The battle for the fortress seemed to be gradually settling down, so I climbed the stone steps leading up to the castle wall.
Though we had won a decisive victory in the first fight, these were barely scraps of the enemy. Whether demons or Odin’s forces, the main body of the allied army was likely still outside the fortress. It was crucial to keep a close watch on the movements of their main troops.
By now, the sun had fully dipped below the western horizon, and the dusky twilight was quietly seeping into the city.
Once atop the wall, I sharpened my vision and gazed beyond the fortress.
As expected.
Amid the darkening dusk, countless figures moved in swarms, clearly visible at a glance. It seemed they had received word of our arrival. Their movements were faster than I had anticipated.
But where was the demon…?
“Su-hyun.”
Lost in thought, I suddenly heard a soft voice calling my name. A shadow was slowly ascending the wall steps—it was my older brother.
“You crossed over?”
“Just now. Looks like it’s almost over.”
He shrugged and strode over to lean on the battlement. I nodded calmly.
“It was a close call. If we’d been even an hour, no, thirty minutes later, it might have been irreversible.”
“Hmm. Are they trying to secure an escape route for their forces? Or are they planning to strike from all four directions?”
“Huh?”
“The enemy’s main force is split into four groups. Looks like they intend to seize the four main gates.”
I was about to ask how he knew that when I noticed something I hadn’t before: his eyes were glowing golden in the fading sunset.
Only then did I spot a lone hawk circling the sky, bathed in the sunset’s glow. No wonder he’d been staring off into the distance—he was seeing through Chorong’s eyes, surveying the city’s surroundings.
“Can you see where the demon is?”
He turned slowly, shaking his head.
“No. I don’t see it.”
“You don’t see it?”
“Of course, Chorong’s vision has limits… but I don’t think it’s nearby.”
“…”
His voice was so certain that I fell silent. It was a bit unexpected, but I decided to consider all possibilities.
From the footage Gabriel had obtained earlier, we knew the demon had appeared. The demon invaded this continent with some specific purpose. Could it be acting independently because of that goal? Now that it had taken the city and presumably acquired the Memoria Stone, distance wouldn’t be a problem.
As I pieced these thoughts together, a sudden realization struck me.
No, it was more like a near certainty.
Wooooosh, wooooosh!
Suddenly, a fierce surge of wild magical energy erupted nearby.
I instinctively tilted my chin up, and at that moment, thick storm clouds rolled in, darkening the sky.
“Brother?”
Startled, I glanced sideways. He was already crackling with bright yellow lightning. The golden currents danced in zigzags like a wild dance, then gathered into a tight sphere in his right hand. Just watching sent chills down my spine—it radiated a terrifying power that seemed capable of shaking heaven and earth.
Yet, his face, staring calmly ahead, was utterly composed.
“What are you doing? Why summon the Thunder God…?”
“Huh? Oh, I saw some strange movements.”
“Strange movements?”
“Looks like three units are trying to secure an escape route at the main gate, but one unit keeps pushing inward.”
Rumble, rumble!
The rest was drowned out by sudden thunderclaps.
After a moment, he slowly extended his arm forward.
“So.”
Then, with a faint smile, he said,
“Let’s just give them a light welcome.”
Snap.
He flicked his fingers lightly.
Rumble, rumble!
Just as Akirof was about to shout, “Now, it begins,” a deafening thunderclap stopped him in his tracks. Reflexively, he scanned the surroundings, but saw nothing unusual.
“What was that sound… huh?”
Well, there was one thing.
Until moments ago, twilight had been settling in gradually, but after the sound, the ground suddenly brightened—as if illuminated by a spotlight.
For a brief moment, Akirof stood frozen. Then, with a startled shout, he looked up at the sky.
“…”
The sky was boiling. Vast storm clouds filled the heavens. Bright flashes pierced through the clashing clouds, turning the dark masses into thunderheads.
In an instant, Akirof’s eyes widened like lanterns.
Then—
KRA-KRA-KRA-KRA-KRACK!
A massive thunderclap struck his eardrums like a blast.
Zzzzzzzzzzt!
Hundreds of lightning bolts zigzagged down like a torrential rain of light.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the eastern continent, an indescribably grotesque scene unfolded.
In a vast plaza, thousands—no, over ten thousand—humans were piled up in heaps. Men and women, young and old, stacked indiscriminately. Most were continent users, but many residents were mixed in as well. Many lay with eyes closed, drenched in blood, while some whimpered or trembled in terror.
“Heh heh, heh heh heh.”
A woman approached the human pile, humming a cheerful tune. Her arched eyebrows and smooth forehead made her strikingly beautiful.
Which made the scene all the more unsettling. Such a beautiful woman walking so happily through such a horrific backdrop.
Unbothered, she stopped in front of the pile and smiled slyly.
“Let’s see now~.”
Strangely, beneath where she stopped was a large magic circle.
Though mostly obscured by the human heap and painted in red, it was clear the circle was drawn beneath the bodies—like a sacrificial altar.
She reached out and pointed at her prey. Quietly chanting a spell, a strange phenomenon occurred. The red circle suddenly glowed, and the humans began to melt away.
The melting was rapid, like ice cream swirling into molten metal. Even the strongest stomachs would wince.
But it wasn’t over.
The liquefied humans transformed into a stream of liquid that began to be absorbed into the woman’s body. As the pile shrank and the circle’s glow intensified, the thin stream thickened.
“Ha~ah.”
She let out a cry of ecstasy. With each surge of energy absorbed from the users turned nutrients, the emptiness inside her seemed to fill bit by bit.
Though still weak compared to her true power, it was something. The feeling of magic strengthening and divine power returning was indescribably thrilling.
“Good, very good!”
Delighted by the returning strength, she laughed lightly and drew in the energy more fiercely.
“Sa—Satan!”
But then, an urgent voice interrupted from beside her.
“Hmm? I’m not Satan right now.”
Annoyed at the interruption during her moment of pleasure, she shot a glare.
The old man who had been rushing over, his beard flying, paused and bowed respectfully. Melinus.
Or rather, Belial.
“I-I’m sorry, Lady Thanatos.”
“It’s fine. Not exactly wrong. Anyway, what is it?”
“I just received a transmission. The Northern Continent’s relief forces have arrived.”
“Huh?”
Thanatos tilted her head, blinking a few times before bursting into laughter.
“Wow, really? You guys rushed too, huh? You got here fast.”
“Yes, yes.”
“And the city?”
“They say it fell just before capture. They’re retreating for now and told us to wait until we can cross over.”
“Heh… that’s a bit disappointing. I heard there was quite a bit of nourishment there too.”
“…”
Melinus’s expression grew troubled at her casual tone.
They had just succeeded in an important plan and were catching their breath, but the situation suddenly shifted.
Everyone knew the plan wasn’t over—it was still in full swing.
Satan’s scheme was astonishingly intricate, but also extremely risky. One misstep and it would collapse like a house of cards. If variables arose, swift response was necessary—but the woman before him seemed utterly unbothered.
Sensing the silent gaze, Thanatos smirked and nodded.
“Ah, I see. So—”
“First, Lady Thanatos, I, and Ian must return.”
“Right. And the others?”
“The six great demons and their followers…”
Melinus trailed off, glanced around, then quietly added,
“We’ll break through.”
---------------------------= Author’s Note ---------------------------
Ah, the update is late again.
This can’t keep happening. ;ㅅ;
I was anxious, so I posted as soon as it was done.
I’ll get to adjusting the line breaks and checking the flow right away. ㅜ.ㅠ