tell, where is your esteemed husband amidst all this?" Ridha''s gaze shifted momentarily, her pride evident. "He is fulfilling his duties at the ceremony, serving as the first officer of the royal guard," she replied, her voice imbued with a sense of admiration. In her tender embrace, Ridha held the hands of her two daughters, a picture of familial unity and devotion. As the two families continued their journey, a sense of anticipation filled the air. The noble traditions they adorned, woven with the threads of their culture, seemed toe alive, encapsting their shared purpose and honoring the valiant Duke. Little Gorge''s heart swelled with excitement, while his parents and Ridha walked side by side, united in their reverence for the new Duke and the unbreakable bond of loyalty and duty that permeated their lives. ¡­. In the heart of the bustling town square, the grandeur of Nervek, nobles hailing from every corner of the sprawling demon territory had already settled upon their opulent seats. Their elevated positions afforded them a vantage point from which to observe the forting ceremony, basking in their privileged status. Meanwhile, themon folk, a sea of faces, stood below, their gazes uplifted toward the colossal altar where the esteemed Duke was ted to make his appearance and address the gathered multitude. The air was charged with an air of anticipation, as whispers of the Duke''s wisdom and valor swirled through the crowd like an enchanting melody. Every corner of the square had been meticulously secured, ensuring the safety of the attendees. Not only did the formidable soldiers of Nervek stand guard, but also discreet figures cloaked in darkness¡ªthe servants under Yuri, the enigmatic Soul Hunters. d in somber attire, these shadowy operatives adeptly concealed themselves from prying eyes, their presence known only to those initiated into the secrets of the realm. As the moments ticked by, the atmosphere grew increasingly palpable, a palpable mix of excitement and reverence permeating the air. The citizens of Nervek, from the illustrious nobles to the humblemoners, shared a collective anticipation, united in their desire to witness the grand spectacle that was about to unfold before them. The stage was set, and all eyes remained fixed upon the towering altar, awaiting the arrival of their esteemed Duke and the words he would impart upon their eager ears. As if summoned by an ethereal force, d, the regal figurehead of the vampire realm, emerged gracefully from the entrance. With measured steps, he ascended the elevated tform, his presencemanding and his countenance exuding an aura of unyielding power. The instant the eyes of the crowd fell upon him, a resounding roar of exhration erupted, reverberating through the very fabric of the atmosphere. It was a testament to the indomitable charisma of the Duke himself, d, the sovereign ruler of over a thousand vampires. In the wake of the tumultuous cheer, a hushed silence gradually settled, a collective breath held in anticipation of the forting address. All eyes remained transfixed upon the Duke, their gazes unwavering, captivated by the regal figure who stood before them. His features were a symphony of elegance and strength, his piercing gaze evoking a sense of both reverence and apprehension. With an air of authority, d surveyed the multitude before him, his voice poised to echo across the expanse of the square. The momentous asion held the promise of profound words and derations that would resonate within the hearts of those fortunate enough to bear witness. "Dear citizens of Nervek," the Duke''s voice boomed, carrying a timbre that demanded attention. "Today, we gather in unity to celebrate not only the ascension of a new era but also the indomitable spirit that courses through the veins of our territory. It is with great honor and humility that I stand before you as your servant, bound by duty to safeguard the prosperity and harmony of our realm." The crowd listened intently, their eyes fixated upon d as his words wove a tapestry of inspiration and guidance. The atmosphere shimmered with a tangible sense of awe, for in this moment, the king of vampires had graced them with his presence, and his every word held the potential to shape their future. d''s voice resonated with unwavering conviction, its cadence steady and measured, a testament to the countless years of his reign. He stood upon the altar, his regal demeanor untarnished by even a trace of nervousness. The weight of his words carried the wisdom of ages past, and the crowd hung upon them with bated breath. The atmosphere became charged with a mix of intrigue and trepidation as d broached a topic that had long lingered in the shadows of their consciousness. "As all of you are well aware," he began, his tone tinged with a profound sorrow, "mere months ago, we were beset by a treacherous betrayal orchestrated by members of our own council, and tragically, even my own son sumbed to the allure of power that I possess. I must bear my share of responsibility, for on that fateful day, lives were lost at my hands." A collective gasp reverberated through the crowd, shock and disbelief etched upon their faces. The truth, unveiled with such raw honesty, struck them to their very core. The Duke''s admission of guilt, mingled with remorse, hung heavy in the air, eliciting aplex array of emotions within the gathered multitude. Yet, with an unwavering resolve, d continued, his voice unwavering. "However," he dered, a glimmer of hope emanating from his words, "amidst the darkness that engulfed us, a light emerged¡ªa man who, against all odds, offered aid and salvation to our beleaguered town. This same man, with unwavering courage, helped free us from the clutches of the monstrous rule imposed upon us by the demon lord. He saved us countless times, and as fate would have it, he is betrothed to my daughter." The revtion hung in the air, a profound realization washing over the crowd. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation as the weight of d''s words sank deep into their hearts. The Duke''s resolute voice, seasoned by the passage of time, rang out once more, its tone resonant with conviction. "I hereby dere," d proimed, his words carrying the weight of authority, "that this noble individual, who has proven his worth time and again, be granted the honor and responsibility of bing the Duke of thisnd. Let us unite in celebration, for it is through his actions that we shall forge a brighter future". The crowd erupted into a chorus of both astonished gasps and resounding apuse, their astonishment giving way to admiration and eptance. Standing poised at the threshold of the door, Sato, hisposure unshaken, could hear the resounding cheers of the people reverberating through the grand hall. As he gathered his thoughts, Yuri, his loyal confidant, approached him, her nimble fingers deftly adjusting Sato''s cor with a touch of finesse. "Master, just listen to them," Yuri remarked, a glimmer of admiration in her eyes. "Their excitement and anticipation are clear as day. Only you possess the power to captivate a crowd in such a way." A small smile yed at the corners of Sato''s lips as he regarded Yuri. "Must you always tease me at such crucial moments?" He quipped, his voiceced with affectionate amusement. Despite the weight of the impending task, a sense of tranquility radiated from him, like a calm sea amidst a storm. With a serene resolve, Sato pushed open the door, the anticipation of the crowd surging through him like a gust of wind. Stepping onto the hallowed ground, he made his way toward the altar, d, the esteemed Duke, at his side. Each step was measured, purposeful, as Sato embraced the significance of this pivotal moment. Chapter 218 The New Duke As Arrived III ? As Sato gracefully ascended the steps of the altar, his presence revealed to the expectant crowd, an ecstatic eruption of joy cascaded through the square. The people, moved by the sight of the soon-to-be Duke, cheered with unbridled enthusiasm, their voices blending into a symphony of celebration and hope. d, wearing a smile that mirrored the tion in the air, positioned his hand upon Sato''s shoulder, signifying their shared purpose and unity. His voice resonated with authority and warmth,manding the attention of every soul present. "Ladies and gentlemen," he began, his words imbued with a sense of solemnity and reverence, "I present to you a man of extraordinary prowess and character¡ªSato Inugami, known as the Demon Lord of Chaos and Turmoil." The crowd hushed, their eyes fixed upon Sato, anticipation shimmering in the air. d''s words had ignited curiosity and stirred intrigue, for the name Inugami carried with it a reputation that transcended mere mortals. Yet, with the Duke''s unwavering confidence, the room remained transfixed, eager to learn the significance of this revtion. d continued, his voice carrying the weight of momentous decisions. "In light of the trials that have befallen us and in recognition of the need for change, I have made the decision to dissolve the council. Henceforth, ournd shall be guided by a singr power¡ªthe Duke. However," he paused, a deliberate moment of anticipation, "Sato Inugami approached me with utmost humility and wisdom. Together, we have reached a profound understanding." The crowd leaned forward, their anticipation mounting, as d unveiled the truth that would reshape the future of their realm. "Henceforth," d proimed, his words resonating with purpose, "there shall be a council. Yet, this council will reside directly under the guidance and authority of the Duke himself¡ªSato Inugami. It is through his discernment and wisdom that the council shall serve, their purpose aligned with the vision of a united and prosperousnd." A wave of astonishment washed over the assembly, their expressions shifting from curiosity to contemtion. The implications of this announcement were profound¡ªa new era dawning, led by an exceptional individual whose unique position would bring bnce and harmony. The crowd buzzed with whispered conversations, as the people absorbed the weight of the Duke''s decision, understanding that their futurey in the hands of the enigmatic Demon Lord of Chaos and Turmoil, Sato Inugami. Meanwhile,Inside the confines of a towering edifice, strategically positioned just opposite the grand altar, a group of spectral figures known as the Ghost Gang lurked within a dimly lit room. Their leader, his gaze fixed upon the window that offered a vantage point to observe the unfolding scene, peered intently at d, Sato, and the vignt security personnel patrolling the surroundings. A derisive snort escaped the leader''s lips, his voiceced with disdain. "Tch! No more council," he scoffed, his tone dripping with contempt. "Dazil was right; the Duke has lost his sanity." Disengaging from the window, he made his way toward the rest of his gang, settling onto the ground among his subordinates. Each member of the Ghost Gang possessed a unique appearance, their ethereal forms taking on varied shapes and sizes. Some resembled spherical orbs, while others bore a slender,mp-like silhouette. Despite their disparate forms, a shared concern etched itself upon their incorporeal features. "What course of action do we pursue, boss?" one of the ghosts inquired, his voice tinged with worry. "If the council dissolves, there is a grave risk that our kind will be subjected to scorn and disregard. Without Gudan''s guidance, we are left vulnerable." The leader exhaled slowly, assuming a rxed posture against the cool wall. His voice carried an air of calcted determination. "Fear not," he reassured hisrades, his wordsced with confidence. "We shallplete the task we set out to aplish¡ªeliminating the royal family and the newly anointed Duke. I would rather face death than be condemned to a life of servitude under those insufferable vampires". His words hung in the air, resonating with unwavering resolve. The Ghost Gang, though apprehensive, found sce in their leader''s unwavering determination. The shadows that danced upon the walls seemed to mirror their collective resolve, a promise to follow through with their ndestine mission. A sudden rustling of footsteps reverberated through the room, jolting the closest ghost to the entrance from his reverie. His ethereal eyes widened in shock as he attempted to ry the impending danger to hispanions. "Guys, someone is¡ª" But his words were cut short, abruptly severed by a swift, de-like object that cleaved through the wall, bisecting both the ghost and his warning in one fluid motion. The sight sent shockwaves of rm rippling through the remaining specters, their translucent forms assuming defensive postures as they surveyed the intruders who had so swiftly discovered their hidden refuge. Emerging from the entrance with an air of deadly purpose were figures d in crimson attire, their eyes veiled in darkness¡ªYuri''s enigmatic servants, the Soul Hunters. Their presence alone sent shivers down the spines of the Ghost Gang, their senses tingling with trepidation at the overwhelming aura that surrounded these formidable adversaries. The lead Soul Hunter, positioned at the forefront, stooped down to retrieve the lifeless ghost''s body from the ground. With an eerie precision, he plunged his hand into the ghost''s chest, extracting a pulsating, ethereal blue energy before casting the limp form aside with cold detachment. Quivering with a mixture of fear and defiance, the Ghost Gang''s leader confronted the intruders, his voiceced with a tremor of uncertainty. "W-Who the hell are you?" he demanded, the palpable danger emanating from the Soul Hunters causing his spectral form to flicker uneasily. With an air of ruthless efficiency, one of the Soul Hunters responded, his voice carrying an icy chill. "Pardon the intrusion, but it hase to our attention that you seek to assassinate the Demon Lord." He paused, a chilling stillness enveloping the room. "My master has dispatched me to eradicate you," he dered, his words resonating with lethal intent. As the Soul Hunter''s hand closed around the pulsating blue energy, his grip tightened, crushing it into oblivion. The once vibrant glow dimmed and dissipated, consumed by the unforgiving grasp of his hand. The dire implications of the Soul Hunter''s actions hung heavy in the air, an unequivocal warning of the fate that awaited those who dared challenge the Demon Lord. In the face of this formidable opposition, the Ghost Gang''s leader found himself at a precipice, forced to confront the grim reality of his own mortality. The Soul Hunters, servants of Yuri himself, stood resolute, ready to eliminate any threat that dared to encroach upon their master''s domain. ¡­. "In light of these momentous circumstances, with the immeasurable power I shall soon wield as the Emperor of the forting Nation of Albedain, I hereby pledge to elevate this humble town into a sovereign Kingdom, emancipating you all from the clutches of Fiona," Sato''s resounding words reverberated throughout the grand hall, resonating with the hopes and aspirations of the gathered multitude. Yuri, Divanchi, and the steadfast family butler, Sebastian, stood vignt, their unwavering presence a testament to their unwavering loyalty andmitment to safeguarding the Demon Lord. "Albedain, our master has always been rather inept at naming things," Yuri remarked, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips as she engaged in yful banter with Divanchi. Divanchi chuckled in response, the mirthful echoes of theirughter intertwining within the hallowed space, both of them radiating a shared sense of excitement and anticipation at the grand ambitions of their revered master. However, the air abruptly shifted as Yuri received an urgentmunication through a magical earpiece, her countenance assuming a graveposure. "Mistress, can you hear me?" the voice crackled urgently through the enchanted device, its urgency immediately capturing Yuri''s attention. "Yes, what is it?" Yuri replied, her eyes instinctively darting toward Divanchi, who mirrored her concern. "We have just uncovered a group of rebels who have taken refuge within one of the nearby buildings," the voice informed her. "Their intentions are sinister, as they seek to assassinate both the Duke, his daughter, and the Demon Lord himself." Yuri''s gaze narrowed, her mind racing as she assimted the gravity of this newfound threat. Divanchi, attuned to Yuri''s shifting demeanor, sensed the urgency of the situation and eagerly awaited further details. "Have you apprehended them?" Yuri inquired, her voice projecting an air of steely resolve, concealing the turmoil brewing within. "I regret to inform you that we were unable to capture them all alive," the voice responded regretfully. "Only a handful were sessfully apprehended. However, those we did apprehend divulged the existence of additional rebels scattered throughout the ceremony. They identify themselves as the Resistance." Yuri''s expression remained impassive, her mind rapidly devising a strategic n to counter this unforeseen obstacle. The Resistance, it seemed, posed a direct threat to the Duke, his daughter, and the Demon Lord himself, heightening the urgency of the situation. "Of course someone tries to sabotage it," Yuri murmured, her voice resolute and determined. "Don''t not allow their ns to move. Rally our forces, neutralize this Resistance, and safeguard the lives of our esteemed Duke, his daughter, I''ll handle my Master myself." The grand hall fell into an expectant silence, Yuri''smand lingering in the air, the weight of their duty pressing upon them. Chapter 219 The New Duke As Arrived Iv ? "Quick, this way! Hurry!" The werewolf''s urgent cry reverberated through the air, his powerful palm striking the rocky wall with resounding force. In a brilliant disy, the wall shimmered and split asunder, revealing a concealed passage leading to an underground tunnel. Donned in enigmatic crimson garb, the werewolves swiftly filed through the opening, their footsteps resonating with purpose as they descended into the depths of the earth. With each determined stride, they moved with a singr objective in mind. Within the dimly lit confines of the tunnel, one of the werewolves shed his hood, revealing a countenance marked by anticipation and mischief. Standing before an imposing ancient rock adorned with arcane symbols, he surveyed their ndestine haven with a twisted grin. "At longst," the werewolf proimed, his voiceced with sinister satisfaction. "The time hase. We shall unleash the destructive might of our n upon this ursed city... Are ourrades positioned as nned?" he inquired, casting a nce over his shoulder at the werewolf standing steadfastly behind him. "Yes, sir. All contingents have assumed their designated posts," the subordinate affirmed, his voice resolute and unwavering. Their objective, while deceptively straightforward, harbored cataclysmic consequences. Strategically nted throughout the town square, a collection of malevolent magic-infused bombs awaited activation¡ªan ominous bargaining chip with which to dissuade the Duke from proceeding with the coronation. The werewolf leader''s eyes gleamed with malicious intent, his mind consumed by thoughts of havoc and discord. With each passing moment, their nefarious plot edged closer to fruition, its potential ramifications poised to reshape the very foundations of the city. Simultaneously, Yuri swiftly disseminated information regarding the Resistance, ensuring that every vignt guard in the vicinity embarked on a thorough search of the buildings. Although they managed to apprehend a few rebels, the overall oue fell short of being deemed a resounding sess. Across the street, Divanchi dashed with remarkable agility, her fiery aura zing in a magnificent disy. With lightning speed, she navigated thebyrinthinework of streets and alleys, her senses honed to detect even the faintest flicker of magic. [Divanchi, any progress?] Yuri''s voice crackled through the enchanted earpiece,den with anticipation. "Something of the sort. I can sense a substantial surge of magical energy nearby. I''m racing toward its source as we speak," Divanchi replied, her words blending seamlessly with the rush of wind as she streaked past an unfinished edifice, her form a fleeting blur. Driven by determination and the fire that coursed within her, Divanchi''s senses guided her unerringly toward the epicenter of the imminent threat. With every calcted twist and turn, she drew closer to her quarry, her mission gaining momentum with each passing heartbeat. The stakes were high, and the destiny of the town square and its inhabitants hung precariously in the bnce. As Divanchi surged forward, the weight of responsibility rested squarely upon her shoulders¡ªa pivotal role in the relentless pursuit of justice and the preservation of peace. Divanchi came to a sudden halt in the deste expanse, the eerie silence engulfing her. "What''s going on here? Noone''s here but I can still sense this much magic energy." She said to herself. Not a soul stirred, and the empty streets offered no hint of the magic energy she had keenly detected moments before. Perplexed, her eyes darted frantically, searching for any semnce of a clue in this mysterious absence. Then, her gaze fell upon the ground beneath her feet. A revtion dawned, illuminating her features with a mischievous smile. "Of course." She muttered. Understanding washed over her, and she clenched her fist, enveloping it in a fierce ze. With a resounding force, she unleashed her fiery power, shattering the ground beneath her. The street ruptured, and a cascade of rocks and debris cascaded downward, carrying Divanchi along with them. As the tumultuous descent ended, shended gracefully on her feet, her fiery aura illuminating the dark path that stretched before her. The undergroundyer revealed itself, a hidden realm concealed beneath the surface, beckoning Divanchi forward. Shadows danced along the dimly lit passage, hinting at untold secrets and imminent danger. Undeterred, she ventured forth, her determination unyielding, as she embarked on this ndestine journey into the depths of the unknown. With every step she took, Divanchi''s fiery presence illuminated the way, casting flickering shadows upon the ancient walls. The air grew heavy with anticipation, and the pulse of magic resonated within the confines of this hidden realm. As she delved deeper, Divanchi prepared herself for the challenges thaty ahead, her resolve unshakable and her heart ame with a fierce determination to uncover the truth. Divanchi''s voice echoed through the underground passage as she navigated the mysterious depths. "An undergroundyer beneath the town? Does d even know about this?" she murmured to herself, her steps resolute and purposeful. Through the magical earpiece, Yuri''s voice broke the silence once again. [Divanchi? Still no progress?] "Calm down, I''ve stumbled upon an underground passage right in the middle of the street," Divanchi responded, her toneced with confidence. [An underground passage?] "Yes, it appears so. And I doubt d is aware of its existence. Regardless, I''m already investigating it. Just keep a close eye on Master for me," Divanchi replied, her voice carrying a teasing undertone. [Tch! You don''t have to remind me of that. Focus on your mission, and I''ll handle my Master myself.] Yuri''s voice came through before she abruptly ended themunication. Divanchi''s smile widened at the yful banter, but her amusement was short-lived. Without warning, a swift-moving fabric emerged from the depths of the cave, swiftly coiling around her arm. Reacting instinctively, Divanchi strengthened her arm, resisting the force attempting to pull her into the darkness. With unwavering confidence radiating from her, she voiced her realization. "So that''s where you''ve been hiding," she dered, her fiery determination burning brighter than ever. With a fierce surge of speed and mes, Divanchi soared forward, her determination propelling her closer to her intended target with each passing second. The air crackled with anticipation as she closed in on her quarry. But in a sudden twist of fate, just as Divanchi reached her airborne peak, she found herself encircled by a pack of werewolf adversaries. Their menacing presence was matched by the cold steel of the guns they brandished, all trained directly on Divanchi. "G-Guns?" Divanchi''s voice quivered with disbelief as her eyes widened in shock. In that split second, she prepared herself for the imminent impact, her body tensing in anticipation of the danger that awaited her. ¡­.. Perched atop a towering edifice, another pack of wolves observed the jubnt citizens of Nervek from a distance. Cloaked in an air of mystery, their eyes gleamed with resentment as they watched the festivities unfold. "Look at them, oblivious fools reveling in their ignorance," the leader of the werewolves growled, his anger etched on his visage. "Allowing an outsider to rule over us is utterly uneptable." "Boss, the White Yggs have arrived," one of the werewolves announced, bowing respectfully behind their leader. "About damn time," the boss grunted, pivoting towards the rooftop''s edge to witness the entrance of a group of ghosts. "Igin, never did I imagine a day when we would work together like this," Simlo, the ghost leader, spoke, assuming a human-like form, a sly smile adorning his ethereal countenance. "Simlo, as expected, I find your presence detestable," Ignin responded, his strides deliberate as he approached Simlo. "Well, desperate times call for desperate measures," Simlo retorted, casting a sidelong nce at the crowd gathered for Sato''s coronation. "So, that''s the new Duke?" "Indeed," Ignin affirmed, his eyes fixed on Sato as he pondered the situation. "Rumors are circting about his true nature as a demon lord. As if single-handedly defeating Fiona wasn''t enough to raise eyebrows." The two leaders exchanged a knowing look, their minds aligning on a sinister path that aimed to challenge the newfound power in their midst. "And he also manufactured these guns?" Simlo inquired, extending his hand to one of his subordinates, who promptly ced the weapon in his palm with a respectful bow. "ording to our sources, yes, he was responsible..." Ignis confirmed. "Intriguing," Simlo mused, a glimmer of fascination dancing in his eyes. He then turned to one of his followers, without warning, and aimed the firearm directly at her. With a thunderous bang, the gun discharged, and a magical bullet pierced through the female ghost''s chest. She crumpled to the ground, her ethereal form gradually decaying into nothingness. Simlo chuckled, though he couldn''t help but cringe a bit at the loud noise. He used his hands to cover his ears and yfullymented, "Well, that''s quite the deafening sound, don''t you think?" "You''re utterly deranged," Ignis retorted, his face contorted with disgust. The other werewolves shared a simr sentiment, their expressions revealing their distaste for Simlo''s actions. On the other hand, the ghosts appeared unfazed, their demeanor calm andposed, as if such urrences were a regr part of their lives. Chapter 220 Do Not Buy ? "Quick, this way! Hurry!" The werewolf''s urgent cry reverberated through the air, his powerful palm striking the rocky wall with resounding force. In a brilliant disy, the wall shimmered and split asunder, revealing a concealed passage leading to an underground tunnel. .....joklk Donned in enigmatic crimson garb, the werewolves swiftly filed through the opening, their footsteps resonating with purpose as they descended into the depths of the earth. With each determined stride, they moved with a singr objective in mind. Within the dimly lit confines of the tunnel, one of the werewolves shed his hood, revealing a countenance marked by anticipation and mischief. Standing before an imposing ancient rock adorned with arcane symbols, he surveyed their ndestine haven with a twisted grin. "At longst," the werewolf proimed, his voiceced with sinister satisfaction. "The time hase. We shall unleash the destructive might of our n upon this ursed city... Are ourrades positioned as nned?" he inquired, casting a nce over his shoulder at the werewolf standing steadfastly behind him. "Yes, sir. All contingents have assumed their designated posts," the subordinate affirmed, his voice resolute and unwavering. Their objective, while deceptively straightforward, harbored cataclysmic consequences. Strategically nted throughout the town square, a collection of malevolent magic-infused bombs awaited activation¡ªan ominous bargaining chip with which to dissuade the Duke from proceeding with the coronation. The werewolf leader''s eyes gleamed with malicious intent, his mind consumed by thoughts of havoc and discord. With each passing moment, their nefarious plot edged closer to fruition, its potential ramifications poised to reshape the very foundations of the city. Simultaneously, Yuri swiftly disseminated information regarding the Resistance, ensuring that every vignt guard in the vicinity embarked on a thorough search of the buildings. Although they managed to apprehend a few rebels, the overall oue fell short of being deemed a resounding sess. Across the street, Divanchi dashed with remarkable agility, her fiery aura zing in a magnificent disy. With lightning speed, she navigated thebyrinthinework of streets and alleys, her senses honed to detect even the faintest flicker of magic. [Divanchi, any progress?] Yuri''s voice crackled through the enchanted earpiece,den with anticipation. "Something of the sort. I can sense a substantial surge of magical energy nearby. I''m racing toward its source as we speak," Divanchi replied, her words blending seamlessly with the rush of wind as she streaked past an unfinished edifice, her form a fleeting blur. Driven by determination and the fire that coursed within her, Divanchi''s senses guided her unerringly toward the epicenter of the imminent threat. With every calcted twist and turn, she drew closer to her quarry, her mission gaining momentum with each passing heartbeat. The stakes were high, and the destiny of the town square and its inhabitants hung precariously in the bnce. As Divanchi surged forward, the weight of responsibility rested squarely upon her shoulders¡ªa pivotal role in the relentless pursuit of justice and the preservation of peace. Divanchi came to a sudden halt in the deste expanse, the eerie silence engulfing her. "What''s going on here? Noone''s here but I can still sense this much magic energy." She said to herself. Not a soul stirred, and the empty streets offered no hint of the magic energy she had keenly detected moments before. Perplexed, her eyes darted frantically, searching for any semnce of a clue in this mysterious absence. Then, her gaze fell upon the ground beneath her feet. A revtion dawned, illuminating her features with a mischievous smile. "Of course." She muttered. Understanding washed over her, and she clenched her fist, enveloping it in a fierce ze. With a resounding force, she unleashed her fiery power, shattering the ground beneath her. The street ruptured, and a cascade of rocks and debris cascaded downward, carrying Divanchi along with them. As the tumultuous descent ended, shended gracefully on her feet, her fiery aura illuminating the dark path that stretched before her. The undergroundyer revealed itself, a hidden realm concealed beneath the surface, beckoning Divanchi forward. Shadows danced along the dimly lit passage, hinting at untold secrets and imminent danger. Undeterred, she ventured forth, her determination unyielding, as she embarked on this ndestine journey into the depths of the unknown. With every step she took, Divanchi''s fiery presence illuminated the way, casting flickering shadows upon the ancient walls. The air grew heavy with anticipation, and the pulse of magic resonated within the confines of this hidden realm. As she delved deeper, Divanchi prepared herself for the challenges thaty ahead, her resolve unshakable and her heart ame with a fierce determination to uncover the truth. Divanchi''s voice echoed through the underground passage as she navigated the mysterious depths. "An undergroundyer beneath the town? Does d even know about this?" she murmured to herself, her steps resolute and purposeful. Through the magical earpiece, Yuri''s voice broke the silence once again. [Divanchi? Still no progress?] "Calm down, I''ve stumbled upon an underground passage right in the middle of the street," Divanchi responded, her toneced with confidence. [An underground passage?] "Yes, it appears so. And I doubt d is aware of its existence. Regardless, I''m already investigating it. Just keep a close eye on Master for me," Divanchi replied, her voice carrying a teasing undertone. [Tch! You don''t have to remind me of that. Focus on your mission, and I''ll handle my Master myself.] Yuri''s voice came through before she abruptly ended themunication. Divanchi''s smile widened at the yful banter, but her amusement was short-lived. Without warning, a swift-moving fabric emerged from the depths of the cave, swiftly coiling around her arm. Reacting instinctively, Divanchi strengthened her arm, resisting the force attempting to pull her into the darkness. With unwavering confidence radiating from her, she voiced her realization. "So that''s where you''ve been hiding," she dered, her fiery determination burning brighter than ever. With a fierce surge of speed and mes, Divanchi soared forward, her determination propelling her closer to her intended target with each passing second. The air crackled with anticipation as she closed in on her quarry. But in a sudden twist of fate, just as Divanchi reached her airborne peak, she found herself encircled by a pack of werewolf adversaries. Their menacing presence was matched by the cold steel of the guns they brandished, all trained directly on Divanchi. "G-Guns?" Divanchi''s voice quivered with disbelief as her eyes widened in shock. In that split second, she prepared herself for the imminent impact, her body tensing in anticipation of the danger that awaited her. ¡­.. Perched atop a towering edifice, another pack of wolves observed the jubnt citizens of Nervek from a distance. Cloaked in an air of mystery, their eyes gleamed with resentment as they watched the festivities unfold. "Look at them, oblivious fools reveling in their ignorance," the leader of the werewolves growled, his anger etched on his visage. "Allowing an outsider to rule over us is utterly uneptable." "Boss, the White Yggs have arrived," one of the werewolves announced, bowing respectfully behind their leader. "About damn time," the boss grunted, pivoting towards the rooftop''s edge to witness the entrance of a group of ghosts. "Igin, never did I imagine a day when we would work together like this," Simlo, the ghost leader, spoke, assuming a human-like form, a sly smile adorning his ethereal countenance. "Simlo, as expected, I find your presence detestable," Ignin responded, his strides deliberate as he approached Simlo. "Well, desperate times call for desperate measures," Simlo retorted, casting a sidelong nce at the crowd gathered for Sato''s coronation. "So, that''s the new Duke?" "Indeed," Ignin affirmed, his eyes fixed on Sato as he pondered the situation. "Rumors are circting about his true nature as a demon lord. As if single-handedly defeating Fiona wasn''t enough to raise eyebrows." The two leaders exchanged a knowing look, their minds aligning on a sinister path that aimed to challenge the newfound power in their midst. "And he also manufactured these guns?" Simlo inquired, extending his hand to one of his subordinates, who promptly ced the weapon in his palm with a respectful bow. "ording to our sources, yes, he was responsible..." Ignis confirmed. "Intriguing," Simlo mused, a glimmer of fascination dancing in his eyes. He then turned to one of his followers, without warning, and aimed the firearm directly at her. With a thunderous bang, the gun discharged, and a magical bullet pierced through the female ghost''s chest. She crumpled to the ground, her ethereal form gradually decaying into nothingness. Simlo chuckled, though he couldn''t help but cringe a bit at the loud noise. He used his hands to cover his ears and yfullymented, "Well, that''s quite the deafening sound, don''t you think?" "You''re utterly deranged," Ignis retorted, his face contorted with disgust. The other werewolves shared a simr sentiment, their expressions revealing their distaste for Simlo''s actions. On the other hand, the ghosts appeared unfazed, their demeanor calm andposed, as if such urrences were a regr part of their lives. Chapter 221 The New Duke Has Arrived V ? Simlo marveled in awe as he held the magnificent magic gun in his hands, his eyes transfixed upon its remarkable design. His loyal ghostpanion, Aley, hovered behind him, observing the scene with ethereal curiosity. Igis, however, let out a weary sigh, his expression betraying a hint of impatience. "Let''s not waste any more time," he said, striding purposefully toward the edge of the towering building. Resting there was a massive piece of equipment, draped in a voluminous fabric, awaiting its unveiling. Simlo''s voice tinged with excitement as he approached the mysterious contraption. "So, this must be the legendary angel weapon I''ve heard whispers about," he mused aloud, unable to contain his curiosity. "Indeed," Ignis replied, a sly smirk ying on his lips. "And believe me when I say that this weapon will deliver a message to the ursed demon lord like nothing else can." With a swift motion, Ignis removed the concealing fabric, revealing a truly awe-inspiring sight¡ªa golden, enchanting magic sniper. It was a creation of Sato''s craftsmanship, forged during the fierce war against Fiona. Somehow, Ignis had managed to acquire it, a testament to his resourcefulness. The sniper was meticulously positioned at the precipice of the building, its sights fixed upon the sacred altar where Sato and d stood, locked in a fateful confrontation. Simlo''s voice carried a tinge of skepticism as he voiced his doubts. "Are you certain this contraption is capable of taking down the formidable Demon Lord?" His gaze lingered upon the magic sniper, his expectations somewhat diminished. Ignis leaned against the rooftop''s edge, his piercing eyes scanning the vast expanse below where a sea of jubnt spectators gathered to witness the grand coronation. A mischievous smile yed across Ignis'' face as he addressed Simlo. "You''ll understand soon enough, my friend," he called out to one of his trusted werewolfrades, Rio. "Inform the others that it''s time to set our n into motion. Let''s make a grand entrance with a bang!" Without hesitation, Rio swiftly departed from their group, his agile form disappearing through the door as he made his way to convey Ignis''mand to the rest of their allies. Simlo''s curiosity piqued even further, a sense of anticipation filling the air. The stage was set, and the wheels of fate were about to turn, embarking them on a path destined to challenge the very forces of darkness. In the deste city of Nervek, the relentless Forever Knights scoured every nook and cranny in their tireless pursuit of the elusive Resistance criminals. With unwavering determination, Veronica, the resolute second-inmand, led her contingent of vampire warriors through the city''s abandoned streets. Suddenly, their relentless search led them to an upleted building, where Veronica and her men swiftly stormed in, seizing the opportunity to apprehend a group of five ethereal figures¡ªghosts who were believed to be part of the Resistance. Veronica maintained a vignt distance, her sharp eyes surveying the scene as her soldiers rounded up the suspected criminals. Amidst themotion, one of her knights, Damel, approached her with an air of unease, his gaze darting nervously around. Curiosity etched on her face, Veronica regarded Damel with a profound gaze. "What troubles you, Damel?" she inquired, her voiceced with a hint of empathy. Damel hesitated, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "It''s just... Are we absolutely certain that we have captured the right individuals? It''s difficult to believe that these people would dare go against the Duke," he confessed, struggling toprehend the situation. Veronica sighed, a mixture of weariness and understanding evident in her expression. "I empathize with your concerns, Damel. I have served the Duke faithfully for many years, and I too find it hard to fathom such betrayal," she acknowledged, her toneden with a sense of resignation. "But you see, with Duke d''s intention to relinquish the throne and pass it on to Sato, tensions have risen among the ghosts and vampires. They feel threatened by this impending power shift." "Threatened?" Damel''s voice betrayed a hint of confusion. Veronica nodded, her frustration subtly surfacing. "Indeed. Especially now that the Duke has dissolved the council, other races may perceive us vampires as opportunistic, eager to exploit the vacuum left behind. It''s an unsightly situation, to say the least," shemented, a tinge of sorrow permeating her words. The intricate web of politics and power struggles had cast a shadow over their once harmonious realm. Damel''s countenance was tinged with mncholy as he absorbed Veronica''s words, a heaviness settling upon him. "I... I understand," he responded, his voiceden with a touch of sadness. Veronica, sensing his despondency, offered a reassuring pat on his shoulder. "Take heart, Damel," she encouraged, her voice gentle. "Believe it or not, I have unwavering faith in the Demon Lord Sato. Throughout our encounters, he has consistently proven himself capable of oveing challenges." Damel''s features contorted in sheer astonishment, his eyes widening in disbelief. "What? What did you say?" he stammered, unable to contain his shock. Perplexed by his sudden reaction, Veronica regarded him with a mix of curiosity and confusion. "What''s the matter, Damel?" she inquired, seeking to unravel the cause of his surprise. Damel, his cheeks burning with embarrassment, fumbled with his words. "It''s just... This is the first time I''ve witnessed you cing your trust in someone other than ourmander and the Duke," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper, while his hand absentmindedly scratched the back of his head. Veronica''s smile grew, genuine warmth radiating from her. "Believe me, Damel, I find it equally astonishing," she replied, her tone infused with a touch of amusement. "But there''s something about Sato that resonates with me. Call it intuition or a leap of faith. I can''t quite exin it myself." With newfound determination, Veronica strode purposefully back towards the building where the captured ghosts were being held. Damel seized the moment to speak, his voice projecting so she could hear him as she walked away. "So, what shall we do with them?" he queried, gesturing towards the ethereal prisoners. Veronica turned back, her gaze fixed on the weak and vulnerable ghost among the captives. A sly glint appeared in her eyes. "Take the weakest one back inside," shemanded, her tone filled with anticipation. "I have a few questions that need answering." With those final words, she disappeared into the building, embarking on her quest for crucial information that could potentially reshape their understanding of the situation at hand. ..... Veronica settled into a chair, her posture exuding an air of authority, as the captive ghost, assuming the form of a human snake, was firmly held before her. Damel stood silently behind her, lending his support as they delved into the interrogation. With a disarming smile, Veronica extended her fingers, yfully twirling them in the air. "Greetings," she began, her tone deceptively gentle. "How are you feeling?" Her words carried a touch of warmth, intended to put the terrified ghost at ease. The captured ghost trembled with fear, his ethereal form writhing with trepidation. Trapped and cornered by the Forever Knights, he could only wonder about his fate. "There''s no need to be afraid," Veronica assured him, her smile genuine. "I promise you, I have no intention of causing you harm. That is, of course, if you are willing to answer my questions. Are we in agreement? Good, now are you part of the resistance?" Her voice held a soothing cadence, seeking to foster cooperation. The ghost, still consumed by fear, nced nervously to the side, his apprehension evident on his face. "No... No, I have no affiliation with any resistance," he stammered, his voice quivering with genuine uncertainty. Veronica maintained an unwavering gaze, scrutinizing the ghost''s every reaction. As soon as his response left his lips, she activated a skill bestowed upon her and herrades by Sato himself¡ªa gift that enabled them to perceive a person''s true intentions. In an instant, she witnessed red-tinged steam begin to emanate from the ghost''s body, signaling a deep-rooted malevolence. It was a visual confirmation that the ghost''s ims held no truth. Veronica''s expression remainedposed, hiding her newfound knowledge. She continued to observe the deceptive specter, strategizing her next move within the shadows of her thoughts. "Is that so?" Veronica''s sigh carried a hint of disappointment as she rose from her seat, her movements deliberate and calcted. With unwavering determination, she retrieved a sleek gun from her holster, its ominous presence casting an eerie shadow across the room. Steadying her aim, she directed the weapon towards the ghost''s writhing tail, the embodiment of his ethereal form. In one swift motion, the gunshot echoed through the air, reverberating with a chilling intensity. The bullet found its mark, striking the ghost''s tail with unerring precision. A piercing scream erupted from the ghost''s ethereal lips, resonating with a mixture of anguish and surprise. In a mesmerizing dance, the wounded specter twisted and turned, his incorporeal form convulsing as he witnessed his tail slowly dissipating into nothingness, robbed of its ethereal essence. The room fell into an eerie silence, broken only by the ghost''s agonized cries, as the consequences of his deceit yed out before him. Veronica bent in front of the ghost, her voice cold and manicing as she spoke, "I''ll ask you again¡­ are you part of the resistance?". Chapter 222 The Resistance ? "And so, on this momentous and propitious day," d''s resonant voice reverberated through the air, carrying the weight of the asion. With unwavering poise, he held the gleaming crown aloft, its golden radiance casting a majestic glow upon the assembly. The townspeople gathered, their breaths held in anticipation, as the words hung in the air, pregnant with significance. "Do you, Sato Inugami," d continued, his voice a steady cadence, "solemnly swear to guide and protect this esteemed town with unwavering honesty, resolute diligence, and steadfastmitment?" Sato''s gaze shifted momentarily, his eyes meeting Erza''s as she sat in the exalted VIP area. A silent exchange passed between them, an unspoken understanding that forged a connection stronger than words. In that fleeting moment, Erza''s countenance radiated warmth, her lips parting into a gentle smile, a beacon of encouragement that ignited a fire within Sato''s heart. Returning his attention to d, Sato''s resolve solidified, his voice clear and unwavering as he replied, "Yes, I do, Sato Inugami, solemnly swear." With those words, the air seemed to still, as if the very heavens held their breath in reverence. The weight of responsibility settled upon Sato''s shoulders, melding with the indomitable spirit that resided within him. The pledge he had just made echoed through the hearts of all those present, a testament to his unwavering dedication to his people and the ideals he now embodied. As the crowd erupted into thunderous apuse, their jubnt cheers mingled with the whispers of hope that permeated the air. Sato Inugami had ascended to a position of leadership, a harbinger of change and progress. Amidst the resounding cheers of the jubnt crowd, a figure emerged from the throng, striding purposefully toward the elevated altar. Clutched in his hands were a series of meticulously prepared documents, their importance denoted by the official seals adorning their corners. This man, the esteemed town adviser, bore the weight of his position with an air of profound significance, his every step resonating with purpose. As the crowd''s collective gaze fixated upon him, a hushed silence descended, punctuated only by the faint rustling of papers. Each set of eyes followed his every move, anticipation mounting with every passing second. With unwavering precision, he positioned the papers upon the polished surface before Sato, a testament to the gravity of the moment. The air crackled with electricity as Sato''s hand reached for the first document, his fingers brushing against the parchment''s surface. With a steady hand, he signed his name, the ink flowing gracefully across the page, etching hismitment into history. A thunderous cheer erupted, cascading through the crowd like a wave of affirmation and support, a resounding tribute to the profound significance of this first step. The adviser''s gaze, calm and discerning, met Sato''s, and with an almost imperceptible nod, he slid the next document before him. Sato''s heart quickened its rhythm, mirroring the heightened anticipation of the assembled townspeople. With each sessive signature, the weight of responsibility settled deeper within his being, as if he were etching his devotion not only onto the parchment but into the very fabric of his soul. With everypleted signature, a chorus of jubnt voices erupted, mingling with the echoes of apuse that reverberated through the air. The town adviser continued his solemn task, presenting one document after another, while the people watched with bated breath. Each signed paper symbolized anotheryer ofmitment, another stride forward on the path of leadership, and each asion was met with an exultant cheer, an outpouring of unbridled enthusiasm. And as the final document was signed, the crowd erupted into a thunderous crescendo of exultation. Their cheers reverberated throughout the town, carried by the winds of change and possibility. Sato Inugami had emerged from this momentous asion not only as their leader but as a symbol of unity and progress¡ªa guiding light that would illuminate their path toward a future that shimmered with hope and potential. Erza''s smile remained fixed upon her lips as she watched, her gaze unwavering, locked onto Sato as if he were the sole focal point in the grand tapestry of this momentous asion. The joy that emanated from her eyes reflected a profound connection, a bond that transcended the exuberant crowd that surrounded them. Yet, amidst the sea of celebration, a flicker of concern tinged Erza''s expression as a figure approached from behind. It was Laura, her loyal maid, gliding gracefully through the throng. Bending slightly, she leaned closer to Erza''s ear, her words delivered in a hushed whisper. The shock that registered on Erza''s face was instantaneous, her features contorting with a sudden realization that sent tremors of unease rippling through her very being. Without a moment''s hesitation, Erza rose from her chair, her movements fluid and purposeful. Laura, faithful as ever, followed closely behind, mirroring Erza''s quickened stride. As they reached the hall, two figures stood in wait¡ªShuna and Xanxia, their countenances reflecting a solemnity that mirrored Erza''s own. The weight of anticipation hung palpably in the air as Erza approached them, her voiceced with urgency and an underlying sense of trepidation. "What is going on?" she questioned, her words hanging in the air, their significance reverberating through the space. "What do you mean by resistance?" Shuna''s eyes met Erza''s, her expression filled with a mixture of concern and determination. "Lady Erza," she began, her voice steady, "we have received reports of a growing resistance within the town. It seems that there are those who oppose Sato''s ascension to power and are plotting against him." Erza''s brows furrowed, a crease of worry etching itself upon her forehead. The news struck her like a bolt of lightning, shattering the blissful atmosphere that had enveloped the town. She nced at Xanxia, her gaze imploring for further rification. Xanxia, his voice tinged with gravity, responded, "It appears that certain factions within the town have formed an underground movement, seeking to undermine Sato''s authority and disrupt the harmony he strives to establish. Their motives and identities remain veiled, but their resistance grows in strength and whispers of their actions have reached our ears." Erza''s heart clenched with a mixture of concern and determination. She understood the magnitude of the challenge thaty before them¡ªa battle not only for Sato''s legitimacy but for the very fabric of their shared vision. Resolute, she squared her shoulders, her gaze unwavering. Erza''s voice carried a tinge of urgency, her concern for her beloved evident in her question. "Does Darling know about this?" she inquired, her eyes searching the faces of her attendants, seeking reassurance. "No, he doesn''t," Laura replied, her voice filled with a mixture of trepidation and loyalty. "But knowing him, he possesses an uncanny intuition. He may already have a sense that something is amiss." Her words hung in the air,den with an unspoken understanding of Sato''s keen perceptiveness. "All we were told was to get you out of the ceremony to somewhere safe". Erza''s anger red, her emotions manifesting as a surge of magic coursing through her veins. In that moment, her eyes shimmered with power, an ethereal glow illuminating her countenance. The left side of her face, adorned with red wings, bore testament to the force simmering within her. "If you think I would forsake my fianc¨¦''s coronation, even in the face of such adversaries," Erza dered, her voiceced with determination, "then you gravely underestimate my resolve." Her eyes swept across the trio of attendants before her, her gaze unwavering. "Where is Yuri? Take me to her." Her words reverberated through the hall, infused with a potent mixture of fury, devotion, and unwavering loyalty. Erza stood as a pir of strength, her unwavering determination cutting through the uncertainty that clouded the air. The bond she shared with Sato transcended any threat, and she was prepared to face the challenges head-on, with courage burning brightly within her heart. The attendants exchanged nces, their expressions a mosaic of concern and admiration as they beheld Erza''s indomitable spirit. Amidst the charged atmosphere, Laura, the stalwart maid, took a step forward, her voice resonant and unwavering. "Indeed, it is not in our nature to stand idly by while Master Sato faces such peril. We owe him a great debt, and it would weigh heavily upon our hearts if we did not aid him in his time of need." Shuna, her eyes alight with determination, added her voice to the chorus of unwavering support. "We are resolute in our duty, Lady Erza. Lady Yuri, in her wisdom, has deemed it vital to ensure your safety. Together, we shall confront these challenges head-on, preserving the sanctity of your beloved fianc¨¦''s coronation." Xanxia, her smile tinged with a hint of mischief, interjected, her voice filled with quiet confidence. "And if anyone dares to obstruct our path, they shall bear witness to the formidable might wielded by the three ocean goddesses". Erza''s heart swelled with gratitude as she absorbed the unwavering loyalty of her attendants. Stepping forward, her eyes aze with determination, she expressed her gratitude. "Thank you, each of you. Let''s get this done quickly, I don''t n on missing the whole ceremony." As they moved forward, Erza''s determination radiated like a beacon, her every step infused with the weight of responsibility. With Laura leading the way, the trio of attendants pledged their unwavering allegiance, ready to support Erza. Chapter 223 Good News And Bad News ? "Ahhh!" With a thunderous roar that reverberated through the undergroundyer, Divanchi unleashed her immense power, striking down one of the Resistance members who had been hiding in the shadows. The resounding impact echoed in the cavernous space, and the defeated figure crumpled to the ground, unconscious. Taking a moment to catch her breath, Divanchi surveyed the scene before her. Strewn across the undergroundir were numerous werewolves, all lying motionless, their struggles quelled by her formidable might. The air crackled with tension as she stood amidst the aftermath of her solo conquest. "That should be all," Divanchi muttered under her breath, a hint of exhaustion creeping into her voice. She disdainfully tossed the defeated werewolf she had been holding by the throat to the side, casting a casual nce at the motionless figure before proceeding to dust off her hand. Yet, just as she thought her triumph wasplete, a voice filled with fury and defiance suddenly pierced the air from behind her. "What kind of monster are you?!" a female werewolf cried out, her voiceced with a mixture of anger, fear, and disbelief. Startled, Divanchi spun around to face the source of the vehement usation. Her eyes locked onto the defiant werewolf, who stood resolute amidst the chaos, her gaze filled with a mixture of rage and determination. Divanchi''s gaze sharpened, her countenance betraying a hint of satisfaction and a glimmer of anticipation. "Oh, there''s one more," Divanchi retorted, her voiceced with a tinge of dark amusement. Her lips curled into a wicked smile as she sized up her final opponent. The confrontation had only just begun. "Just leave us the hell alone!" The female werewolf''s voice reverberated with a mix of desperation and defiance. In a surge of dark energy, her human form erupted, giving way to a towering and formidable wolf. The transformation was apanied by a gust of wind, as if nature itself shuddered in awe of the beast''s emergence. Divanchi''s eyes widened, her gaze fixed upon the magnificent creature that now stood before her. She could feel the raw power emanating from the massive wolf, an embodiment of primal strength and ferocity. A thrill of anticipation coursed through her veins, fueling her already formidable resolve. "Oh? So that is your origin form. Interesting," Divanchi eximed, her voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of amusement. She relished the challenge thaty before her, relishing the opportunity to face an opponent of such magnitude. The colossal wolf let out a deafening roar, its voice echoing through the undergroundir. The sheer force of its cry caused the earth to crack, while a tempestuous wind swept through the surroundings. Yet, despite the tremendous power unleashed by the wolf, Divanchi remained steadfast, firmly rooted to the ground. The gusts of wind whipped around her, but she stood unaffected, her gaze locked onto her formidable foe. As abruptly as it had started, the tempest ceased. Divanchi swiftly brushed aside the locks of hair that had fallen across her face, revealing a wicked smirk that danced upon her lips. Her eyes zed with an intense fire as she prepared to unveil her own true form. "Since you were so nice to show me your origin form, I should return the favor," Divanchi dered with a tone dripping in anticipation. A surge of energy enveloped her, as mes erupted around her figure, spiraling and intertwining in a mesmerizing disy. In a breathtaking instant, her transformation wasplete, as she took the form of a majestic phoenix. With an earth-shaking impact, the mighty phoenix burst through the confines of the undergroundir, piercing through the ceiling and emerging in all its fiery glory. The werewolf took several cautious steps backward, her eyes widening in awe and trepidation as she beheld the magnificent phoenix before her. "Y-You''re a Phoenix?... A deity-tier monster..." Her voice trembled with a mix of reverence and disbelief. "How is someone of your caliber working for an elf?" Divanchi''s fiery aura intensified, her Phoenix form pulsating with scorching mes that danced with ethereal grace. She regarded the werewolf with a piercing gaze, her voiceden with authority and warning. "I''d watch my mouth if I were you. That is my master you are speaking of." The weight of her words hung heavily in the air, a testament to the unwavering loyalty she held for her elusive employer. "It is abundantly clear how this will end. Why don''t you save yourself the trouble and surrender?" Divanchi''s voice carried an air of supreme confidence, her unwavering conviction evident in her every word. The werewolf''s growl resonated through the undergroundir, reverberating with defiance and determination. Ignoring the immense disparity in power between them, she stepped forward, muscles tensed, ready to spring into action. "I refuse! I don''t care if you are a god! I will not give up here!" "Have it your way... I won''t be holding back," Divanchi uttered, her voice carrying a steely determination. Without a moment''s hesitation, the werewolf seized the opportunity to catch Divanchi off guard. With a powerful leap, she propelled herself towards the airborne Phoenix, her jaws agape, unleashing a torrent of malevolent ck energy that surged forth with immense force. Divanchi, however, had anticipated the attack. Unfazed, she remained resolute, her fiery form radiating an aura ofmand. As the ck energy hurtled towards her, she summoned her elemental prowess. Multiple fireballs materialized around her, their intense mes zing with unrivaled intensity. The first fireball collided with the onught of ck energy, triggering an explosive eruption that sent shockwaves rippling through the air. The werewolf, caught within the devastating st, was violently mmed into the unforgiving ground, momentarily disoriented by the sheer force of the impact. Before the werewolf could regain her bearings, a relentless barrage of fireballs descended upon her, transforming the very ground beneath into a scorching inferno. Each fireball found its mark with unerring uracy, engulfing the werewolf in a blistering storm of mes. The air crackled with the searing heat as the earth itself seemed to burn, and the werewolf''s anguished cries melded with the roaring mes that consumed her. Divanchi, her eyes fixed unwaveringly on her smoldering adversary, stood amidst the aftermath of her relentless assault. The battleground was transformed into a scene of devastation, with smoke billowing and the scent of singed fur hanging heavy in the air. Yet, even as the mes subsided, Divanchi''s fierce countenance remained unyielding, her aura brimming with the promise of further cmity. The battle had only just begun, and the oue still hung in the bnce. "Honestly, that was a foolish move," Divanchi remarked, her voice resonating with a mix of disappointment and admonishment. With a fiery burst of energy, she reverted back to her human form, her presence radiating an air of calm authority. Determined and unyielding, she began walking purposefully towards the fallen werewolf. Each step she took left imprints on the scorched ground, a stark reminder of the devastating power she possessed. As Divanchi drew closer, her keen eyes scanned the charred figure sprawled on the ground, the werewolf now transformed back into her human form. Tattered remnants of clothing clung to her body, ckened and singed by the merciless mes. Divanchi knelt down in front of the fallen werewolf, her expression a mixture of curiosity and resolve. Her voice held a firmness, yet a hint of genuine curiosity, as she posed her question. "Now, tell me... What are you and your allies nning to do to my master?" The werewolf, her body covered in ash and her eyes filled with defiance, met Divanchi''s gaze without faltering. Despite the dire circumstances, a flicker of stubborn determination burned within her. Her voice, though weakened, carried an undertone of unyielding resolve as she responded. "We will... never let your master seed... His ambitions... will be thwarted, no matter the cost." Divanchi''s eyes narrowed, her voice tinged with a mix of caution and determination. "You underestimate both my master and me. The path you have chosen is one paved with folly and consequences. I suggest you reconsider your allegiance before it''s toote". ¡­.. Yuri, stationed at the entrance of the door that led to the sacred altar, kept a vignt watch over Sato, her eyes darting between him and the room beyond. Suddenly, a voice crackled through her earpiece, interrupting her focused attention. She swiftly shifted her gaze away from Sato, giving her full attention to the urgent message. "Divanchi, what is it?" she inquired, her voiceced with a sense of urgency and concern. [We have both good news and bad news,] Divanchi''s voice replied through the earpiece. [The good news is that I''ve discovered a way to prevent the impending disaster. However, the bad news is that I''m at a loss as to where to begin.] Yuri''s brows furrowed, her mind racing to process the weight of the situation. "What do you mean?" she pressed, her tone reflecting her unwavering determination to resolve the crisis. With a hint of frustration evident in her voice, Divanchi ryed the crucial information. [[The individuals we are pursuing, they call themselves the Resistance. Their goal is to halt the coronation ceremony, and to achieve that, they have strategically nted magic bombs throughout the city. Their n is to eliminate Nervek in one fell swoop] Yuri''s breath caught in her throat as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. The realization struck her like a bolt of lightning, threatening to unravel the delicate threads of order and peace they had fought so hard to maintain. Time seemed to stand still as she grappled with the weight of the imminent danger that loomed over them. "Divanchi, meet back with me," she dered, her voiceced with unwavering determination. [Sure¡­ I''ll destroy this bomb first]. Chapter 224 Hey Master! Can You Hear Me?! ? Yuri''s exasperation manifested in a weary sigh that escaped her lips, the weight of the situation settling heavily upon her shoulders. Leaning against the cool stone wall, she sought a momentary respite from the chaos unfolding around her. With one hand covering her face, she attempted to shield herself from the mounting stress that threatened to consume her. "Why," she mused inwardly, her thoughts swirling with frustration, "must they choose this very moment to act?" Her gaze darted to the side, where Sato, resolute andposed, stood outside, diligently overseeing the grand coronation ceremony. Just as Yuri immersed herself in her contemtion, another voice broke through the tumultuous atmosphere, resonating softly in her earpiece. "Lady Yuri, can you hear me?" the voice inquired. Yuri''s weariness gave way to a glimmer of hope as she recognized the familiar tone. "Veronica," she responded, her voice carrying a blend of anticipation and anxiety, "tell me you bear news to alleviate this burden." A brief pause followed,den with anticipation, before Veronica''s voice crackled through the earpiece once more. "[Yes, I do. I''m currently en route to the town square. This is information best conveyed face to face.]" Yuri''s heart quickened at the prospect of receiving vital information from her trusted confidante. She pushed herself off the wall, her back straightening as she prepared to face the challenges ahead. After a tense wait, Divanchi emerged into view, followed closely by Veronica. The absence of soldiers behind Veronica raised a fleeting concern in Yuri''s mind, but it dissipated as quickly as it arose. Relief flooded her being at the sight of her trusted allies approaching. Yuri couldn''t help but let out an exasperated sigh, tinged with a hint of impatience. "You sure took your sweet time," she remarked, her voice carrying a mixture of weariness and gratitude. Divanchi met Yuri''s remark with a yful smirk. "Rx, I came as fast as I could. Besides, I managed to neutralize five bombs on my way here," she replied, a touch of pride coloring her words. Veronica, everposed andposed, stepped forward to share her findings. "That''s precisely what I came to report," she interjected, her voiceced with a sense of urgency. "During the interrogation, the captured operative divulged crucial information. There are a total of 24 bombs scattered throughout the city, and he provided the precise locations." Her tone grew somber as she continued, "I''ve already dispatched my men to each site. They should be in close proximity now. However, the challenge lies in safely disposing of these explosives." Yuri''s brows furrowed as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. "Twenty-four bombs," she repeated, her voice tinged with a mixture of concern and determination. "It''s an ominous number, but one we are capable of handling. I''ll mobilize my elite Soul Hunters to assist with the situation. Furthermore, I will personally ensure that the mastermind behind this audacious act is apprehended. No one interrupts my Master''s coronation without consequences. They will pay dearly for their transgressions." Veronica cleared her throat, drawing the attention of both Yuri and Divanchi. With a serious expression, she turned to Divanchi, her voiceced with curiosity and admiration. "Lady Divanchi, if I may inquire, could you enlighten us as to how you managed to neutralize the bombs without triggering the magical source and setting off the explosion?" Divanchi''s eyes widened, a hint of surprise dancing within them as if she had momentarily forgotten to share this crucial information. "Ah, right," she responded, her voice filled with a mix of realization and excitement. "Well, it''s not precisely destroying the bombs. It''s more about neutralizing them. What I did was absorb the magical essence contained within each bomb, rendering them inert. Once that was aplished, it was a simple matter to break them apart, ensuring there would be zero chance of an explosion." Veronica nodded, processing the information. Her mind raced with the implications of Divanchi''s abilities. Turning her attention to the earpiece nestled in her ear, she raised her hand and pressed themunication button. "Did you get all that?" she asked, her voiceposed but urgent. "Yes, ma''am," came the swift and confident response from her subordinates, who stood diligently in front of each of the twenty-four bombs. The collective expertise and unwaveringmitment of Veronica''s team bolstered her confidence in their ability to carry out the mission sessfully. Veronica''s expression rxed, a glimmer of relief dancing in her eyes. The situation had taken a more favorable turn, thanks to Divanchi''s extraordinary talents. With the bombs now about to be safely neutralized and the city''s safety inching closer to restoration, they could focus their efforts on identifying and bringing the perpetrator to justice. Veronica turned her attention to Divanchi and Yuri, her voiceposed yet tinged with urgency. "The responsibility for the bombs is now in safe hands. My team will ensure their proper disposal," she dered, a sense of confidence radiating from her words. Divanchi stretched her body, a gesture that betrayed her momentary relief. "Excellent," she remarked, her tone filled with satisfaction. However, her expression quickly shifted, seriousness etching itself onto her features. "But now," she continued, her smile fading, "we must focus our efforts on uncovering the bastards responsible for this¡­ they are going to pay". Suddenly, a thunderous explosion shook the vicinity, its deafening echo prating the walls of the building where Yuri, Divanchi, and Veronica stood. Startled, Yuri''s gaze snapped towards the entrance, her heart sinking at the sight that unfolded before her eyes. Sato, the steadfast figure who had been participating in the coronation ceremony just moments ago, nowy lifeless on the ground. His head had been brutally blown apart, a macabre testament to the violence that had been unleashed upon them. Horror washed over Divanchi and Yuri, their eyes widening in shock and disbelief. The weight of the tragedy crashed upon them like a tidal wave, stealing their breath and leaving them momentarily paralyzed. In that harrowing instant, the atmosphere shifted. The pursuit of justice for the bombings now took on an even more personal meaning. Sato, a loyalpanion and trusted ally, had fallen victim to the unknown assant''s ruthlessness. Their determination to unmask the culprit intensified, fueling their resolve to avenge Sato''s untimely demise and ensure that no more lives would be lost at the hands of this sinister adversary. A collective gasp erupted from the crowd, shock and fear coursing through their veins as they witnessed Sato''s lifeless body sprawled on the ground. d, who stood by Sato''s side, couldn''t hide the tremor that coursed through him, though he attempted to maintain aposed fa?ade. Yuri and Divanchi, their resolve burning brighter than ever, were about to rush towards the altar to assess the situation when a piercing scream pierced the air. Erza, Sato''s closepanion, propelled herself forward with unwavering determination, her dress billowing around her as she sprinted towards the scene of the tragedy. Reaching Sato''s lifeless form, Erza sank to her knees, her hands tenderly cupping his cheeks. Desperation etched across her face as she pleaded for a response. "Hey, Sato, say something," she implored, her voiceced with a mix of disbelief and denial. "There''s no way something like this could take you down... Sato?!" Her hands trembled as she pressed her ear against his chest, straining to catch any sign of life. Her own breaths came in ragged gasps,peting with the weight of silence that hung heavy in the air. Despite her fervent hopes, all she could hear was the haunting echo of her own breathing, amplifying the devastating absence of Sato''s heartbeat. The weight of the moment pressed down upon Erza, her heart shattering with each passing second. Tears welled in her eyes as the reality of the situation washed over her, threatening to engulf her in grief and despair. With urgency gripping their every movement, Divanchi and Yuri rushed outside, their hearts pounding in their chests. They knelt beside Sato, their worry etched across their faces, as they desperately called out to their Master. "Master! Master!" Yuri''s voice trembled with a mix of desperation and concern, her words filled with a plea for his response. Divanchi, her voice choked with emotion, added her own appeal, tears threatening to spill from her eyes. "Come on, at least say something. You''re a demon lord," she implored, her words carrying a mixture of hope and vulnerability. To their surprise and immense relief, Sato''s voice pierced the heavy silence. "You just had to bring that up," he responded, his wordsced with a touch of humor. A wave of joy washed over Divanchi and Yuri, their faces lighting up with radiant smiles. The tension that had gripped their hearts loosened its hold, reced by a sense of relief and renewed hope. However, Sato''s next words shifted the tone of the moment. "Who the hell gave my weapons to the criminals?" he questioned, a hint of frustration evident in his voice. A sigh escaped his lips as he rose to his feet, his determination undeterred. Chapter 225 Let The Deathmatch Begin. ? Rising to his full height, Sato''s piercing gaze swept across the sea of onlookers, their faces still etched with terror from the recent events. His keen eyes quickly assessed the situation, honing in on the weapon responsible for the assassination attempt. <> Sato let out a weary sigh, his thoughts filled with a mix of frustration and determination. ''Of course it is,'' he mused, recognizing the gravity of the situation. ''Find out how they obtained such a weapon. It must be an inside job.'' <> Upon receiving Aril''s acknowledgment, Sato''s gaze shifted to the building where Ignis and Simlo stood, their faces frozen in shock and disbelief. Their failed attempt to eliminate him with the sniper shot had not gone unnoticed. "Divanchi," Sato called out, his voice steady andmanding. He didn''t need to provide further exnation, for Divanchi understood his unspokenmand. "I''m on it!" Divanchi responded without hesitation. She pivoted toward the direction Sato''s gaze had locked onto, a burst of energy resonating within her. With a resounding boom, she propelled herself skyward, soaring towards Ignis and Simlo with incredible speed. The crowd watched in awe and trepidation as Divanchi, a force to be reckoned with, surged forward, her determination clear in every motion. The pursuit of justice and the protection of their Master''s coronation now took center stage. The enemy''s audacious attempt had only strengthened their resolve, their will to unveil the truth and ensure that those responsible faced the consequences. Sato''s mind churned with anger as he pondered over the situation. ''How did they manage to get their hands on my sniper?'' He wondered to himself. The fury etched on his face was evident, but he swiftly shook off his thoughts when d''s voice broke through the silence. "Now, this is a predicament," d dered, exuding confidence as he spoke. His eyes locked onto Sato, waiting for the young Duke''s response. "As the newly appointed Duke Sato, what do you believe is the right course of action?" Sato shifted his gaze towards the restless crowd, their unease palpable in the air. Just as he was about to make a move, both Yuri and Erza gripped his garments tightly, their worried expressions mirroring their concern. Sato turned to meet their eyes, his countenance calm and reassuring. "Don''t worry," he reassured them with a gentle smile, his voice carrying conviction. "I was careless the first time, but I assure you, it won''t happen again." With his words resonating in the air, Sato took a determined step forward, striding purposefully towards the anxious assembly. Sato approached the edge of the elevated altar, his eyes scanning the faces of the gathered crowd. With amanding presence, he raised his voice to address them all. "I implore each and every one of you to remain calm," he began, his tone resolute. "We find ourselves facing a grave situation, for there are criminals lurking within our city who seek to undermine my coronation as the new Duke. Though their presence may have been anticipated, I assure you there is no cause for rm." A hushed silence fell upon the assembly as Sato paused, his countenance growing serious. The weight of responsibility bore down on him, visible in the depths of his eyes. "Above all," he continued, his voice unwavering, "I vow to protect the safety of my loyal subordinates. I will not allow any harm to befall you all, this I swear". His words hung in the air, carrying with them a sense of determination that permeated through the anxious atmosphere. Sato''s unwaveringmitment to his new followers resonated, offering reassurance in the face of uncertainty. The crowd held their breath, their eyes fixed upon their new Duke, waiting for his next move. As Sato stood at the center of the grand coronation ceremony, his voice reverberating through the air, a sudden interruption shattered the tranquility of the moment. "What a load of bullshit, they are supposed to believe that!!!". A distorted and menacing voice pierced the solemn atmosphere, capturing the attention of the entire crowd. Every head turned, their gazes drawn towards the source of the disturbance. A sly smile formed on Sato''s lips as he recognized the voice, muttering under his breath, "There you are¡­" Perched atop a towering building, a figure stood with a mask covering his face, casting a shadow over the ceremony below. The malevolent aura emanating from the mysterious individual sent shivers down the spines of those who beheld him. "Sato Inugami, the Lord of Elves and the Demon Lord of Chaos," the figure sneered, his voice dripping with contempt. "I would say it''s an honor to meet you face to face, but that would only be a lie." Sato maintained an air of coolposure, seemingly unaffected by the individual''s taunting. His eyes narrowed as he spoke, addressing the intruder directly, "So, you''re the one behind all this Resistance crap I''ve been picking up on?". The crowd held its breath, anticipation and tension intertwining as the confrontation between the two powerful beings unfolded. The sun''s rays, once shining brilliantly upon the ceremony, seemed to dim as an air of foreboding settled over the city. The figure chuckled derisively at Sato''s remark, hisughter echoing through the air. "Resistance? Sounds like a fitting name, let''s go with that," he taunted, his tone dripping with mockery. Sato''s expression remained unchanged, a mask of stoicism as he stared back at the figure. "I genuinely don''t care what you call yourselves, get to the part where you tell me what you are after, I''m sure you didn''t do all this just to have a word with me." He retorted calmly, his gaze shifting from the individual to the crowd below. The realization of imminent danger prompted him to assess the situation discreetly, noticing the soldiers quietly encircling the area, poised to protect the innocent citizens should the need arise. With an air of authority, the figure responded, his voice resonating withmand, "It''s simple, actually. We want nothing more than to rid ourselves of you and the royal family. It''s high time someone new took charge." Sato''s gaze sharpened, a glimmer of curiosity dancing in his eyes. In a swift motion, he turned his head slightly, catching Yuri''s attention just as her anger threatened to consume her. "Yuri," Sato said in a low,manding tone, his voiceced with authority. His gesture halted her in her tracks, a testament to the bond they shared and the unspoken understanding between them. Yuri, a fierce witch and loyalpanion, had always been quick to defend Sato, but he knew that their approach had to be strategic. This confrontation required more than a hasty outburst; it demanded careful consideration and a measured response. The murmurs among the crowd intensified, whispers of uncertainty mingling with the tension in the air. The confrontation between Sato, the Lord of Elves and Demon Lord of Chaos, and this mysterious leader of the Resistance had now transcended a mere sh of ideologies. It had be a battle for power, a struggle for the destiny of the kingdom itself. Meanwhile, Vald, an enigmatic figure in their midst, stood at the periphery, his presence seemingly detached from the unfolding spectacle. His aloof demeanor conveyed an indifference to the events transpiring before him, as if he existed in a world of his own. Sato, though focused on the figure atop the building, couldn''t help but cast a sidelong nce at Vald. He marveled at Vald''s ability to remain unperturbed, an enigma within an enigma. Theplexities of his ally''s character intrigued Sato, but now was not the time to delve into their intricacies. Returning his attention to the figure, Sato''s voice resonated with an air of authority, "So, I suppose you believe it is your right to assume leadership?" The individual''s smug smile widened, a spark of arrogance glinting in his eyes. "Indeed," he replied, his voiceced with certainty. "The current leadership has lost its way, consumed by decadence and weakness. It is time for someone with true vision and strength to take charge." Sato''s gaze narrowed, his mind working tirelessly to unravel the motives behind this rebellion. He could sense the crowd''s unease, their anxious whispers permeating the air. The weight of the moment pressed upon him, but he stood firm, a pir of unwavering resolve. The sh of ideologies hung thick in the air, a confrontation between tradition and revolution, order and chaos. The destiny of the kingdom teetered on a precarious precipice, its future hinged upon the oue of this high-stakes encounter. Sato''s eyes gleamed with a mixture of intrigue and caution as he contemted the individual''s proposal. The atmosphere grew heavy with anticipation, the crowd holding its breath, awaiting his response. "I have only one thing to say to you," Sato retorted, his voice brimming with confidence. "How about we settle this through a duel? If you defeat me, I will step down from my position. But if I emerge victorious, you will surrender yourself willingly. What say you to that?" Silence hung in the air, the weight of the impending challenge palpable. The individual''s expression twisted with contemtion, his cunning mind searching for a way to outmaneuver the formidable Demon Lord. "I am not so foolish as to engage in a one-on-one battle with a Demon Lord," the figure finally responded, his toneced with calcted cunning. "That is why I have devised a n to ensure yourpliance." A shiver of anticipation coursed through the crowd as the figure''s demeanor suddenly shifted. His arms spread wide, a theatrical gesture that captured everyone''s attention. "Ladies and gentlemen," he proimed, his voice echoing with a newfound authority, "I hope you havee prepared, for the stage is set, and the deathmatch is about tomence." Gasps and whispers rippled through the onlookers, their faces reflecting a mix of trepidation and morbid fascination. Chapter 226 Let The Deathmatch Begin II ? Divanchi sprinted with astonishing speed, her agile legs propelling her effortlessly from one building top to another. Her gaze remained fixed on the distant structure where Simlo and Ignis stood, wielding a remarkable invention crafted by their Master. "How did they manage to acquire one of Master''s creations?" Divanchi pondered, her mind racing as swiftly as her body. Panic etched across Ignis'' face as he surveyed the rooftop. He hastily turned to his loyal werewolves, urgentlymanding them, "Do not stand idle! Bring her down! Take any action necessary to prevent her from reaching us!" "Understood!" the werewolves responded in unison, their determination unwavering. Some of the werewolves swiftly transformed into towering beasts, their bodies morphing into massive wolves, while others positioned themselves at the edge of the building, brandishing their pistols with unwavering focus aimed directly at Divanchi. The tension in the air grew palpable as the confrontation neared its climax. As the werewolves heeded Ignis''mand, the deafening sound of gunfire shattered the air. Each bullet propelled forth with such velocity that Divanchi could scarcely perceive their movement. Suddenly, a barrage of projectiles converged upon her, colliding within her ethereal form in a thunderous symphony of destruction. The impact pierced her body, creating a grotesque tableau of carnage. A resounding boom echoed through the surroundings as Divanchi''s fragile form plummeted to the ground, leaving a gaping void and a trail of crimson blood cascading from the bullet-ridden orifices. With Divanchi''s motionless form sprawled upon the ground, the werewolves, unwilling to leave anything to chance, seized the opportunity to ensure her demise. Amanding voice pierced the air, emanating from one of the werewolves transformed into a magnificent wolf. "Swiftly! Tear her asunder!" she bellowed, her callpelling other colossal lupine creatures to rally behind her. In an instant, the ravenous beasts closed in on Divanchi''s prone figure. Their powerful jaws snapped menacingly, seeking any grasp they could find, as their collective desperation drove them to rend her limb from limb. Yet, at the brink of this relentless assault, Divanchi''s eyes sprang open. Her gaze sharpened upon the encircling wolves, registering the imminent threat that loomed above her. In that pivotal moment, she unleashed a resolute cry, her voice reverberating with determination. "Explosion!" In an eruption of raw power, the very surroundings in which shey detonated without warning. A cataclysmic st consumed the vicinity, obliterating not only the ferocious werewolves but also annihting everything in its path. Debris soared through the air, while mes and shockwaves tore through the once peaceful atmosphere. The tables had turned in a devastating fashion, as Divanchi harnessed the destructive forces at her disposal to exact a merciless reprisal. Now, in the aftermath of this explosive spectacle, a newfound sense of anticipation and uncertainty filled the air, leaving all witnesses to contemte the consequences that would inevitably unfold. Ignis''s voice quivered with disbelief as he witnessed Divanchi''s resilience. "What manner of being is she? Despite enduring an onught of gunfire, she still stands before us," he eximed, his astonishment palpable. Turning to his men, he issued a ferventmand, "Continue firing without hesitation! Unleash your volleys upon her!" One of the werewolves interjected, a note of concerncing his words, "Sir, the smoke obscures our vision." His statement drew Ignis''s attention to the billowing fog that enshrouded the area where Divanchi had vanished. Frustration etched upon Ignis''s face, he muttered a curse under his breath. "Damn it!" he spat, the veil of uncertainty clouding his mind. In the midst of the confusion, Simlo''s voice cut through the chaos with a sigh of resignation. "Ghosts, it''s time," he dered, addressing his men while moving closer to the sniper rifle. Seizing the moment, the ethereal specters broke away from their vantage point atop the building, descending upon Divanchi with a swift and purposeful stride, their incorporeal forms surging toward her location. Ignis, perplexed by Simlo''s actions, stood rooted in ce, his confusion evident. He mustered the courage to question Simlo''s motives. "What are you nning?" he queried, his voiceced with uncertainty. A wry smile graced Simlo''s countenance as he meticulously adjusted his gaze through the scope of the sniper rifle. "If conventional bullets fail to vanquish her, I am curious to witness how she withstands the piercing force of this divine beauty," he retorted, his wordsced with a mix of anticipation and satisfaction. As if choreographed by an otherworldly symphony, the ethereal ghosts harmoniously converged into a unified entity, aligning themselves in a singr path. A spectral dance ensued, their translucent forms intertwining seamlessly until they coalesced into a towering astral giant¡ªits essence emanating an ethereal glow that pierced the surrounding darkness. With an echoing roar that reverberated through the air, the colossal being dered its presence to the world. The ground trembled beneath the weight of the astral giant, its form a testament to the supernatural powers at y. As it stood before Divanchi, a formidable force surging through its incorporeal veins, it exuded an aura of dominance and otherworldly might. The very fabric of reality seemed to bend in deference to this formidable manifestation. The tension grew palpable, the silence pregnant with anticipation. The astral giant, forged from the melding of countless ghostly spirits, braced itself for the imminent sh with Divanchi. Unleashing another resounding roar, the astral giant propelled its formidable strength into a lightning-fast punch, its massive fist descending upon the cloud of swirling dust concealing Divanchi''s form. . The impact shattered the ground beneath, unleashing a cataclysmic shockwave that rippled through the surrounding terrain, leaving naught but a scorched path of destruction in its wake. As the reverberations settled and the dust began to dissipate, Divanchi emerged, a figure wreathed in mes, her aura aze with an infernal intensity. With unwavering determination, sheunched herself towards the towering astral giant, defying its overwhelming presence. Her fist, clenched tightly, zed with a vibrant blue energy as it propelled forward, a testament to her indomitable will. Connecting with unerring precision, her strike struck true, colliding with the chest of the astral giant. The impact sent shockwaves reverberating through its colossal form, causing it to stagger and slide across the ground before finally sumbing, toppling backward with a resounding thud. The sh of these supernatural forces resounded with a symphony of power, as the battle between Divanchi and the astral giant unfolded in a breathtaking disy of strength and determination. With a seamless disy of agility and power, Divanchi catapulted herself from the ground, soaring through the air like a fieryet. The very moment her feet made contact with the prone form of the astral being, a tremendous explosion erupted, engulfing them in a tempest of unleashed energy. Unfazed by the fiery turmoil surrounding her, Divanchi''s relentless assault continued unabated. Her fists, imbued with an incandescent fury, descended upon the chest of the astral giant in a relentless barrage. Each strike reverberated through the air, causing the once cohesive amalgamation of spirits to fragment and scatter in disarray. The anguished cries of the spectral forms resounded like amentation, their voices intertwining with the crackling mes that enveloped the battlefield. Divanchi showed no mercy, unyielding in her resolve as she ruthlessly tore through the remaining vestiges of the astral being. Her actions were driven by an unquenchable thirst for victory, her attacks executed with precision and devoid of hesitation. The very fabric of reality seemed to quiver under the force of Divanchi''s blows, as she cleaved through the remnants of the astral giant, dismantling them with a brutal efficiency. The air carried the echoes of their tormented screams, a haunting chorus that mingled with the resolute determination of Divanchi''s relentless assault. In this climactic sh, where powers shed and destinies entangled, Divanchi''s merciless onught painted a vivid tableau of dominance and unwavering resolve. The battle raged on, amidst the fading cries of the fragmented astral forms, as the fates of all involved hung precariously in the bnce. Meanwhile, Simlo''s gaze remained locked through the scope of the sniper rifle, his lips curled into a faint smile. His fingers hovered over the trigger, poised to unleash an attack that he believed would test even Divanchi''s monstrous resilience. Confident in his impending strike, he murmured with a self-assured tone, "You may possess an unearthly strength, but even you cannot withstand the might of this." Just as Simlo''s resolve seemed unshakable, amanding voice reverberated through the air, slicing through the tension that gripped the rooftop. Veronica stormed onto the scene, her presence demanding immediate attention. Behind her, a contingent of soldiers followed, ready to enforce her orders. Upon witnessing Veronica''s arrival, Ignis and the remaining werewolf instantly raised their hands in surrender, acknowledging the authority that apanied her. However, Simlo remained singrly focused on his target, oblivious to the unfolding situation. Veronica''s voice, filled with a mix of authority and concern, echoed across the rooftop. "Hey, you!" she called out, attempting to divert Simlo''s attention. However, her words faltered as her gaze fell upon the enigmatic sniper rifle, her features contorting in astonishment. "What in the world is that?" she uttered, her voiceced with disbelief and intrigue. Caught in the midst of a critical juncture, the air hummed with anticipation, as the characters on the rooftop found themselves entangled in aplex web of conflicting motivations and unforeseen revtions. The confrontation between Divanchi and her assants had momentarily halted, giving way to a new dynamic that threatened to alter the course of their entwined destinies. Chapter 227 Let The Deathmatch Begin III ? "Bang!" Simlo''s voice reverberated through the tense air, hismanding tone resolute as he expertly manipted the signal to the waiting sniper. With consummate precision, the sniper''s finger tightened on the trigger, unleashing a thunderous gunshot that shattered the stillness. The bullet erupted from the barrel, propelled forward with astonishing velocity, hurtling towards its target¡ªDivanchi. Veronica, her eyes widening in disbelief, was jolted from her momentary stupor. Reacting swiftly, she unsheathed her gleaming sword and surged forward with a determined resolve, her heart pounding in sync with each step. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she closed the distance, her body moving in perfect synchronization with her intent. Simlo, seemingly unfazed by the impending sh, stood firm, his gaze piercing and unyielding. His hand firmly gripping the signal, he exuded an aura of calcted confidence, ready to face Veronica''s wrath head-on. His eyes met hers, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air as they locked in a fierce battle of wills. With a sh of steel, Veronica''s sword shimmered in the sunlight, its sharp edge reflecting her unwavering determination. Each stride carried her closer to Simlo, who stood resolute, his unwavering resolve mirrored in his unwavering posture. The sh between the two forces of nature was imminent, and the atmosphere bristled with electric anticipation. As Veronica closed in, the world around her blurred, her focus narrowing solely on Simlo. Time seemed to slow, granting her heightened perception as she analyzed his stance, seeking any hint of weakness. The weight of her sword felt reassuring in her grip, an extension of her very being. She trusted in her skills, honed through years of relentless training, to carry her through this crucial moment. Their confrontation loomed, an impending collision between unstoppable forces. A symphony of emotions surged through the air¡ªtension, anger, and a fierce determination to prevail. Sparks seemed to crackle in the air, emanating from the sh of their unwavering spirits. In this climactic sh of warriors, fate hung in the bnce. The oue would be determined by skill, strategy, and the indomitable will of those involved. The stage was set for a battle that would forever etch its mark upon the annals of history, its reverberations echoing far beyond the boundaries of this fleeting moment. ¡­. Perched high atop the towering building, the unknown masked criminal surveyed the sprawling town square below. His piercing gaze locked onto Sato, who stood unwaveringly on the elevated altar, nked by d, Yuri, and Erza, their collective resolve evident in their poised stances. The criminal maintained his vantage point, amanding figure with his hands raised in a gesture of both authority and threat. His voice carried through the air, dripping with a mix of malevolence and calcted confidence. "I shall grant you the courtesy of understanding the rules of this game," he dered, his words resonating ominously. A hush fell over the crowd as they strained to hear his next words, their eyes fixed on the enigmatic figure above. The tension in the atmosphere was palpable, and hearts thudded in anxious anticipation of what was toe. "Each and every one of these buildings," the criminal continued, his voice infused with a sinister edge, "houses a sniper, their sights trained on the innocent citizens of Nervek. With but a mere flick of my wrist, any of them could be instantaneously robbed of their lives." The gravity of the situation hung heavy in the air, the enormity of the threat permeating the consciousness of all present. Calmness mingled with anger, kindling an unwavering determination within Sato''s heart. He understood the weight of responsibility thrust upon him and hisrades, knowing that his choices would shape the fate of countless lives. Sato''s gaze hardened, his resolve intensifying as he met the masked criminal''s cold stare. Deep within his eyes burned a fiery determination to protect the innocent, to confront the darkness that threatened to engulf their peaceful town. He knew that failure was not an option¡ªthis was a battle they could not afford to lose. d, Yuri, and Erza stood firmly behind Sato, their unwavering loyalty a testament to their shared cause. They, too, felt the weight of the situation, their hearts aze with a collective desire to defy the odds and emerge victorious against this malevolent adversary. The town square, once filled with bustling activity, now stood frozen in time, the onlookers holding their breath as the standoff between justice and viiny unfolded before their eyes. The oue of this high-stakes game hinged on the unwavering determination and strategic prowess of those who stood against the faceless criminal, their actions set to determine the course of Nervek''s destiny. With the stage set for an epic sh between good and evil, the battle lines were drawn, and the next move belonged to Sato and hisrades. Their mettle would be tested, their courage pushed to its limits, as they prepared to face a foe who thrived on chaos and fear. The fate of the innocent citizens hung in the bnce, their lives dependent on the heroism and unwavering resolve of those who dared to stand against the darkness. Sato''s keen eyes swept across thendscape, their sharp gaze discerning the hidden snipers lurking within the shadows. He absorbed every detail, his mind calcting the potential threats with swift precision. Turning his attention back to the masked criminal, he confronted him with a question that carried the weight of both skepticism and resolve. "Are these snipers the full extent of your arsenal?" he inquired, his voice firm and unwavering. The criminal flinched imperceptibly, a flicker of uncertainty betraying his fa?ade of invincibility. A mixture of anger and desperation colored his response as he retorted, "You believe this to be a bluff, do you? Allow me to dispel your doubts!" His hands shot higher into the sky, his voice rising in pitch and intensity. Sato''s heart raced, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He knew that the pivotal moment had arrived, and he couldn''t afford to hesitate. With amanding tone, he bellowed, "Now!" At that precise instant, amidst the sea of onlookers, the young personal maid, Shuna raised her hand and let out a resounding cry, her voice carrying an aura of mystique and power. "Illusion!" she proimed with unwavering conviction. Confusion rippled through the crowd as all eyes turned towards Shuna, their curiosity piqued by her sudden outburst. Whispers filled the air, their words tinged with a mix of wonder and uncertainty. What did she mean? What was happening? Seizing the opportune moment, soldiers emerged from the periphery, their authoritative voices cutting through the murmur of the crowd. "Attention, everyone! Please remain calm and orderly as you exit the town square. We are ensuring your safety," they announced, their words resonating with a sense of urgency. The citizens, though perplexed by the unfolding events, instinctively heeded the soldiers'' instructions. In an organized and controlled manner, they began to disperse, their movements guided by a mix of curiosity and trust. As the town square gradually emptied, a sense of relief intertwined with anticipation hung in the air. Sato, his gaze fixed upon the criminal, remained vignt, his every muscle poised for action. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, a calcted maneuver to create a window of opportunity amidst the chaos. A hush descended upon the town square as an eerie transformation took hold. The masked criminal, his nefarious intentions hanging in the air, froze in his tracks as he witnessed an inexplicable sight. The citizens of Nervek, one by one, dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in submission before him. "Please spare us, we ept you as our leader!" one of the citizens pleaded, their voice trembling with a mix of fear and desperation. A wave of reverence rippled through the crowd, their collective voices rising in a chorus of subservience. "We hail you!" they chanted, their words infused with a newfound devotion. The criminal''s hands dropped to his sides, his bewilderment evident on his masked face. Confusion gnawed at him, the unexpected turn of events challenging his previously unwavering resolve. "What is happening? Why are they suddenly..." he trailed off, his voice filled with disbelief. But before he couldplete his sentence, Yuri, an embodiment of unwavering bravery and determination, leapt into action. Darting forth from the altar, she unleashed a barrage of shadow spears that streaked through the air with lethal precision, hurtling toward the criminal. The masked figure jolted back to reality, his survival instincts kicking in. He attempted to evade the onught of projectiles, his movements swift and desperate. However, the shadow spears moved with an incredible velocity, their deadly trajectory leaving no room for escape. Several spears pierced his body, causing him to recoil in agony. With a thud, the criminal plummeted from the pinnacle of the building, his descent interrupted only by the unforgiving ground below. The impact reverberated through the square, his body now sprawled on the pavement, a testament to the consequences of his malevolence. Chapter 228 DNO ? Do not buy! "Bang!" Simlo''s voice reverberated through the tense air, hismanding tone resolute as he expertly manipted the signal to the waiting sniper. With consummate precision, the sniper''s finger tightened on the trigger, unleashing a thunderous gunshot that shattered the stillness. The bullet erupted from the barrel, propelled forward with astonishing velocity, hurtling towards its target¡ªDivanchi. Veronica, her eyes widening in disbelief, was jolted from her momentary stupor. Reacting swiftly, she unsheathed her gleaming sword and surged forward with a determined resolve, her heart pounding in sync with each step. Adrenaline coursed through her veins as she closed the distance, her body moving in perfect synchronization with her intent. Simlo, seemingly unfazed by the impending sh, stood firm, his gaze piercing and unyielding. His hand firmly gripping the signal, he exuded an aura of calcted confidence, ready to face Veronica''s wrath head-on. His eyes met hers, an unspoken challenge hanging in the air as they locked in a fierce battle of wills. With a sh of steel, Veronica''s sword shimmered in the sunlight, its sharp edge reflecting her unwavering determination. Each stride carried her closer to Simlo, who stood resolute, his unwavering resolve mirrored in his unwavering posture. The sh between the two forces of nature was imminent, and the atmosphere bristled with electric anticipation. As Veronica closed in, the world around her blurred, her focus narrowing solely on Simlo. Time seemed to slow, granting her heightened perception as she analyzed his stance, seeking any hint of weakness. The weight of her sword felt reassuring in her grip, an extension of her very being. She trusted in her skills, honed through years of relentless training, to carry her through this crucial moment. Their confrontation loomed, an impending collision between unstoppable forces. A symphony of emotions surged through the air¡ªtension, anger, and a fierce determination to prevail. Sparks seemed to crackle in the air, emanating from the sh of their unwavering spirits. In this climactic sh of warriors, fate hung in the bnce. The oue would be determined by skill, strategy, and the indomitable will of those involved. The stage was set for a battle that would forever etch its mark upon the annals of history, its reverberations echoing far beyond the boundaries of this fleeting moment. ¡­. Perched high atop the towering building, the unknown masked criminal surveyed the sprawling town square below. His piercing gaze locked onto Sato, who stood unwaveringly on the elevated altar, nked by d, Yuri, and Erza, their collective resolve evident in their poised stances. The criminal maintained his vantage point, amanding figure with his hands raised in a gesture of both authority and threat. His voice carried through the air, dripping with a mix of malevolence and calcted confidence. "I shall grant you the courtesy of understanding the rules of this game," he dered, his words resonating ominously. A hush fell over the crowd as they strained to hear his next words, their eyes fixed on the enigmatic figure above. The tension in the atmosphere was palpable, and hearts thudded in anxious anticipation of what was toe. "Each and every one of these buildings," the criminal continued, his voice infused with a sinister edge, "houses a sniper, their sights trained on the innocent citizens of Nervek. With but a mere flick of my wrist, any of them could be instantaneously robbed of their lives." The gravity of the situation hung heavy in the air, the enormity of the threat permeating the consciousness of all present. Calmness mingled with anger, kindling an unwavering determination within Sato''s heart. He understood the weight of responsibility thrust upon him and hisrades, knowing that his choices would shape the fate of countless lives. Sato''s gaze hardened, his resolve intensifying as he met the masked criminal''s cold stare. Deep within his eyes burned a fiery determination to protect the innocent, to confront the darkness that threatened to engulf their peaceful town. He knew that failure was not an option¡ªthis was a battle they could not afford to lose. d, Yuri, and Erza stood firmly behind Sato, their unwavering loyalty a testament to their shared cause. They, too, felt the weight of the situation, their hearts aze with a collective desire to defy the odds and emerge victorious against this malevolent adversary. The town square, once filled with bustling activity, now stood frozen in time, the onlookers holding their breath as the standoff between justice and viiny unfolded before their eyes. The oue of this high-stakes game hinged on the unwavering determination and strategic prowess of those who stood against the faceless criminal, their actions set to determine the course of Nervek''s destiny. With the stage set for an epic sh between good and evil, the battle lines were drawn, and the next move belonged to Sato and hisrades. Their mettle would be tested, their courage pushed to its limits, as they prepared to face a foe who thrived on chaos and fear. The fate of the innocent citizens hung in the bnce, their lives dependent on the heroism and unwavering resolve of those who dared to stand against the darkness. Sato''s keen eyes swept across thendscape, their sharp gaze discerning the hidden snipers lurking within the shadows. He absorbed every detail, his mind calcting the potential threats with swift precision. Turning his attention back to the masked criminal, he confronted him with a question that carried the weight of both skepticism and resolve. "Are these snipers the full extent of your arsenal?" he inquired, his voice firm and unwavering. The criminal flinched imperceptibly, a flicker of uncertainty betraying his fa?ade of invincibility. A mixture of anger and desperation colored his response as he retorted, "You believe this to be a bluff, do you? Allow me to dispel your doubts!" His hands shot higher into the sky, his voice rising in pitch and intensity. Sato''s heart raced, a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins. He knew that the pivotal moment had arrived, and he couldn''t afford to hesitate. With amanding tone, he bellowed, "Now!" At that precise instant, amidst the sea of onlookers, the young personal maid, Shuna raised her hand and let out a resounding cry, her voice carrying an aura of mystique and power. "Illusion!" she proimed with unwavering conviction. Confusion rippled through the crowd as all eyes turned towards Shuna, their curiosity piqued by her sudden outburst. Whispers filled the air, their words tinged with a mix of wonder and uncertainty. What did she mean? What was happening? Seizing the opportune moment, soldiers emerged from the periphery, their authoritative voices cutting through the murmur of the crowd. "Attention, everyone! Please remain calm and orderly as you exit the town square. We are ensuring your safety," they announced, their words resonating with a sense of urgency. The citizens, though perplexed by the unfolding events, instinctively heeded the soldiers'' instructions. In an organized and controlled manner, they began to disperse, their movements guided by a mix of curiosity and trust. As the town square gradually emptied, a sense of relief intertwined with anticipation hung in the air. Sato, his gaze fixed upon the criminal, remained vignt, his every muscle poised for action. The situation had taken an unexpected turn, a calcted maneuver to create a window of opportunity amidst the chaos. A hush descended upon the town square as an eerie transformation took hold. The masked criminal, his nefarious intentions hanging in the air, froze in his tracks as he witnessed an inexplicable sight. The citizens of Nervek, one by one, dropped to their knees and bowed their heads in submission before him. "Please spare us, we ept you as our leader!" one of the citizens pleaded, their voice trembling with a mix of fear and desperation. Wwjw K2i2j22 A wave of reverence rippled through the crowd, their collective voices rising in a chorus of subservience. "We hail you!" they chanted, their words infused with a newfound devotion. The criminal''s hands dropped to his sides, his bewilderment evident on his masked face. Confusion gnawed at him, the unexpected turn of events challenging his previously unwavering resolve. "What is happening? Why are they suddenly..." he trailed off, his voice filled with disbelief. But before he couldplete his sentence, Yuri, an embodiment of unwavering bravery and determination, leapt into action. Darting forth from the altar, she unleashed a barrage of shadow spears that streaked through the air with lethal precision, hurtling toward the criminal. The masked figure jolted back to reality, his survival instincts kicking in. He attempted to evade the onught of projectiles, his movements swift and desperate. However, the shadow spears moved with an incredible velocity, their deadly trajectory leaving no room for escape. Several spears pierced his body, causing him to recoil in agony. With a thud, the criminal plummeted from the pinnacle of the building, his descent interrupted only by the unforgiving ground below. The impact reverberated through the square, his body now sprawled on the pavement, a testament to the consequences of his malevolence. Chapter 229 Where Did You Get My Snipers? ? Lying sprawled on the unforgiving ground, the criminal''s body bore the unmistakable marks of his heinous deeds. Multiple spikes pierced through his flesh, a twisted testament to the pain he had inflicted upon others. Despite the agony that coursed through his veins, the masked criminal dared to cast his eyes upon the town square, only to find it eerily deserted. A fleeting grin,ced with a hint of amusement, escaped his bloodied lips. "It was but an illusion, a clever ruse," he muttered, his voice tinged with a dark satisfaction. The criminal, undeterred by his predicament, reveled in his twisted victory. Suddenly, a thunderous impact reverberated through the air as Lord Sato descended upon the scene,nding with an expertly executed grace. Cradled within his powerful arms was Erza, her beautiful form a stark contrast to the chaos that surrounded her. Yuri and Vald, loyal and unwavering, stood steadfastly by their leader''s side. "Lord Sato!" Shuna''s voice rang out, slicing through the tense atmosphere as she sprinted towards them, her breath heavy with exertion. "I apologize for my tardiness. I hope I arrived in time to assist." Sato''s stern gaze softened momentarily as he nodded at Shuna, his gratitude evident in his eyes. "You came just when we needed you most, Shuna. Thanks to you, we were able to save their lives while still keeping a low profile". With a shared sense of determination, the group formed a united front against the fallen criminal, their eyes zing with unwavering resolve. The once-deserted town square now thrummed with anticipation, the silence shattered by the collective willpower emanating from Sato and his loyalrades. Sato''s steely gaze remained fixed upon the criminal as he cautiously approached, his footsteps deliberate and resolute. With a measured breath, he knelt beside the fallen figure, the weight of the moment hanging heavy in the air. Fingers steady, he reached out and carefully removed the mask that concealed the face of the perpetrator, unflinching in the face of the atrocitiesmitted. "Why? Why have you resorted to such heinous acts?" Sato''s voice resonated with a mix of curiosity and unwavering determination, unshaken by the revtion of the person''s true identity. Erza, her concern evident, turned to d with a furrowed brow. "Father, do you recognize this person?" she inquired, her eyes searching for answers. Regret etched across his face, d shook his head solemnly. "Unfortunately, my dear, this face is unfamiliar to me. But it seems your betrothed may hold the key to what you want to know." He replied, a hint of intrigue creeping into his voice. The criminal, a twisted smile ying upon his blood-stained lips, responded through gritted teeth, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. "All you need toprehend, Lord Sato, is that I am a force that shall unerringly deliver your demise". Sato''s gaze remained unyielding, his hand inching closer to the criminal''s fingers as he spoke with a measured sigh. "I possess a remarkably sharp memory, you see. Even if this is our first face-to-face encounter, once Iy eyes on you, I will remember you forever." A pained chuckle escaped the criminal''s lips, mingling with the agony that permeated his broken body. "And what difference does that make?" he retorted, his voice tinged with bitterness. Ignoring the criminal''s defiance, Sato pressed on, his voice calm yet infused with an unmistakable resolve. "We crossed paths during the royal selection, did we not? You were the supposed victor on the vampire faction''s side, if my memory serves me right." The criminal averted his gaze, a flicker of remorse and regret briefly passing over his features. "Just end it already, kill me and be done with it," he muttered, the weight of his sins bearing down upon him. A sly smile curved Sato''s lips, his eyes gleaming with a glint of amusement. "Kill you? Oh no, that would be far too merciful," he replied, his toneced with a chilling certainty. And without a moment''s warning, he seized one of the criminal''s fingers, snapping it with a swift and merciless force. An anguished groan tore from the criminal''s throat, his bones fracturing like a snapped twig, the sound reverberating through the deste square. The pain etched deeply upon his contorted face, a mere reflection of the torment he had inflicted upon others. Sato''s gaze narrowed, his voice dripping with a deadly intensity. "The guns you wielded, particrly the snipers, I want to know where you acquired them from," he demanded, his tone brooking no opposition. "They belong to me, and I intend to uncover the wretched scoundrel who sold them to you." The criminal''s groans mingled with his strained words as he attempted to resist. "I have nothing to say to...". Before he could finish his defiant retort, Sato snapped two more fingers with calcted precision, eliciting agonized cries from the criminal. Sato leaned in closer, his unwavering gaze fixed upon his target. "Once more, I ask you, where did you acquire my snipers?" His voice carried an undeniable air of authority, demanding the truth. "From a man named Hinsa!" the criminal managed to gasp amidst the searing pain, desperation etched across his bloodied face. "He sold me the guns, but in exchange, I was to ensure he obtained yournd." The name Hinsa reverberated through Sato''s mind, but he struggled to recall any of his subordinates bearing that name. Furrowing his brow in concentration, he tried to piece together the puzzle thaty before him. The revtion of this unknown figure''s involvement in his affairs sent a shiver down his spine, a realization that his enemies lurked closer than he had ever imagined. "Hinsa..." Sato muttered to himself, his thoughts racing as he contemted the implications of this new information. The name held no familiarity, casting a shadow of doubt over his already troubled mind. He knew that he would have to delve deeper, unravel the enigma surrounding this Hinsa and the betrayal that had transpired. <> Chapter 230 The end of the Resistance. 230 The end of the Resistance. Veronica''s boots made a brief skidding sound against the hard-packed earth as shended gracefully, her agile movements betraying her determination. Simlo, a formidable opponent, charged relentlessly towards her, emanating an aura of power that manifested in the form of swirling blue fireballs encircling his imposing figure. With an intense determination etched upon her features, Veronica tightened her grip on her sword, feeling its weight in her hand. She nted her feet firmly on the ground, summoning every ounce of her strength and focus. With a resolute thrust, she plunged her de into the earth beneath her, unleashing a powerful shockwave that rippled outward, a sonic boom that resonated in the air around her. Simlo, ever the astute adversary, reacted swiftly, recognizing the danger that the sonic boom posed. He swiftly halted his pursuit, his instincts urging him to leap skyward, evading the devastating shockwave. A confident smile yed upon his lips as he addressed Veronica with a hint of taunt in his voice, issuing a challenge. "Quit running away and face me already," Simlo dered, his words echoing with a blend of arrogance and anticipation, as if daring Veronica to meet him head-on in the ultimate sh of swords and sorcery. Veronica''s determination grew even fiercer, her jaw clenching as she couldn''t bear Simlo''s taunting any longer. "Silence!" she bellowed, her voice resounding with raw defiance. In an explosive burst of energy, her legs propelled her upward, defying gravity itself. Her sword crackled with an ethereal aura, swirling with untamed power. Simlo''sughter, tinged with madness, echoed through the air as he remained suspended mid-air. With malicious intent, he hurled a barrage of blue mes towards Veronica, each fiery projectile aimed to obstruct her path as she soared towards him. Undeterred, Veronica wielded her sword with precision and grace, deflecting the oing onught of mes with calcted strikes. The fiery assaults were effortlessly turned aside, their destructive potential nullified by her deft swordy. Closing in on her opponent, victory seemed imminent. But in a shocking twist, Simlo swiftly seized Veronica''s sword, his smile widening with sadistic delight. His words dripped with disdain as he derided her abilities, seeking to undermine her resolve. "You''re quite weak, aren''t you?" he taunted, relishing in the temporary advantage he held over her. Unfazed by his taunts, Veronica''s grin transformed into a smirk of unyielding determination. Her voice, dripping with confidence, cut through the tensionden air. "That''s what you think." Her eyes gleamed with a newfound intensity as she unleashed her ultimate technique. Summoning the deepest depths of her power, Veronica called upon the forces of darkness. In an instant, her once-glowing sword transformed into an ominous shade, a vessel of terror itself. A wave of malevolent energy engulfed Simlo, his body sumbing to its paralyzing grip. Helpless and immobilized, he plummeted to the ground, his arrogant smile fading into an expression of shock and defeat. The battlefield fell silent, the air heavy with the residue of their sh. Veronica, triumphant, stood tall, her eyes aze with the fire of victory. With Simlo defeated and immobilized, Veronica stood over him, her victorious stance entuated by the outstretched sword that hovered menacingly before his face. Her voice resonated with a mix of triumph and finality as she addressed her fallen foe. "It''s over," she uttered, her toneced with an unyielding conviction. "You''ve been defeated." Simlo, his voice strained and filled with defiance, managed to squeeze out his words despite his paralyzed state. "Paralysis... awfully udylike of you," he remarked, a feeble attempt to salvage his wounded pride. Veronica''s gaze lingered upon Simlo for a moment, a flicker of contemtion crossing her eyes. She remained steadfast, undeterred by his feeble protest. Meanwhile, Divanchi, a steadfastpanion, approached the scene, apanied by Ignis, who was being dragged along by his neck. "What are you doing? Finish him already," Divanchi chimed in, her voice resolute and unyielding, emphasizing the need to conclude their battle with a decisive blow. A hint of regret shed in Veronica''s eyes as she considered Divanchi''s words. She understood the urgency, the necessity of extinguishing any remaining threat. Yet, there was something within her, a faint flicker of mercy that whispered in her ear. "Sorry," Veronica spoke softly, her voice tinged with a mix of empathy and remorse. She took a moment to lock eyes with Simlo, her gaze filled with a fleeting sense of sorrow. And then, with a surge of determination, she delivered a swift, decisive kick to his face, rendering him unconscious. The impact resonated through the air, a symbolic punctuation mark to their confrontation. Simloy motionless on the ground, defeated and vanquished. Veronica, her duty fulfilled, turned her attention to the next chapter of their journey, leaving behind the fallen remnants of their adversaries as they continued to forge ahead. ... The memory of the extraordinary event was etched deep within the collective consciousness of the Nervek citizens. It became a defining moment in their history, a testament to the newfound era under the rule of the demon lord turned Duke, Sato. His coronation had not only marked a transition of power but had also showcased his unwaveringmitment to safeguarding the well-being of his people. In the days following his ascension, Sato immersed himself in the city''s affairs, fully dedicated to establishing a strong bond with the popce. He diligently attended to the administrative duties that came with his newfound position, signing documents and overseeing the governance of Nervek. Beyond the confines of his office, Sato made a concerted effort to be present among the citizens. He traversed the streets of the city, his presence a reassuring symbol of protection and leadership. With a genuine desire to understand and connect with the people of Nervek, he actively engaged in conversations, listened to their concerns, and offered his support in any way possible. Whether it was lending a helping hand to the needy, assisting in the rebuilding of structures damaged during the coronation incident, or simply offering apassionate ear to those burdened by the weight of their worries, Sato demonstrated hismitment to the well-being of his subjects. Through his actions, he aimed to establish a sense of familiarity and trust with the people he had vowed to protect. As Sato dedicated himself to the betterment of Nervek, the citizens gradually grew to admire and respect their new Duke. His unwavering dedication,bined with his otherworldly abilities and the memory of his heroic intervention during the coronation, solidified his ce in their hearts as a benevolent and just leader. The bond between Sato and the people of Nervek grew stronger with each passing day, forging a foundation of unity and hope for a brighter future. Their faith in their demon lord Duke was unwavering, as they looked forward to the prosperous era thaty ahead under his wise andpassionate rule. Chapter 231 The road to Fiona 231 The road to Fiona Sato stood poised at the side of the carriage, a regal air surrounding him as he surveyed his surroundings. Divanchi and Yuri were alreadyfortably seated inside, their anticipation palpable, while the driver patiently awaited the signal to set the wheels in motion. Having sessfully aplished his arduous task, Sato now stood as the esteemed Duke of Nervek, ready to embark on the next phase of his journey. His mind lingered on the distant path, where his ultimate destination awaited¡ªthe presence of Fiona beckoning him forward. However, before he could proceed, an important meeting with Jira to sign the pivotal treatyy ahead. Positioned before Sato, d and Divanchi stood, their countenances filled with a mixture of admiration and pride for the young man who hade so far. Sato''s unwavering determination had earned him their respect. d, his voice tinged with a touch of paternal pride, remarked, "It seems like only yesterday you arrived, and yet here you are, ready to depart. Undoubtedly, the people of Nervek will sorely miss you." Sato, his gaze shifting briefly to Erza, who stood nearby, exuded a sense of quiet confidence. "I appreciate your kind words, d," he replied, his voice steady and resolute. "However, I have no doubt that Erza will capably care for the people in my absence. She possesses the strength andpassion necessary to lead them faithfully". A heartyugh escaped d''s lips, filled with genuine amusement. "Indeed, she will," he conceded, a note of pride evident in his tone. "After all, she is my daughter, and her unwavering dedication to the people of Nervek is unmatched". With a gentle smile adorning his lips, Sato acknowledged d''s words of farewell. "I appreciate your understanding, d," He replied graciously, his voiceced with a sense of determination. "I''ll be back after a few months, or even sooner if circumstances allow¡­ I should leave now". As Sato prepared to step into the awaiting carriage, a sudden cry pierced through the air, capturing everyone''s attention. "Wait!" Erza''s urgent voice rang out, carrying a hint of desperation. In a swift motion, she sprinted toward Sato, her eyes filled with an undeniable longing. Sato turned to face her, curiosity etching its way across his features. Before he could utter a single word, Erza closed the distance between them, her lips meeting his in a passionate embrace. Time seemed to stand still as their connection deepened, her fingers instinctively finding purchase on his cor, anchoring them together in that fleeting moment. The world around them blurred into insignificance as their hearts beat in synchrony. In that tender exchange, emotions unspoken found voice, a fusion of longing, hope, and the unyielding bond that had formed between them. It was a kiss that spoke of unexplored possibilities and the promise of a shared future. As they finally broke apart, the air crackled with a newfound tension, their gazes locked in a mix of surprise and understanding. Erza''s cheeks flushed with a delicate shade of pink, her eyes shimmering with a mix of vulnerability and determination. Erza''s voice trembled slightly as she broke the silence, her words tinged with a hint of yful caution. "You better not allow your gaze to wander towards any other maiden once you reach Fiona," she muttered, her eyes cast downward, attempting to conceal the flush that adorned her cheeks. Sato''s smile widened, his eyes glimmering with gentle amusement. He reached out and tenderly ced his hand on her head, aforting gesture filled with familiarity. "This isn''t my first time there you know?" He responded, his voice soft yet resolute. "Don''t worry about it, u doubt Yuri and Erza would even let me". As his words washed over her, Erza couldn''t help but steal a nce, her eyes meeting his briefly before returning to the ground. The warmth of Sato''s hand upon her head provided sce, a reassuring touch that spoke volumes about the depth of their connection. A fleeting moment passed, the air charged with unspoken emotions. Erza''s flustered expression softened, a subtle smile gracing her lips. Sato''s steady presence and unwavering assurance alleviated her concerns, recing them with a renewed sense of trust and tranquility. The others, momentarily forgotten in the intensity of the moment, watched in awe and silence, their gazes filled with a mixture of surprise, happiness, and a touch of envy. The carriage stood as a silent witness, its presence a reminder of the journey that awaited Sato, now imbued with an even deeper sense of purpose. "Okay bye now."With a final gesture, Sato bid hispanions farewell before stepping into the awaiting carriage. As he settled into the plush chair, a sigh escaped his lips, a mixture of anticipation and the weight of responsibility filling the air around him. Outside, Shuna, Luna, and Xanxia stood side by side, their hands waving in unison, a silent prayer for a safe and sessful journey. Their expressions reflected a blend of affection and concern, their loyalty to Sato unyielding. "Are you prepared, Master?" Yuri''s voice cut through the stillness, his unwavering dedication evident in every word. Sato turned towards his faithful ally, a calm resolve etching itself onto his features. "Yes, Yuri," he replied, his voice steady with determination. "Let''s pay Jira a visit". "Heeheh, I can barely contain myself." Divanchi chimed in with an excited grin on her face. A moment of tranquility enveloped them as they shared a brief nod of understanding. The carriage lurched forward, its wheels slowly gaining momentum. The rhythmic sound of hooves echoed in the air, intermingling with the whispered promises of adventure and the faint hum of destiny. As the carriage departed, the world outside began to pass by in a blur. Lush greenndscapes and quaint viges melded together, each holding its own story and secrets. The path ahead stretched like a ribbon of possibility, leading them closer to the elusive Fiona¡ªa destination that held both mystery and significance. Sato''s gaze lingered on the passing scenery, his mind filled with a tapestry of emotions. Excitement intertwined with trepidation, anticipation dancing with the unknown. Yet amidst it all, he carried with him the unwavering resolve to fulfill his purpose and forge a path towards the future he sought. Together, Sato, Yuri, and Divanchi embarked on this journey, their fates intertwined and their hearts resolute. With each passing mile, the tapestry of their story grew richer, promising both trials and triumphs. And so, with the wheels of destiny in motion, the carriage pressed on, venturing into the vast unknown. The world awaited their arrival, and Sato''s indomitable spirit led the way, ready to leave an indelible mark on the realm of Fiona. Chapter 232 Meet with Jira shall we? Chapter 232 Meet with Jira shall we? As the carriage continued its journey towards the city of Nervek, the sun''s rays beat down on them, casting a warm yet soothing glow. Divanchi, nced over at her master and inquired with a hint of concern in her voice, "Master, do you not think it would be prudent to stop by the vige and assess the progress of the construction?" Sato, a wise and experienced figure, leaned back in his seat and gave a reassuring smile. "Nah, I am confident that they are making good progress. Besides, if any issues had arisen, I would have been informed by now," he replied, his wordsced with a calm assurance. However, deep within his mind, a lingering unease persisted. ''Aril has been oddly silent for some time now... It''s starting to trouble me,'' he pondered silently, his eyes focused on the ever-changing scenery outside. Yuri, the perceptive and observant member of the group, voiced her thoughts as she caught sight of the colossal gate of Fiona, the grand city standing before them. "It seems we have arrived already," she remarked, her voice tinged with surprise. "The journey was much shorter than anticipated." "The shorter the journey, the better," Sato responded, his tone filled with a sense of efficiency and purpose. As the carriage neared the impressive gate, he directed his attention towards the forting city, brimming with anticipation for the adventures and challenges thaty ahead. ¡­. Seated within the confines of his chamber, Jira''s eyes darted restlessly out of the window, his troubled mind consumed by the haunting words of Vmos. Gripping a bottle of alcohol tightly in his hands, he brought it to his lips and took another swig, the bitter liquid leaving a fiery trail down his throat. Painful words spilled forth from his lips, fueled by anger and resentment. "Damn you, Sato... This is all your fault," he uttered bitterly, his voiceced with venomous disdain. He raised the bottle once more, seeking sce in its numbing embrace. "My kingdom, my title, my assistant... You have taken everything from me. I swear, I will not find peace until you draw yourst breath." Abruptly, his vengeful words were interrupted by a knock at the door, followed by the entrance of Catherine, Vmos'' attendant. Unperturbed by the scene before her, she spoke with an air of detachment, delivering her message sinctly. "Lord Vmos requests your presence in the throne room," she announced, her gaze shifting past Jira''s disheveled state. Without waiting for a response, she turned and departed from the room, leaving Jira to wrestle with his turbulent emotions. Consumed by anger, Jira let out a furious yell as soon as Catherine departed, the echoes of his frustration reverberating through the chamber. Without a moment''s hesitation, he hurled the bottle against the wall, its fragile form shattering into countless sharp fragments. After collecting himself, albeit haphazardly, Jira made his way towards the throne room, paying no heed to his disheveled appearance. The weight of resentment and defiance hung heavy in his heart as he pushed open the grand doors, revealing Vmos seated upon the regal throne, a self-satisfied smile ying upon his lips. Jira''s eyes narrowed, his voice dripping with a mixture of bitterness and defiance. "Oh, Jira, wee," Vmos greeted mockingly, his voice tinged with amusement. "For a moment, I feared you had chosen not to honor my summons." "What do you want?" Jira demanded, his voice heavy with a simmering anger. His gaze fell upon the very seat that Vmos upied, his voice tinged with usation. "And what gives you the audacity to sit upon my throne?". Vmos chuckled heartily, rising from the ornate seat. "No need to be so defensive, my dear Jira. Once the ceremony of Pirinity takes ce, you shall no longer hold the title of king. It would be wise for you to relinquish any attachment to this throne," he remarked condescendingly, his words dripping with a mixture of superiority and disdain". Jira''s eyes burned with a mixture of anger and indignation as he confronted Vmos, his voice filled with a furious intensity. "Did you summon me here just to mock me?" he seethed, his stare piercing through Vmos like a sharpened de. Vmos, however, seemed unfazed by Jira''s anger, a smirk ying upon his lips. He began to walk away, his voice trailing behind him in a mocking tone. "Oh no, my dear Jira. I wouldn''t stoop so low as to engage in such cruelty," he replied, his words dripping with a twisted sense of amusement. "There''s someone waiting to see you. As I am not yet the king, I thought it would be fitting for you to handle the matter. Farewell for now~" Jira''s teeth clenched tightly as his gaze fixated on the door. "Who in the depths of hell wants to see me?" he muttered under his breath, his frustration palpable in his voice. Before he could finish his sentence, the grand doors swung open, revealing the imposing figure of Sato, apanied by Yuri and Divanchi. The trio entered the room with an air of authority, their presencemanding attention. Sato''s voice resonated with firm resolve as he addressed Jira, his tone unwavering. "Apologies for the intrusion, but you and I have unfinished business to settle," Sato dered, his posture exuding strength and determination. He could discern the unmistakable fear flickering in Jira''s eyes, a realization that did not escape his perceptive gaze. Jira''s voice trembled with disbelief as he stumbled backward, his body copsing to the ground. "Y...y...y...you!" he stammered, his eyes wide with shock. "What are you doing here?" Sato, his countenance unwavering and impassive, closed the distance between them with deliberate steps. He leaned forward, his posture imposing, and locked eyes with Jira. The intensity of his gaze sent shivers down Jira''s spine, evoking a sense of unease. "Come now, don''t tell me you''ve forgotten our little arrangement so easily," Sato said, his voice carrying a chilling undertone. His hand, ever so slightly raised, seemed to convey a silent threat. "Or should I remind you?" The weight of Sato''s words hung heavily in the air, their implications piercing through Jira''s fragileposure. The memory of their previous dealings resurfaced, forcing Jira to confront the consequences of his past actions. Fear crept into his eyes, as if he of their previous dealings resurfaced, forcing Jira to confront the consequences of his past actions. Fear crept into his eyes, as if he were staring into the abyss of his own undoing. Chapter 233 Sign the contract...Jira Chapter 233 Sign the contract...Jira Sato and Jira sat opposite one another on an exquisitely crafted chair, adorned with intricate carvings and upholstered in regal velvet fabric. The chair, a masterpiece in itself,manded attention with its majestic presence. A gleaming ss table, reflecting the soft glow of candlelight, separated the two adversaries. Standing behind Sato, a stoic figure with piercing eyes and an aura of authority, was Yuri. Her keen senses were attuned to every movement, her watchful gaze fixed upon the unfolding event. Divanchi, a formidable presence in her own right, stood by Yuri''s side, her expression unreadable, but her resolve evident. The room was hushed, and the weight of anticipation hung heavy in the air. Jira, though trying to hide it, could not conceal the fear etched upon his face as he finally found his voice. "What... what are you doing here?" he asked, his voiceced with trepidation. Sato remainedposed, his countenance unyielding. Not a trace of a smile graced his face as he uttered his response. "Sign the treaty, Jira. That was the stipted condition for me to spare your life," he dered with unwavering determination. Jira''s eyes darted between Sato''s unwavering gaze and the contract that Yuri had ceremoniously ced on the ss table before him. Its presence alone seemed to exert an imposing influence over the room, its weight felt by all those present. It was a document that held the power to shape destinies, forge alliances, or ignite wars. Jira''s hands trembled as he reached for the pen lying next to the contract. The gravity of the moment sank deep into his being, as he realized that the choice before him would have far-reaching consequences, not only for his own life but for the future of theirnds. The silence stretched, broken only by the soft rustling of the contract''s pages as Jira hesitated. The room seemed to hold its breath, as if the very atmosphere acknowledged the weight of the decision that hung in the bnce. As Jira''s eyes scanned the contents of the contract, a simmering rage began to brew within him. Each word seemed to fuel the fire of his indignation, and the conditions presented before him felt like chains constricting his freedom. His hands clenched into fists, and his knuckles turned white as the weight of the demands settled upon his shoulders. The first condition struck him like a bolt of lightning. It mandated the relinquishment of his authority over the city of Nervek, transferring ownership to Sato Inugami. The city, a bastion of Jira''s power and influence, would now be under the control of his adversary. The thought of yielding such a prized possession gnawed at his pride and sense of self. The second condition cut even deeper. It proposed that the Kingdom of Fiona, with Jira at its helm, would acknowledge the Nation of Albedain, led by Sato Inugami, as capable of standing independently and engaging in international trade. It was an implicit admission of his nation''s inferiority, a bitter pill to swallow for a king proud of his heritage and the strength of his kingdom. But it was the third condition that ignited a fierce ze within Jira. The Kingdom of Fiona was expected to ept Albedain as close allies, bound by military and trading alliances. It meant Jira''s forces would be at the beck and call of Sato''s whims, his own autonomy sacrificed in the name of this so-called alliance. It was an affront to his sovereignty and the independence he had fought so hard to uphold. The mounting fury within Jira reached its boiling point, his control slipping like sand through his fingers. With a sudden outburst, he mmed his hand on the ss table, startling even Yuri and Divanchi, who had remained stoic witnesses to the unfolding drama. "What the hell is this?" Jira''s voice thundered, his eyes aze with a mix of anger and disbelief. He directed his re at Sato, who remained unruffled by Jira''s eruption. Sato''s expression remainedposed, his gaze fixed upon Jira with an unwavering determination. He understood the storm raging within his adversary, recognizing the struggle for power and the sh of wills. But Sato had his own vision, his own ambitions that drove him forward, undeterred by the fury before him. "The terms are clear, Jira," Sato replied calmly, his voice carrying a hint of steel. "These conditions are necessary for the stability and prosperity of ournds. ept them, and together, we can forge a future that benefits both our nations." Jira''s anger was momentarily suspended, reced by a mix of incredulity and defiance. His mind raced, contemting the weight of his decision. The sacrifices demanded of him were monumental, but he also recognized the potential opportunities thaty hidden within this treaty. The room fell into an uneasy silence as Jira weighed his options. The fate of his kingdom and the lives of his people hung in the bnce. It was a pivotal moment, one that would shape the course of history. Jira''s next words, his next actions, would ripple through the ages, leaving an indelible mark upon the tapestry of their world. A disconcerting smile crept across Jira''s face, betraying a hint of his underlying defiance. "So what? Even if I sign this, it''s going to be useless anyway. I won''t be the king of thisnd soon," he retorted, his voiceced with a bitter edge. His mind raced with possibilities, contemting the potential loopholes and avenues of escape that might lie within the confines of the contract. But before Jira could continue, Sato interjected with a stern tone, cutting through his defiance. "That doesn''t change anything. Even if a new kinges, the contract remains... sign it," Sato asserted, his words resonating with unwavering conviction. His gaze bore into Jira, unyielding and resolute. Jira''s teeth clenched together tightly, a mix of frustration and anger coursing through his veins. His eyes darted back to the contract, its terms looming before him like a specter. "There''s nothing this Kingdom can gain from signing this... it''s all his gain," Jira silentlymented, feeling the weight of the one-sided agreement pressing upon his conscience. In a brief moment, Jira''s eyes shifted, taking in the sight of Divanchi and Yuri, who stood steadfastly by Sato''s side. Their presence, though formidable, stirred a flicker of hope within Jira. His mind calcted the numbers, realizing that in sheer manpower, they were outnumbered. A dangerous idea began to form in Jira''s mind¡ª to take advantage of the situation, to eliminate his adversaries here and now. With a calcted slowness, Jira''s hand slid beneath the ss table, searching for the small magic cube hidden from prying eyes. The cube, a hidden weapon designed to summon soldiers in times of emergency, now held the potential to shift the bnce of power within the room. As his fingers wrapped around its cool surface, Jira contemted the consequences of his next action. Chapter 234 Sign the contract...Jira II

Chapter 234 Sign the contract...Jira II

Jira, the cunning and calcting ruler, stood in the opulent throne room, his gaze sharply fixated on the entrance. His eyes darted about, searching for any signs of unexpectedpany. The room was filled with an air of tension, as if a hidden threat loomed in the shadows. "I am to believe," Jira spoke, his voiceced with skepticism, "that you did not bring anyone else with you, except for those who stand behind you?" His tone was filled with a mixture of curiosity and suspicion, as if he already knew the answer but wanted to test Sato''s honesty. Sato satfortably andposed, his presencemanding attention. He met Jira''s gaze unwaveringly and replied with a question of his own, his voiceced with confidence, "Why would I need to bring my entire army, Jira? This encounter is meant to be settled between us, face to face". Hearing Sato''s response, a sly grin spread across Jira''s face, revealing a glimpse of his treacherous nature. "Good," Jira said, his voice dripping with satisfaction. "But unfortunately for you... you have made a grave mistake". Before Jira could execute his sinister n, the room erupted in chaos. Divanchi, a fierce and loyal ally of Sato, sprang into action with an unexpected burst of speed. mes danced around her, flickering with an intense energy that matched her determination. In a blink of an eye, Divanchi lunged forward, her movements swift and precise. She mmed Jira''s head against the ss table with a resounding crash, sending shards of shattered ss flying in all directions. The once-imposing table nowy in ruins, a symbol of Jira''s downfall. With a surge of strength, Divanchi pinned Jira to the ground, her knees resting firmly on his back. The weight of her presence made it clear that his reign of terror was over. The room fell into a stunned silence, broken only by the heavy breaths of the defeated ruler beneath her. Sato''s sigh resonated through the room, his gaze unyielding as he observed Jira''s pitiful state. Disappointment etched itself into Sato''s expression, mingling with a hint of resignation. "And here I had hoped for a semnce of professionalism from you, Jira," he uttered, his voiceden with weariness. With measured steps, Sato advanced towards Jira, his movement deliberate and purposeful. Before approaching, he stooped down to retrieve the contract that had been buried amidst the shards of shattered ss, a token of their previous negotiation. Standing upright once more, Sato held the document firmly in his grasp, a subtle reminder of the power he held in this moment. "Jira, let us cease this pointless discourse," Sato proimed, his words infused with a threatening undertone. His eyes bore into Jira''s, radiating an intensity that sent shivers down the fallen ruler''s spine. His voice dipped lower,ced with a dangerous edge. "I possess the capability to im both this kingdom and your life with ease," Sato dered, his tone as cold as the resolve in his heart. "I could reduce everything to smoldering ruins, taking what I desire by force... and if anyone dares to obstruct me, they will meet a swift and merciless demise. No number of adversaries would deter me, bugs will forever remain as mere bugs in my path." Leaning forward, Sato ced himself at eye level with Jira, making sure their gazes remained locked. With calcted precision, he unveiled the contract, presenting it before Jira''s eyes. "But, Jira, if you choose to sign this document," Sato offered, a faint glimmer of opportunity apparent in his voice, "we can eradicate any further concerns. A new path awaits, free from chaos and destruction." A pause filled the air, pregnant with the weight of the choices that hung in the bnce. Sato''s voice softened, taking on a chillingly calm demeanor. "Alternatively, I could subject you to a torment so severe that begging for death would be your only salvation," he murmured, his wordsced with a dangerous promise. "The choice, Jira, lies solely in your hands. What shall it be?". Jira''sughter escaped his lips, a nervous tremor underscoring its tone. "What is this?" He questioned, his voice trembling with a mix of fear and disbelief. "I always thought you were supposed to be the righteous one, the so-called hero. And yet, here you stand, willing to sacrifice innocent lives for the sake of a single town?" Sato''s eyes closed briefly, a tinge of weariness evident upon his face. He sighed, his patience stretched thin. With a swift motion, he rose from his previous position, his body emanating an air of determination. "What do I think?" Sato retorted, his voice carrying a weight of resignation. "Perhaps it is time for you to find out." In an instant, Sato extended his hands towards Jira, his wordsced with a chilling resolve. "Very well then," he dered, his tone devoid of mercy. "Since you refuse to cooperate, I shall grant you the fate you so deserve. Prepare to burn, Jira." The threat hung heavy in the air, prompting an immediate reaction from Jira. Fear crept into his voice as he cried out, desperation permeating his words. "Wait! I''ll sign it!" A twisted grin curled upon Sato''s lips, his satisfaction palpable. He gestured towards Divanchi, a silentmand that prompted her to release her hold on Jira. With fluidity, Yuri swiftly retrieved the ink and feather, cing them into Jira''s trembling hands. The tense atmosphere momentarily eased as Jira, realizing the gravity of his situation, prepared to affix his signature onto the contract. It was a fragile moment of submission, a choice born out of fear and the instinct for self-preservation. With meticulous care, Jira knelt on the ground, affixing his signature to each page of the contract, one by one. His hand quivered with a mixture of fear and resignation, the weight of his actions sinking in. Each stroke of the pen marked his surrender, his acknowledgment of defeat. Sato, Divanchi, and Yuri stood in silent vigil, their eyes fixed upon Jira''s every move. Their expressions held a mix of triumph, caution, and a hint of pity for the fallen ruler. They observed as Jira''s signature, a stark testament to his submission, graced each page without exception. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to the others, Vmos, a shadow lurking behind the door, listened intently, his curiosity piqued by the unfolding events. Hisughter erupted in hushed chuckles, muffled by the door''s barrier, as he found amusement in Jira''s predicament. Yet, beneath the humor, a sense of intrigue stirred within him¡ªan intrigue kindled by Sato''s enigmatic inugami. As Jira continued his task, the weight of his actions grew heavier, the sound of pen meeting paper echoing through the room. Each signed page represented a binding contract, a pact that would reshape their future. Chapter 235 Richest king in the world.

Chapter 235 Richest king in the world.

In the span of a few months, significant progress had been achieved in the small nation, overseen by Sato, which was undergoing rapid development. With the sessful signing of the contract, Ethan had legally liberated Nervek from Jira''s control, assuming full ownership of the city and all its assets. Meanwhile, Giron and the witches were actively engaged in establishing connections with other kings who had profited from Sato''s resources. Their aim was to seek assistance and support in the ongoing efforts to strengthen and uplift the region. In the pursuit of gaining recognition for Sato''s sovereignnd as an independent nation, the efforts to gather signatures intensified, with individuals passionately working towards thismon goal. As the political aspects were being addressed by some, Erza took charge of overseeing the construction of essential roads, which aimed to enhance transportation between Nervek and the witches'' forest, thus promoting connectivity and ease of movement. In the meantime, Deka diligently focused on bolstering the forces and establishing mobilization headquarters across various strategic locations to support Sato''s expanding territory. The collective determination and dedication of everyone involved were evident, each ying their crucial role to advance Sato''s aspirations of nationhood. Amidst the ongoing developments and progress, Sato''s mind remained preupied with a pressing matter¡ªthe clone he had dispatched to the God territory. Its mission was to vanquish the goddesses and death, ultimately retrieving the souls of Latina and Elena. Seated in his office, Ethan disyed visible concern, his weariness evident as he rested his head on the table. "The journey might have been lengthy, but it''s been nearly six months now... Why haven''t we received any word from them?" He inquired. [Considering they are currently engaged in a battle with the goddess of death, Ereshkigal, it is possible that time moves at a slower pace in the goddess''s realm, which could exin the dy inmunication. However, I cannot ount for theck of updates beyond that]. "Aril, you''re not helping the matter at all," Sato remarked with a slight raise of his head. As he did so, a mysterious dark mist materialized in the center of the room, gradually taking the form of a human figure. It was Ond, who bowed respectfully upon his manifestation. "The king of Keltom has arrived, Lord Sato?" Ond inquired with his head still humbly lowered. "I suppose the time hase," Sato responded, swiftly rising from his seat and donning his regal attire. With determination, he ventured outside to fulfill his duties as the esteemed leader. Arriving at his destination, Sato could already discern the king and his retinue seated in the grand guest house, awaiting his presence. Positioned at the side were Yuri and Divanchi, standing dutifully as they too anticipated their master''s arrival. "Ah, why must he bring such a sizable entourage of guards?" Sato mused quietly to himself as he approached. [The king of Keltom, Yuya Singa, is renowned for his unwavering protective measures during his travels. His reputation as the wealthiest man in the world precedes his character, and thus, he takes extra precautions] "Richest man in the world? Just how wealthy are we talking?" Sato inquired with astonishment evident in his gaze, fixed on the guest house entrance. He greeted Yuri and Divanchi with a wave as they spotted him and made their way over. [Approximately 80 quadrillion gold pieces, based on thest recorded trade he conducted.] "Eight... life can be so unfair," Sato murmured to himself, contemting the vastness of the king''s wealth. Finally reaching the guest house, he was followed closely by Yuri and Divanchi as they entered together. Upon spotting Sato''s entrance, King Yuya''s face lit up with a smile. "Ah, if it isn''t Lord Sato, the esteemed Demon Lord of Chaos," he said with a heartyugh. Sato walked in confidently, with Divanchi and Yuri following close behind. Taking a seat, he replied, "King Yuya, the entire world should indeed acknowledge you as the wealthiest man alive." "Haha, alright, you''ve got me there," Yuya chuckled in agreement. Both menughed heartily, their joviality filling the air. But as quickly as theirughter erupted, it subsided, and their expressions shifted to seriousness. Sato, the imposing figure, took the initiative to speak, his eyes shimmering with an intense energy. "Just what are you trying to aplish here?" He inquired, exuding amanding aura that seemed to resonate with the very air around him. Yuya, equally surrounded by a crackling surge of magical energy, offered a measured response. "I must admit, I underestimated you, Sato Inugami," he admitted, a hint of surprise in his voice. In a tense standoff, a knife hovered menacingly close to Sato''s neck, its sharp tip aimed unwaveringly, yet held at bay by an unseen force protecting him. Meanwhile, Yuri wielded enormous des, aimed at Yuya''s neck, as the rest of the guards remained frozen in ce, immobilized by the formidable presence of Delta and Divanchi, who stood at the forefront, ready to strike at any moment. The atmosphere crackled with anticipation and danger, each character disying their strength and determination in this high-stakes confrontation. "You realize how stupid this is, do you not, King Yuya?" Sato stated resolutely, his expression betraying no signs of fear. Yuya took a moment to contemte, a small,posed smile adorning his face. "Indeed, you may be right. Pardon me," he replied calmly. With a simple gesture, the knife that had been suspended near Sato''s neck swiftly returned to Yuya''s hand. Sato let out a sigh, addressing his allies, "You all should stand down as well." Instantly, Yuri retracted her menacing des, Divanchi assumed her position behind Sato, and Delta eagerly settled onto hisp, her excitement evident in the wiggling of her legs. "I couldn''t resist the temptation, the Lord who single-handedly defeated two kingdoms and ascended as a demon lord by dethroning another," Yuya said, his face adorned with a smug expression. "Ahhhhhh, so a fan then," Sato muttered to himself, noting Yuya''s enthusiasm. Suddenly, a man garbed in traditional attire, clutching multiple documents in his hands, entered the room. His stern countenance shifted between the two kings as he addressed them, "Shall wemence, your highness?". As the man''s arrival signaled the initiation of their meeting, the room fell into a hushed expectancy, with both kings ready to engage in whatever matters awaited them. Chapter 236 Eldoria Federation

Chapter 236 Eldoria Federation

The man entered the room gracefully, executing a respectful bow before cing the meticulously prepared papers on the center table. His gaze shifted between Sato and Yuya, exuding an air of confidence and professionalism. "Shall wemence?" he inquired. Yuya turned his attention to Sato, impressed by the selection of such a skilledwyer to handle the delicate negotiations. "Impressive indeed. You''ve secured one of the best in the field," he acknowledged. Sato responded withposure and poise, fully embodying his seniority. "The gravity of the matter necessitates it. How about we talk about the possibilities of this meeting, i''m sure we cane to a profitable negotiation for your signature?". Yuya remained silent for a contemtive moment, before abruptly calling over one of the guards standing behind him, signaling a potential shift in the proceedings. Respectfully, the guard moved his head closer to Yuya as he patiently listened to the whisper Yaya sent to his ear. Respectfully, the guard leaned in closer to Yuya, his demeanor patient and attentive as he listened to the confidential message Yaya whispered into his ear. Yaya drew back, addressing Sato with aposed yet wary tone, "Very well, but you can hold back on the favor for now. Something tells me I''ll need it very soon." "Agreed," Sato replied, maintaining his calm demeanor. "Let''s proceed," he instructed thewyer, signaling themencement of the negotiations. "Understood," thewyer responded calmly, his voice clear and measured. He began reading the information detailed on the papers aloud, meticulously covering various aspects, such as the poption demographics, ethnicities, avable resources, and other crucial data pertaining to the prospective nation. After concluding the thorough reading, thewyer approached Yuya with utmost respect and precision, cing one of the papers on the table before him and politely requesting, "King Yuya, please sign here." Intrigued by the unfolding events, Yaya inquired further, his magical aura glowing as he prepared to leave his mark on the paper among the many other thumbprints already present. "Interesting, and what did you say the name of this nation was again?" he asked, his surprise evident. Sato replied confidently, "Eldoria Federation." "El... Doria?" Yaya repeated, a tinge of shock evident in his response, seemingly taken aback by the name. ¡­.. After engaging in a few minutes of intensive discussions regarding the trajectory of the newly established legal nation, Eldoria Federation, Yaya and thewyer departed, leaving Sato to oversee the monumental task ahead. Eldoria''s presence was soon to be acknowledged on the world map, extending its influence across various nations and kingdoms, ensuring that the sovereignnd''s im was known far and wide, attributed to none other than Sato Inugami, the Demon Lord of Chaos and Turmoil. Standing tall at the entrance of the capital, which was once a humble vige but now transformed into the thriving hub of the nation, Sato observed Yaya as he rode away on his chariot, departing from the scene. The weight of responsibility rested on Sato''s shoulders as he prepared to navigate the intricate journey of leading the Eldoria Federation into a new era, brimming with challenges and opportunities. "With the final signatures in ce, Eldoria is now officially recognized as a sovereign nation," Sato proimed, exuding a confident smile that reflected his sense of aplishment. Yuri, positioned steadfastly behind him, spoke with a discerning tone, her gaze fixed forward, "Master, something feels amiss. King Yuya doesn''t strike me as the type to revel in someone else''s sess." Intrigued by her observation, Sato inquired, "What do you mean by that?" Divanchi interjected, offering his insight, "I believe what she''s implying is that there might be a potential risk of thewyer being ambushed before he can deliver the crucial papers to the Cathedral." As the weight of this revtion settled in, Sato''s expression turned thoughtful, realizing the potentialplexities thaty ahead for Eldoria. Sato reassured them with a confident response, "Oh, that matter is already taken care of." He then proceeded to walk away, gesturing for Yuri and Divanchi to follow. "Come on, let''s gather everyone and announce the name of our new nation." Yuri and Divanchi exchanged a knowing nce, their smiles indicating that they had faith in Sato''s foresight and resourcefulness. They followed him eagerly, ready to witness the momentous announcement of Eldoria''s name to the world. ... As Yuya rode back to his kingdom in his regal red chariot, a procession of other wagons trailed behind, each carrying his loyal bodyguards and escorts. Inside his ornate wagon, a woman dressed in a refined brown suit sat, her long brown hair cascading gracefully. Her eyes were obscured by a ck blindfold, a symbol of her unique abilities. "Tasha, you are well aware of what needs to be done," Yuya spoke with unwavering confidence, his gaze fixed on the passingndscape outside the chariot''s window. Tasha''s lips formed a faint surprise, and she responded, "Lord Yuya, I humbly suggest reconsidering this course of action. I fear it may not yield the desired oue in our favor." "Do you doubt my judgment, Tasha?" Yuya inquired, his unwavering gaze still fixed on the passing scenery outside the chariot. "Of course not, Sire," Tasha responded respectfully, her voice tinged with concern. "It''s just that, even with my blindfold, I can sense a foreboding aura around him. He doesn''t seem ordinary, and I can''t shake the feeling that leaving him alone would be wiser." Yuya''s smile remained as he gently patted Tasha''s head. "You worry too much," he assured her. "I wouldn''t have be the wealthiest king if I shied away from taking risks. Dispose of thewyer and eliminate any incriminating documents." Despite Tasha''s lingering apprehension, she knew better than to challenge her ruler''s decision, and silently nodded in acknowledgment of his orders. "Excellent. Assemble three squads, as I highly doubt thewyer would travel without security," Yuya instructed with authority. "As you wish," Tasha replied with unwavering loyalty before gracefully descending from the chariot. Yuya returned his focus to the passingndscape outside the window, deep in thought. "Sato Inugami, your name has spread rapidly. Let''s see how long you can withstand the challenges that lie ahead." Chapter 237 Unharmed

Chapter 237 Unharmed

Thewyer seated inside the wagon, calmy enjoyed the ride as he waited to reach his destination. Thewyer reclinedfortably within the confines of the wagon, his demeanorposed as he savored the journey towards his intended destination. The rugged terrain beneath them imparted an adventurous quality to the ride, causing the wagon to sway and jostle, while the rhythmic cadence of footsteps and the revolving wheels cast reverberations in the air. However, amidst this tranquility, an abrupt shift in the atmosphere seized thewyer''s attention. His gaze fixated upon two other wagons that materialized beside his own, hurtling forward in a synchronized race. Within one of the adjacent wagons, a figure emerged into view¡ªTasha¡ªher form partially protruding from the wagon''s doorway. Solely her hand clung tenaciously to the wagon''s upper edge, a lifeline preventing her from perilously tumbling into the wake. "Wait¡­ isn''t that the¡­" Thewyer''s voice murmured softly, only to be abruptly stifled by the unfolding spectacle that held him captive. Tasha''s precarious position, her right hand steadfastly gripping the wagon''s edge for stability, while her other hand poised in front of her blindfold, poised a suspenseful tableau. With a fluid and deft motion, she liberated the blindfold, revealing an iridescent pair of azure eyes that radiated an uncanny luminescence. In an ephemeral instant, as those incandescent eyes emerged, thewyer''s conveyance was engulfed in an infernal congration. The ensuing explosion rent the air, a cataclysmic release of energy that obliterated his wagon in a blinding crescendo, seemingly ensnaring the adjacent wagon within its devastating embrace. The whole ce was covered in dust and mes as the wagon Tasha was in began to slow down. Suddenlying to a stop, Tasha jumped down from the wagon and made her way towards the burning mes, her blindfold covering her eyes. "This task seemed almost trivial," Tasha remarked, her unwavering gaze transfixed upon the inferno consuming the wagon before her. Stepping out of the engulfed carriage, her two malepanions cautiously approached her position, their disciplined strides harmonizing with the gravity of the scene. "Captain, do you sense an anomaly?" queried the first gentleman, his raven-ck hair and impable uniform in stark contrast to the chaotic backdrop. "It is imusible for the legal practitioner to have endured that onught," the second man asserted, a touch of salt-and-pepper gracing his brown hair. "The responsibility for this assault was, after all, yours. Few could have withstood such a formidable attack". "I guess you''re right, no use worrying about it." Tasha affirmed, her voice resolute. With determination in her eyes, she resolved to ensure the destruction of the documents before their departure. However, her purposeful stride was abruptly halted by an eerie voice that resonated from within the engulfing mes. "Lord Sato was right¡­ you guys are not trustworthy," Ond''s sinister voice sliced through the air, the inferno''s flickering light casting an ominous glow upon his menacing form. Clutched within his grasp were two wickedly gleaming short des, their malevolent aura seemingly intertwining with the shadows that enveloped him. Tasha''s gaze fixated upon Ond, her immediate reaction a measured retreat that positioned her at the heart of her loyal subordinates, a strategic maneuver intended to safeguard against any potential threat. The tense atmosphere crackled with uncertainty as their confrontation unfolded amidst the fiery backdrop. "Who''s that? Didn''t think thewyer would be having a bodyguard... Lawyers usually roll solo, right?" inquired the brown-haired youth. "Yep, this is clearly an exception," responded the ck-hairedpanion, poised for a potential sh. Ond''s voice dripped with scorn as he addressed the trio before him, his gaze fixed upon them. "Your leader''s stooping low, willing to take out a harmlesswyer just to prevent my lord from cementing his reign. Pathetic, ain''t it?" He sneered. ''Just one person, we should be able to kill him off.'' Tasha''s thoughts raced, grappling with the realization that they might be able to ovee this lone opponent. Yet, her contemtions were abruptly shattered when two more figures emerged from the mes, making their way into the unfolding confrontation. "I ain''t one to chatter much; my focus is on fighting, ending lives, and getting back by my master''s side," Delta dered, her steps purposeful as she advanced towards the trio, her sharp ws bared and ready for a deadly strike. Emerging from the inferno on the opposite side, Erilda, a female demon under Ond''smand, revealed herself. A red gem adorned her forehead, casting an eerie glow. Drawing nearer, she voiced her uncertainty, "I''m not entirely sure Lord Sato spelled out themand to off anyone, did he? Or am I mistaken?". Ond''s response was swift and unwavering, dispelling any lingering doubts. "Doesn''t really matter; if these Idiots aim to mess with Lord Sato''s grand scheme, we''re wiping them out," he asserted, pointing an usatory finger directly at Tasha with resolute determination. Tasha''s demeanor shifted as she took a moment to assess the tense ambiance and the adversaries that confronted her. After a brief, contemtive exhale, she straightened her posture and addressed herrades, her tone carrying a hint of finality, "Let us leave. Our purpose here has been fulfilled," her steps guiding her away from the confrontation, leading the way back to the safety of their waiting wagon. "Seriously? Just like that?" the brown-haired youth queried incredulously, quick to match Tasha''s stride as he hastened to catch up, his fellow team member close on their heels. "They are running? Huh?" Delta''s lips pursed in a dismissive gesture, her gaze casting to the side. "Cowards, that''s so not fun". "The audacity to plot thewyer''s demise implies that Lord Sato is swiftly amassing foes. A bothersome development," Ond''s voice resonated, his contemtive tone hinting at theplexities of their situation. He turned his attention to Erilda, his query directed with concern, "Is he unharmed?" "Oh, yes yes, he''s right over there." Erilda confirmed, her finger extending to indicate the distant recesses of the congration. Ond''s gaze followed the gesture, fixing upon the figure of thewyer who knelt amidst the turmoil, visibly trembling but encased in a protective azure shield, unscathed. Chapter 238 The Successor’s Clone

Chapter 238 The Sessor''s Clone

Deep within the enigmatic heart of the Witches'' Forest, a secluded haven was nestled amidst the ancient trees. Within its quiet confines, an unassuming cave served as the abode of an unparalleled triad - the Goddess Alliance, an embodiment of destruction veiled beneath a veneer of enigmatic elegance. This concealed sanctuary, though modest in its proportions, exuded an aura of serenity that belied its powerful upants. Sato, a visionary amidst mortals, reached an astute conclusion borne from a meticulous observation of the vigers'' apprehension. The mere presence of these once cataclysmic deities weaving through the hamlet had stirred a disquiet amongst the inhabitants. These celestial beings, once architects of global ruin, now treaded paths of whimsical mirth, a stark juxtaposition that unsettled many a soul. With a heart burdened bypassion and a spirit fortified by understanding, he forged an enve worthy of their ethereal grace. This sanctuary was more than mere architecture; it was a sanctuary of symbiotic coexistence, an oasis of harmony where the divine and mundane harmoniously intermingled. Sato meticulously handpicked guardians from the vige''s midst, individuals entrusted with the solemn duty of shepherding the divine trio. These chosen custodians bore witness to the grandeur of goddesses while tending to their own daily affairs. It was a mutually enriching arrangement, a delicate bnce wherein the goddesses found sce in proximity to their stalwart protector, Sato, while retaining a semnce of ordinary existence. Stepping into the cavern''s depths, Nima found herself bathed in an ethereal glow, emanating from the delicate sapphire crystals intricately embedded into the walls. Her footsteps reverberated through the expanse, each tap of her heels harmonizing with the enigmatic ambiance that enveloped her. "Fridina! Fridina!" Nima''s voice resonated through the cavern, a melody of urgency and familiarity that echoed off the icy contours of the vacant, floating thrones above. Ascending a majestic staircase that spiraled toward the heavens, Nima''s determination remained unwavering. Her gaze, steadfast and unwavering, fixated upon the monumental crystal door ahead. With a seamless fluidity, Nima turned the imposing crystal door, opening the inner sanctum with a reverent hush. Her eyes alighted upon a sight both unexpected and endearing. Amidst the opulent chamber, Fridina reclined withnguid grace, a testament to regal rxation. Cradling a goblet brimming with wine, the goddess seemed to have drifted into a tranquil slumber, her aura resonating with a timeless tranquility. "Fridina, by the divine powers, what on earth have you been upying yourself with?" Nima''s voice resonated through the chamber, a mixture of exasperation and concern etched into her features. Thenguid tranquility that enveloped Fridina''s form stirred at the intrusion of Nima''s urgency. "Oh?" she responded, her tone carrying a note of bemusement as her eyes flickered open. The goddess gradually lifted herself from her repose, assuming a more alert posture upon the ornate bed. Nima''s footsteps echoed her determination as she strode purposefully into the chamber, her countenance etched with a gravity that mirrored the significance of her quest. Fridina''s eyes, akin to pools of ice reflecting the mystic light, remained locked on Nima''s advancing form. "When did you return?" Fridina inquired, her words a delicate lilt that danced through the air like a whisper carried by the wind. "I had thought you were in pursuit of The Sessor''s clone." Nima''s expression remained unmoved, her lips a tight line that hinted at the weight of her mission. "Well yes, I was" she dered, her voice unwavering in its assertion. "And you, my dear Fridina, were meant to lend me your guidance, apass, you know damn well I''m not used to the god''s territory". Fridina''s voice held a touch of exasperation as she replied, her eyes narrowing slightly as she sat more upright, "The god realm isn''t some distant paradise, you imbecile. It''s akin to any other realm, with its own roads and structures. Dismiss those naive notions of it being a celestial haven. Mortals often misconstrue its true nature." Nima released a weary sigh, her patience seamlessly interwoven with her resolute purpose. Her gaze shifted momentarily, a fleeting moment seeking sce amidst the crystalline surroundings. "You''re really hopeless," she murmured, a blend of affection and exasperation evident in her tone. "Now, if you''d kindly cease your musings and enlighten me ¨C where might I find Afrina? I need to confirm something from her". Fridina''s words flowed forth, a continuation of their discourse painted with rity and casualness. "Afrina and Imunicated through telepathy," she exined, her tone a harmonious duet of rity and nonchnce. "She told me that she has information regarding the whereabouts of The Sessor''s clone, she''s probably on her way to tell The Sessor right now". "What?!" Nima''s voice reverberated through the chamber,den with disbelief and frustration. "That imbecile should have traced the clone''s location rather than returning here!" Her urgency was palpable as she dashed toward the exit, her words punctuated by the echo of her footsteps. "Nima! Transmit her coordinates to me!" Fridina''s retort carried a hint of nonchnce, her tone an echo of whimsy. "Honestly, it''s just a clone. What''s all the fuss about?" Hernguid form reclined upon the bed, her arms enveloping a pillow in a casual embrace. ¡­.. <> "Finally, a glimmer of positivity¡­ how much time has passed on this journey?" The man inquired, his careful ascent up the hill aided by a long staff for support. <> "Indeed, I''m certain Sato must have harbored some concern, though it''s rather surprising he hasn''t attempted to establish contact. Well¡­ such matters are inconsequential now," the man remarked, his form a poised silhouette against the crest of the hill, his attention riveted upon the foreboding fortress that loomed in the near distance. "Rest assured, we have knowledge of Ereshkigal''s whereabouts. Once we have gathered the souls, we''ll head back to the forest, hopefully nothing goes wrong," The man stated, his stature, facial features, and even his eyes an uncanny mirror of Sato''s. "Yet, it''s important to recognize the constraints of my role as a mere clone." Chapter 239 The gateway

Chapter 239 The gateway

The echoing cadence of footsteps reverberated through the narrow passage, steadily intensifying with each resolute stride. As Sato''s determined journey brought him to a critical juncture, he paused, his breath momentarily suspended in anticipation. Positioned at the threshold of a diminutive corridor, two colossal statues stood sentinel on either side, their imposing visages seemingly etched from the very stone they guarded. Sato''s gaze fixed upon the statues, their stony countenances exuding an aura of unwavering vignce. Intricately carved, their features were frozen in a perpetual watchfulness, as if they held the secrets of the passage within their unyielding statures. A sense of awe and reverence swept over Sato,pelling him to take a tentative step closer, his fingers instinctively tracing the fine lines and curves of the statues'' intricate designs before he moved back again. As he lingered in the shadow of these sentinels, the path ahead beckoned him with an air of enigma. The road stretched out before him, a tapestry of cobblestones bathed in the gentle luminescence of suspended bluenterns. Eachntern seemed to hover, suspended in mid-air, casting an ethereal glow that painted the path with a hauntingly beautiful ambiance. "what did you call this ce again, aril?" sato''s voice carried a note of curiosity as he stood before the imposing passage. [the gate of armis, this ce leads to the goddess of death''s sanctuary, you don''t need to worry, i''ll guide you through the path], aril''s ethereal response resonated within sato''s mind, aforting presence amidst the uncertainty. a wry smile tugged at sato''s lips. "well, that''s what i expected, not like i''m the real sato, my powers are limited, so i''ll be counting on your help." His words held a mixture of self-awareness and determination, a testament to his resolute spirit. "What did you call this ce again, Aril?" Sato''s voice carried a note of curiosity as he stood before the imposing passage. [The gate of Armis, this ce leads to the goddess of death''s sanctuary, you don''t need to worry, I''ll guide you through the path] A wry smile tugged at Sato''s lips. "Well, that''s what I expected, not like I''m the real Sato, my powers are limited, so I''ll be counting on your help." His words held a mixture of self-awareness and determination, a testament to his resolute spirit. With a steadying breath, Sato positioned himself squarely before the formidable gate. The intricacies of the gate''s design were even more pronounced from this close vantage point ¨C a tapestry of swirling patterns etched into the aged stone, each curve seeming to hold a whisper of ancient secrets. The gate''s imposing height seemed to stretch infinitely upward, a metaphorical bridge between the mortal realm and the realm of the unknown. "What do you seek, traveler?" The voice reverberated from the other side of the gate, its tones both horrifying and nerve-wracking, as if they were a chilling whisper carried on a phantom breeze. "I havee to seek an audience with Ereshigal," Sato''s voice resonated with unwavering determination, his gaze a study in stern resolve, carefully concealing any flicker of trepidation. "Seek an audience with the goddess of death? You must be utterly foolish," the voice retorted, its wordsced with anger that seemed to echo through the very stones of the gate. "You are made of magic particles, not even a real person. You insult the goddess with your audacious presence." A defiant smile curved Sato''s lips. "You''re right, I am a clone, a mere echo of the original. But even in my artificial existence, there burns a spark of defiance. Though I may not possess the breath of life, I can still challenge your mistress, even in the realm of shadows." The atmosphere seemed to hold its breath as a charged silence settled upon the passage. Sato''s gaze remained locked onto the gate, his eyes alight with a confidence that cut through the darkness like a beacon. "You speak as though you have met my mistress," the voice retorted once more, its intonation dripping with an eerie mix of amusement and disdain. As if responding to the voice''s dark cadence, the portal gate trembled, a sense of foreboding emanating from its depths. Suddenly, a monstrous appendage, resembling a spider''s leg, emerged from the portal with an unsettling swiftness. One by one, the grotesque limbs extended, until the full form of the nightmarish creature was revealed. Before Sato stood a colossal arachnid, its size and presence sending shockwaves through the surroundings. The spider''s multifaceted eyes gleamed with a sinister intelligence, reflecting the dim light that permeated the chamber. Each leg bore an intricate pattern, a weaving of grotesque beauty that seemed to symbolize its connection to the realm it inhabited. "Insolence," the monster''s roar reverberated, shaking the very foundation of Sato''s courage. The force of its screech sent a powerful gust of wind barreling towards Sato, a physical manifestation of its fury. Sato''s determination remained steadfast, his eyes unyielding even in the face of this monstrous manifestation. "You might be a child of the creator," the creature''s voice echoed, a chilling reminder of the divine lineage that underscored Sato''s existence. "But you were still birthed by a human. Watch your mouth!". Despite the imposing and enormous figure that loomed before him, Sato stood resolute, his countenance a portrait of unshakenposure. "I had hoped to settle this without conflict," his voice rang out, a calm melody amidst the cacophony of tension, "but it seems like you leave me no choice." With deliberate intent, he raised his hand, extending it towards the monstrous creature. A surge of energy gathered at Sato''s outstretched palm, an otherworldly brilliance that cast an incandescent glow upon his features. The very air seemed to hum with the potency of the magic hemanded, the essence of his power intertwining with the fabric of reality itself. The chamber, once cloaked in shadows, was now bathed in a celestial radiance, a testament to the force that Sato had summoned. As the brilliance intensified, the monster''s response was immediate ¨C a screech of fury that resonated with the echoes of the void. In a burst of movement that defiedprehension, the creatureunched itself towards Sato with an almost supernatural swiftness. Its charge was a blur of nightmarish limbs and gleaming eyes, a symphony of malevolent intent hurtling through the air. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!