_Tuhak─!_
When the Emperor finally threw a punch, the target, the God of Hatred, just stood there dumbly.
A huge hole was punched through the God of Hatred’s chest.
Was it a compressed, formless energy launched at incredible speed? It was a peculiar method that was hard to grasp with just magic.
Finally, when the Emperor relaxed his stance…
“….”
The God of Hatred collapsed to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut. It was such a pitiful end for one who had earned the title of Demon.
Ezekiel didn’t even blink, his focus sharp.
He couldn’t forget the scene the Emperor had just displayed. It felt like power from several dimensions beyond.
‘…How exactly did he execute that?’
The Emperor had called the chance to witness his technique far more precious than the Sun Elixir. Ezekiel agreed with that statement, but…
The problem was that he still couldn’t accurately comprehend the principle even after seeing it. He felt he needed to elevate his realm further with that scene lodged in his mind.
Perhaps the God of Hatred, much like Ezekiel, had thought the same until his life came to an end. He probably never even knew what had happened to him until the very end.
The continent’s top fighting force.
Ezekiel realized just how much power one who held that title should possess. It was strength that wasn’t affected by location or circumstance at all.
‘They say as long as the Emperor is around, the continent won’t fall.’
The stories the Empire’s people occasionally muttered checked out.
As long as the Emperor was intact, it seemed the Empire would suffer but never truly perish.
“The God of Hatred… with just one blow…”
The remaining Demon Lords muttered blankly.
A Demon Lord, who could be considered a major force in the Demon Realm, had died with just one strike. Confusion and turmoil were bound to settle in their hearts.
_Whooosh!_
In the end, the Demon Lord Valetta stepped in personally, teleporting right in front of the Emperor.
The lady flashed her eyes and spoke.
“It’s been a long time. Even during the war between the Demon Realm and the continent, we never clashed directly… but today I can’t avoid it. Can I?”
“I’ll just be cleaning up your trash. If you don’t come at me, I won’t bother breaking your skull.”
The Demon Lord smiled wickedly, and the Emperor replied flatly. The next moment, his movements matched that cold tone.
The moment the Emperor’s hand moved…
_Crackle, crackle, crackle!_
The space near the Demon Lord’s head began to swirl, trying to swallow her whole. It was a force that crushed everything it pulled in.
However, the Demon Lord wasn’t easily caught off guard.
“You still act before you speak? Emperor.”
In that brief instant, she had teleported several times, now standing right beside the Emperor.
“…!”
Hope blossomed on the faces of the Demon Lords.
It was inevitable. They saw the Demon Lord evade what they deemed an unbeatable strike from the Emperor, igniting hope.
“Hmm… how about we play from a distance?”
When the Demon Lord placed her hand on the Emperor’s shoulder…
_Boom!_
A tremendous sound erupted from high up in the air.
Suddenly, the Emperor and the Demon Lord had vanished without a trace, their bodies moving to an astounding height to commence their battle.
“….”
Ezekiel quietly placed his hand to his ear. Blood was flowing down, indicating the clash of overwhelming forces.
_Boom!_
Once again, an enormous sound resonated, this time to the northwest, then to the southeast, and next to the west… a battle transcending dimensions unfolded.
“…Where’s that Emperor?”
“The Demon Lord is dealing with him. In that case!”
The Demon Lords following the Emperor and Demon Lord’s movements turned their heads in unison towards a single direction—Ezekiel.
“….”
They all had the same thought at the same moment.
Now that the Demon Lord had drawn the Emperor away, it was the perfect time to target the Ice Ghost.
Meanwhile, Ezekiel thought quietly.
‘The Emperor said he bestowed something more valuable than the Sun Elixir.’
He calmed his mind and tried to grasp the understanding from those words. Since he said it was more important than the Sun Elixir, it couldn’t be just nonsense.
Perhaps he could catch a glimpse of enlightenment and awaken right now.
Thinking this way, he prepared for the battle that was to come.
“Capture the Ice Ghost!”
“Feel free to snuff them out! Don’t hold back!”
As the space compressed, the distance between the Demons and Ezekiel closed in an instant. They all charged at him at incredible speeds, aiming for his life.
In a moment of crisis, there’s always a flash of inspiration.
Suddenly.
An epiphany struck him like lightning.
“…San.”
_San_, the Ice Magic Technique that explodes chill all around.
With the Demons closing in and maintaining their encirclement, he unleashed _San_. Only this time, he focused on the explosion of energy that the Emperor had demonstrated before.
_Pwoooosh!_
Energy exploded outward in all directions.
But it wasn’t merely chill. Heat, mana, chill. The three energies mixed evenly, projecting a powerful energy wave that pushed everyone back.
“…!”
Some Demon Lords sensed something strange in the energy. Ezekiel only nodded in response.
‘Yeah, this was definitely the feeling.’
Rather than delicately manipulating a single energy, blending all energies harmoniously into one seemed to be the answer.
Meanwhile, he busily figured out his next step.
‘The Emperor is already giving it his all. What remains is my share. I must do this myself.’
Just being able to hold the Demon Lord back and buy time was already an immense help. In other words, this crisis had to be escaped entirely by Ezekiel himself.
The problem was that there were simply too many enemies.
And they were continuously multiplying.
“…They’re growing stronger with every moment. A hideous sight.”
Among the Demons, the Reaper holding a long scythe was the most concerning.
Ezekiel instinctively understood. The Reaper possessed a power that was on a different level from the average Demon Lords.
“Demon Realm, prosper! Demon Realm, prosper!”
“May the Demon Lord keep a watchful eye over us—!”
Perhaps they had decided to rush in, as mid-level Demons kept pouring in. For Ezekiel, it was a bitter pill to swallow.
‘…Focus.’
I must survive.
There were no other thoughts in his mind.
.
.
.
How long had the battle lasted?
At least three days and nights seemed to have passed.
“…Ha.”
Ezekiel exhaled heavily.
The enemy numbers.
That was the issue. There wasn’t a single ally in sight, yet the enemies were crashing in like waves. Even if they were weak, he was bound to be worn out from the sheer numbers.
The encirclement around Ezekiel had shrunk drastically compared to the beginning. That meant he had been pushed back that much.
It felt as if he’d struggle to maintain even this. He had no energy left to bolster himself.
“Ice Ghost, it seems it’s time to give up.”
The Reaper brandished the blade of his scythe, glimmering.
“The more you resist, the more gruesome the cut will be. Rather than leaving behind a mangled corpse, wouldn’t it be better to keep you in one piece?”
Ezekiel held onto the ice spear instead of replying.
The Reaper nodded as if understanding.
“I knew you’d react that way. Die without regrets. A precious talent of the continent.”
But at that moment.
“Who’s dying? Nonsense.”
A very familiar voice echoed. A blonde woman had landed beside Ezekiel.
Her silky white garment bore the distinct patterns of those who served the Sun God.
“…Solana?”
It was the 3rd Princess, Solana, known as the angel of the Empire.
Ezekiel felt more puzzled about how Solana had made it here than relieved. Was there really a way to come directly from the continent to this very spot?
However, Solana was not the end of it.
_Whooosh!_
Another elegantly landed figure graced the ground.
“Quite a gathering, isn’t it? The stench is overwhelming. Should have brought some perfume.”
It was the 2nd Princess, Hedera, with that noble energy characteristic of a Dragon’s Blood owner and a black mask adorning her face.
And finally.
_Boom!_
A tall figure landed, sweeping the surroundings with a strong gust. The Goddess of War, the 1st Princess, Ether, had arrived.
The woman with white hair looked at Ezekiel and gave a reassuring smile. An incredibly reliable ally.
Gathering her energy to shape a bow, Ether murmured.
“The Demon Realm… the air is foul from the get-go, how unpleasant.”
The space that had been destined for Ezekiel’s defeat shifted with newfound tension. The power of the three Princesses hinted at something grand to come.
“Anyway, I’m glad to see you’re safe, teacher.”
Solana stated calmly.
“It seems the only way is to wipe them all out. I’ll pave the way with my Holy Power, so assist me appropriately.”
“Assist? You’re joking.”
Hedera lowered her mask below her chin and remarked.
“I’m just traveling along the same path; we’re not cooperating. Don’t get it twisted. Don’t try to hold me back. I’ll dispose of you without mercy.”
“Enough chit-chat, you lot. Let’s cut it out.”
Ether pulled back on her bow while stacking five powerful Light Arrows simultaneously, with a blooming smile.
“First, let’s go!”
My site has received a lot of DMCA notices, lol. From now on, I will update the MTL on https://darkmtl.com/.
The site is fast and lightweight because there are no ads yet. However, the theme is different from Cybor-TL, so take some time to familiarize yourself.
Support me by donating at least $10, and you'll have the right to request any novel from Novelpia (excluding 19+ content) using a newly developed tool.