Thud…
The spots where the 1st Princess Ether had passed left round trails in her wake. The mid- and low-ranking demons who stood with their feet planted there? Naturally, they weren’t alive anymore.
The Reaper adjusted its grip.
“It seems you’re under the illusion that you made a grand entrance, but you’re mistaken. Why can’t you understand that you’ve stepped into your own graves? I’ll be sending you off soon.”
That didn’t sound like mere bravado.
Ether had swept away an enormous number of enemies in a single strike, but the Demon Realm was vast, and the number of demons was countless.
Newcomers quickly filled the vacuum left by the dead demons. It was in the blink of an eye.
“…”
Ezekiel also recognized the importance of this place.
Though he had exceptional forces with him to continue the battle, losing here would mean the continent would lose all its main forces.
Victory was a must.
“Don’t even think about saving the humans. From now on, only seek death and act accordingly.”
Boom!
In the meantime, the demon lords and demons rushed towards Ezekiel and his party. As they held no mercy, mana thickened even more.
Kaboom!
Explosions erupted here and there as the battle began. Amidst the ear-piercing cacophony, the telepathic message between Ezekiel and the princesses flowed.
—It’s not just the human slaves. It seems there are other races’ slaves as well.
In response to Solana’s words, Ezekiel immediately replied.
—Right. It was said that all kinds of races were enslaved here, but this city is the worst.
Elves, beastmen… the types of slaves were diverse.
—I managed to rescue only the human slaves due to being overwhelmed alone, but now the situation is different.
—If possible, let’s rescue them. Elves usually treat us humans with arrogance, so I’m curious about their reaction when we save them. We might gain diplomatic benefits from this.
Gratefully, they supported Ezekiel’s thoughts as soon as they realized them. Even amidst such chaos, they wanted to stand alongside Ezekiel.
—There are too many of them. I’ll have to use Dragon Speech.
That was when Hedera sent a telepathic message.
—Everyone, handle it well. Especially you, my Inspector.
Whoooosh!
The 2nd Princess summoned immense energy.
In an instant, her pupils slit vertically, and a strange power surrounded her.
“…Stop breathing.”
The mid- and low-ranking demons began to suffer as they could not take a breath. This was a technique to incapacitate so many enemies at once.
In the midst of that, the Reaper dashed through the darkness. Just its presence felt like death was looming closer.
Its target was solely Ezekiel, obsessively fixated on his life, even while the three princesses were guarding him in battle.
Fortunately, the 1st Princess reacted quickly.
Swoosh!
A sword entwined with energy glided through the air like a sharp scythe. The Goddess of War never easily let enemies through.
“Did you aim for the teacher? I won’t allow it.”
Queen of All Cures.
The reason the 1st Princess liked bows wasn’t just because she was skilled at handling them. It was easier to kill opponents without splattering blood, keeping things clean.
In other words, she wouldn’t fall behind even when using a sword.
“Hup─!”
Bam─!
The sound of the raised sword slicing through the air was grand. The Reaper was lifted off the ground from blocking the attack.
—I’ll have to guard the frontlines with the 2nd Princess. I hope the 3rd Princess will keep an eye on the teacher.
—How coincidental. I was just about to spit that out.
While Ether and Hedera were engaged in fierce battle, Solana approached Ezekiel and gently placed her warm hand on him.
Wooooosh…
Immediately, a warm energy flowed through him. He felt his fatigue rapidly recovering.
“Are you okay, teacher?”
Solana smiled brightly.
“Good job. You’ve worked so hard.”
What truly warmed him was not the Holy Power Solana infused, but the kind heart of the princesses. They didn’t hesitate to come all the way to this wilderness for Ezekiel.
Boom─! Bam─!
Explosions continued as battles raged in all directions.
The power of the princesses was immense, but some demons among the demon lords were also strong enough to rival them. The chaos was escalating.
“…The battle can’t drag on.”
Ezekiel muttered quietly.
This was the Demon Realm, and if the wild battle extended to the point of needing supplies, the demon lords would undoubtedly have the upper hand. They couldn’t let it go that far.
“Thank you, Solana.”
“Hmm? Teacher, your treatment isn’t finished…!”
Ezekiel brushed off Solana’s attempt to hold him back and stood up. This level of healing was enough for now. There was something he needed to do immediately.
‘The movement the Emperor showed earlier.’
He had to seize the advantage in an instant, focusing solely on that thought as he began to gather energy.
Ssss─!
Thanks to the Holy Power, his physical condition was quite good. Soon, the understanding he gained began to swirl within him.
“…”
“What’s this energy?”
“It’s cold and… hot…”
Mumbling sounds erupted from various places.
Even in the urgent battle, they weren’t able to ignore it. The profound energy Ezekiel was starting to ignite was that mesmerizing.
Ezekiel slowly opened his eyes after finishing his concentration.
Hooow!
He began to manipulate three energies that formed harmony and became somewhat transparent. Amidst the blood-shedding between demons and princesses, he appeared almost enlightened.
Thud─! Thud─!
Suddenly, his heart began to race. His body responded. It told him this was definitely possible.
Rumble…
At the same time, immense energy swirled around Ezekiel. Though not completely transparent, it held a hue similar to gray.
“Ugh…”
Ezekiel unconsciously lowered his stance.
It was hard to endure.
Holding this immense power felt impossible. He had to release it immediately.
‘Scatter.’
Thinking that, he thrust his hands forward.
That was all it took.
Fwoosh─!
The gray energy struck out in a fan shape ahead.
“…!”
All the exposed demons turned to ash. Even sturdy buildings were not spared.
For a while, everything was quiet. Those exposed to the attack didn’t even have time to scream. Now, the remaining ones would be the ones to feel fear.
“What the hell was that…?”
“Oh, this can’t be. The odds…”
Distance didn’t matter.
The force of demons coming to support from afar was turned to mere ashes by Ezekiel’s might. Just as he intended, he secured a clear advantage.
The demon lords’ eyes all turned towards Ezekiel.
The energy caused his white hair to stand up in the air, and even his pupils were showing a gray hue.
The term Ice Ghost might now be incorrect. In this moment, Ezekiel was simply a harbinger of death for the demons.
The demon lords each muttered.
“That guy is the source of all this… that damn bastard…”
“I understand why the Demon Lord coveted him. Why was he born human? If he had the nature of a demon, the continent would’ve been…”
“I think we should retreat.”
Of course, it wasn’t just the demon lords who were shocked; the princesses were also the same. They stared at the man with widened eyes.
“…”
Ezekiel immediately understood the meaning of their silence.
When they came to rescue captured prisoners, only to find the prisoner had grown exponentially stronger and awakened, it was understandable they’d be taken aback. Their expressions were quite the sight.
That was when it happened.
Swish! Slash!
The air flickered a few times before revealing a stark white line. Everything was sharply swung and the demons’ heads rolled away.
“What, what is this! Who is it now!”
“Goddess! The Goddess has appeared!”
“…She’s attacking our allies! Has she betrayed the Demon Realm? We must consider her an enemy. She’s betrayed us!”
The demons’ uproar didn’t cease.
‘Thank goodness Arcne is safe too.’
Ezekiel felt relieved inside. While he couldn’t see her yet, he confirmed Arcne’s survival, and more importantly, he had clearly seized the victory by his own hand.
How long had the battle continued?
In the end, only the Reaper remained alive.
Drip… drip…
A few drops of blood collected at the tip of the Reaper’s blade before falling. It had inflicted wounds on the 1st Princess Ether several times.
In other words, the demon lords, who didn’t have skills equal to the Reaper, were all slaughtered. It seemed even the Reaper was starting to accept defeat.
“I will let you go for now, Ice Ghost. Next time we meet, you’ll be a greater threat to the Demon Realm. It’s truly regrettable that I have to let you go now.”
Still, the Reaper’s gaze remained fixed on Ezekiel.
“Next time we meet, I’ll be sure to…”
“I can’t stand to listen to your whining.”
Ether interrupted the Reaper, cutting off its words.
At the same time, she swiftly swung her Light Arrow.
“You should be called the God of Death (死神), not the God of Speech (話神). Why all the chitchat? Are you perhaps interested in the title of ‘Fool’? It suits you well.”
Swish!
The horizontally cut sword drew a terrifying trajectory, but the Reaper had already vanished. It seemed it had retreated swiftly, muttering something about the future.
“Humph, did you run away? You little rat.”
—Is it over?
A telepathic message interjected at that moment.
It was none other than the Emperor’s voice.
—You all should return to the continent first. I will finish things with the Demon Lord and return alone.
“Hah.”
Only then did Ezekiel let out a breath of relief.
It was the moment he felt the victory, and at the same time, the certainty of safely returning to the continent. The tension that had dwelled in his body immediately loosened.
‘…I overdid it.’
Suddenly, it felt like several times the gravity weighed him down, making his body feel much heavier. Spirits from within relayed their thoughts. If he didn’t rest soon, he would be in trouble.
Ezekiel nodded slightly.
By now, his energy was draining, his eyes were closing, and even the legs he stood on grew weak.
He didn’t bother trying to maintain his posture. It would be okay to faint for a while. The princesses would take care of his return.
Thud─
Suddenly, something soft cushioned his face. It wasn’t just his face either. Someone held him tightly, warmly embracing Ezekiel.
He couldn’t see who it was, but he thought,
‘It must be one of the princesses.’
With that thought, he slowly let go of his consciousness.
For a moment, he just wanted to rest now.
As he slipped further into darkness, faint voices reached his ears.
“Brother-in-law, you’ve worked so hard. Now that I’ve arrived, you need not worry. Whether it takes an eternity or more, rest in my arms…”
—…Huh? I’m in the embrace of a demon woman now?
—Did she just call me brother-in-law?
—What’s going on? What’s happening?
Huh?
Wait…?
Instinctively, he knew he couldn’t pass out now.
Thump Thump! The spirits in his body echoed back. Master, you can’t just pass out like this!
“…”
Yet, Ezekiel, despite those thoughts, ultimately fainted. The accumulated fatigue was beyond imagination.
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