#11. Showdown ( 12 )
Plains near Lothern.
The place, originally full of wagons and grazing sheep, was now full of deafening cries and clashing weapons. Masols with sharp curved harpoon spears were filling the plains. It was an army gathered to conquer Lothern. The march of the black and blue-skinned Marjols was disorderly but full of energy, and looked like a bronze tidal wave from a distance. Far away, under a large castle tree, Lothern looked like it would be swept away by the tidal wave at any moment and disappear without a trace.
At the head of the tidal wave stood a demon three times as large as Marzol. At first glance, the monster with copper-colored skin, in contrast to the magicians who followed him, looked like a lumberjack with strong muscles. It was because he was carrying a large ax over his shoulder. On its head, horns bigger than the horns of a goat bent twice and soared into the sky. This guy is the Demon Lord who now leads this army, and the newly born Demon Lord successor. It was Ravisu, a demon called the Gatekeeper Demon in the past.
“stop!”
Ravisu, who had advanced with a thumping sound for a long time, stopped the advance with an axe. Surprisingly, the army, which had been driving in disorder, stopped at that one word. Standing on a tall rock, Ravisu looked at his army with satisfaction.
When he was a gatekeeper demon, he guarded the gate of hell without knowing why. As soon as Ravisu awakened as the successor to the Demon King, beyond the door that opened, such a huge army was prepared. Marsols who became stronger as they ate and ate each other for hundreds of years in a demon cave with the same environment as hell, and a group of mutant imps that mutated. As soon as they saw Ravisu, they bowed their heads in submission and accepted his seal. Every time he saw this army, Ravisu felt his whole body heat up with a sense of elation.
‘With this power, I can hit the top 20 right away!’
The years of guarding the door without knowing the reason or reason felt worthwhile. Soon, the whole demon realm and the world will hear his name. Everyone will take up their name in fear and fear. Thinking so made every single hair stand on end. Ravisu turned his head and looked at Lothern. A city surrounded by white walls. It was said to be the city of beginners. In Ravisu’s eyes, Lothern looked like an offering prepared for him, even cooked. Hitting the ground with his ax, Ravisu let out a roar.
“──────────────────!!!”
A roar echoed across the plains. A few birds resting their wings took off in surprise. Hearing the roar, the Masols screamed in response as their blood boiled with a sense of exhilaration. It was the unique skill Ravisu obtained after awakening as the successor of the Demon King, ‘Cheonmu-i-il’s Roar’. This gave the same effect as taking a stimulant to the troops following him. Unsightly blue veins began to protrude from the forearms of the imps and marjols. Ravisu looked at the scene and shouted loudly again.
“You guys are starving!”
A scream rang out as if in response.
“And wait! A meal to satisfy that hunger! Human corpses and women!”
A great response followed. To galvanize their fighting spirit, there was no need for grand rhetoric or grand speeches. Tear, kill, and ravage. That was enough. Ravisu finished his primitive speech, pointing his ax at Lothern.
“I, your king, will serve that city as a feast to fill your stomachs from now on! fight! Kill! And take it away!”
There followed a cheer that would make all the vegetation on the plain go away. The most important thing in war was morale. Ravisu instinctively knew that. And now, the morale of the magicians following him was sky-high. With a satisfied expression on his face, Ravisu soon began preparing for the next task. He raised an ax and cut his stomach open. Blood gushed out. There was a reason for that sudden disembowelment.
The bloody mass of Ravisu that fell on the floor began to wriggle and take shape like slime. A different self that any demon king successor can create. It was a split body. Soon, a double body that resembled Ravisu, but seemed to have been bleached white, was completed. It bared its teeth and growled. This guy also had his own ego. His filthy personality is the same as Ravisu’s, and as soon as he was born, his clone started a fight with Ravisu.
“original. What. Why did you make me in this empty field?”
“I have work to do.”
“What. If it’s trivial, I’ll kill you right here and become the original.”
I thought he was a cheeky guy, but Ravisu smiled instead. He thought that if he was his own alter ego, he should have this level of grit. Actually, this guy had about 80% of his strength.
“The cult of humans who serve Ma decided to respond by setting a fire inside the fort and causing a riot. They will soon encounter riot forces. You, as reinforcements for them, should enter that fort first.”
“Haha, I see! Then I’ll be enjoying myself in that citadel first!”
When Ravisu’s clone explained the reason for his consent, he rather cooperated by shouting a gloomy light. Soon, following Ravisu’s gesture, the eight imps flapped their wings, lifted their clones, and began to fly away. That bastard would soon fall in the middle of Lothern, and wreak havoc inside with the cult. According to the information I had heard, the barrier in Lothern had become as thin as a sheet of glass and could no longer block imps or clones. After confirming that they were flying over Lothern, Ravisu roared loudly again.
“Come on, advance!”
Again, the blue-black tidal wave began to drive towards Lothern.
*
However, Ravisu’s plan was not properly realized.
Sanghoe decided to resist Ravisu’s invasion. In that place, screams and moans resonated instead of the now praising Ma.
“Guild leader! This is an obvious misunderstanding! The enemies you have to fight are demons, so why are you persecuting us who pay taxes in good faith!”
“goodness? Carrying so many explosives and ignition stones?”
Nora said coldly to Sang Sangju, who was groaning under her feet. This place was the deepest storehouse of Sanghoe. Originally, this place, which should have been full of treasure, was filled with ignition stones and explosives instead of treasure. No matter how you look at it, it was a preparation for terrorism.
“This… This is for self-defense!”
Nora laughed. In his hand, gold coins enchanted with tracking magic were jingling. It was the gold coin that Ren and Zayn had paid for the crooks church’s secret auction. Nora, who traced the circulation of these gold coins, noticed that this company had been secretly taken over by the Crookes Church. Also, I noticed that they were accumulating explosives by manipulating ledgers and swapping things. Its use was determined. So, as soon as Nora heard the news that the forces of the demons were marching toward Lothern, she led the elite and raided this store.
“I will definitely retaliate against today’s evidenceless violence! I will file a complaint! I know very well that Count Fontandry in the center is looking after our firm… Hee!”
Sangsanju, who was teasing her tongue, shrank when Nora pulled out a knife. Nora swung the knife without a word. The sword tore off the clothes of the upper lord, revealing the devil’s brand on the back of the upper lord. It was undeniable proof that he was a member of the Crooks cult. Nora said as if she knew everything as she thrust the knife into the back of the upper hand.
“All of your accomplices are already waiting to be disposed of in the guild basement. Don’t think about running away, but if you want to avoid punishment, open your mouth.”
Sangju groaned in pain and trembled. Nora asked ferociously.
“An army advancing towards this place. How many are there?”
The head of the upper rank, who could no longer deny it, said the number of troops while sweating profusely from his face. Upon hearing that, Nora’s face showed a moment of embarrassment. It was because there were more ships than expected. None of the elites who came with her noticed because they were turning around, but Sang Sangju noticed a ray of embarrassment. And it was outrageous.
“okay! This city is as good as destroyed! He said he would send his clone body through the gap in the broken barrier! Soon, that clone will arrive here too! I will kill, tear, and eat all of you bitches!”
“Did you still have the energy to speak?”
Realizing her mistake, Nora quickly hardened her expression and twisted the knife in her wrist, but Sang Sang-joo, who had become a judge, was nowhere to be seen.
“You are dead! Surrender now! Ah, what do you believe in? Star Seekers of Prophecy? Those guys are all garbage! This city is already doomed!”
“I can’t.”
I felt like I had to make this guy shut up. Nora struck the head of the head with the handle of her sword. With the sound of bones breaking, Sang Sangju plunged his head into the oozing blood. It seemed that I had fainted properly.
“Capture it and put it in prison.”
“All right!”
Giving orders to the guards, Nora turned around. And I thought to myself that it was a waste. It was because the elites of Lothern, who had just heard the information spouted by the upper lord, were agitated. Her confidante, Celine, also showed a bit of uneasiness on her face. So did Nora. Such a sudden release of the barrier, more troops than expected, and double bodies were all unexpected. However, if even she panics, everyone who protects Lothern will fall into a panic. It couldn’t be. She had to act as if everything had been calculated, prepared. Because he is the guild master.
“do not worry. It doesn’t count.”
“Is that so?”
“Just by preliminarily punishing those who tried to resist at this high society, we are already halfway victorious.”
At those words, people’s faces began to light up. It was as it was said. This firm was famous for donating a lot to the army for humanity. However, the guild leader noticed the black heart of this company and blocked it like this. There was no way that she, who was that clever, wouldn’t have been prepared. Such an atmosphere bloomed among the people. As if living up to that expectation, Nora spoke in a confident voice.
“In preparation for this occasion, I asked my sister to conduct the training of city guards here. It’s like reinforcements that can be called in immediately. Each one of them is elite. If you and the city guards gather and fight on the narrow streets, we can stop them.”
“Oh, I see!”
At Nora’s declaration, Celine’s face lit up. I thought I was lucky with that alone. In war, morale was half. There was no way he could win if he faced the raid with his morale diminished in fear. Nora slipped her coat on and walked towards the outside of the store.
“I will be at the forefront. Celine, come with me too. Gather you, the elite soldiers who guarded the city, and all hired adventurers. overnight. If we block it for just one night, their offensive will lose its power and reach an end point.”
“I will follow you! We will definitely protect this city! Ah, but the guild leader.”
“Something.”
The adjutant grabbed Nora from behind as she walked away. Nora asked, standing tall.
“How should I dispose of the cloned body of the heir that is said to fall in this city soon?”
Nora kept her mouth shut. For that, nothing was really prepared. I couldn’t come up with an easy answer. It felt like my hair was turning white. I wanted to scream at least. What are you asking me to do? how do i know that But, I shouldn’t have said that. She was the guild master who protected the life of this city, so if she panics, everyone will collapse…
“Guild leader?”
Without notice, the adjutant asked again and again. There was a face that suddenly appeared in Nora’s white mind. It was Neil. At the cafe, with a bright smile, Nael said that he wanted to protect this city too. Also, Nael who said thank you.
“… It is a cafe.”
“Yes?”
“The cafe I always go to. There, the former companions of the hero are. Ask those people.”
It was only Nora who knew from Jain that the employees of the cafe were former colleagues of the hero’s party. For others, it was an unprecedented sound. At those words, Celine let out an exclamation.
“Then, the reason you always went to that cafe was to recruit those talented people!”
Nora kept her mouth shut. People took silence as a positive. That positivity revived the light of hope on people’s faces. Is that enough? Nora, regaining her cool, said as she walked out the door again.
“But it doesn’t seem like he wants to reveal much. Keep it strictly confidential.”
“All right!”
Celine hurriedly ran towards the cafe. Nora, still pretending to be relaxed, walked out the door.