The Beastmaster retreated backwards and cursed under his breath, "We are trapped," he said, informing the others.
Suddenly, a wooden flame torch by the side lit up with a raging orange flame, which spread around the throne room, lighting up all the wooden flame torches.
"Get ready, everyone, we might have fallen into the Demon king's trap!" The Hero said, warning the other members of the Heroes' party to be prepared.
"Humph! If his trap includes blocking our escape route and locking us inside with him, he is gravely mistaken because we are not locked inside here with him; he is locked inside with us," The Beastmaster responded, snorting in disdain.
The three-meter ferocious wolf-like beast beside him enlarged to another four meters, its robust muscles rippling with strength and its sharp, piercing jaws gnawing against each other as it stood close to the Beastmaster like a faithful feral beast.
As the throne room brightened into an expansive hall, they all focused on the throne occupied by an astonishing 10-meter-tall humanoid with a grey-red mixed skin colour and an 18-inch golden curved horn protruding from his crowned forehead.
The curved-horned humanoid was adorned with fully plated golden armour and intricate designs that would make anyone admire its craftsmanship and efforts.
Flanking both sides of the throne were ten incredible, thirteen-meter-tall, completely armoured, silvery-ebony-plated unknown humanoids standing in a semi-protecting circle, with the tip of their blades resting on the ground and their hands on their handles.
They all fixed their flickering golden eyes on the Heroes' party before them.
"Huh! Since you were able to make it here, it means they are all dead," said the Demon King seated on the throne, his glowing, fiery eyes flickering towards their figures.
"Yes, they are all dead. And so will you soon," The Hero responded with a nod, his hand tightly wrapped around his sword as he looked at the Demon King with a determined expression.
"We are prepared to face whatever you throw at us. Today, we are going to kill the Demon King," the Priestess added, resolutely staring at the Demon lord's immense stature.
Contrary to their expectations, loud waves of laughter roared across the vast throne room.
"Hahahaha! Such boldness! If you were this courageous, why didn't you come to kill me when you were first summoned into this world? Let me guess: You neither had the strength nor the courage to accomplish such an incomprehensible feat, correct?" The Demon Lord said with a wide smile, his eyes fixed on them with a mocking gaze.
'That is the Demon King?' Ezekiel inwardly gulped.
Though he had seen his image in the paintings provided by the Temple, seeing the sole individual responsible for the terrors that had rippled through the world, he couldn't help but doubt if they could accomplish their goal and kill the Demon King despite his terror.
No! Ezekiel shook his head in refusal.
They had to kill the Demon King so that he could exact his revenge on them. His life literally depended on their victory.
'Come on, guys, you can do it. I believe in you!'
"Enough of the long talks! Demon King Vexorath - Ruler of the Obsidian Demon Continent, I hope you are prepared to die," the Hero's cold voice thundered through the throne, and its temperature instantly plummeted.
Looks of stricken fear rippled across Ezekiel's expression as he felt the Hero's throat-cut aura pressing down on him from all sides. Such an effortless showcase of power reminded Ezekeil of an undisputed absolute fact.
The Heroes' party was not a one-dollar store rate wannabees.
They were the real deal.
Ezekiel had witnessed their immense power and knew that even if he joined forces with the most notorious adversaries in the world of Eldoria and had limitless preparation, they still would not stand a chance against the Heroes' party.
But victory through other means was not lost; just as the Heroes' party could overpower any opponent before them with crushing might, Ezekiel hoped that the Demon lord was as unfathomably overpowered, not only so he could force the Heroes' party to a standstill, but to the extent that his immense might would not be enough to instantly crush them.
"[Titan's Resilience]," the Hero muttered under his breath, unleashing his skill. A crimson brilliance erupted outwards from his body, radiating a mesmerising hue.
Ezekiel knew the 'hellish skill' all too well. It grants the hero temporary invulnerability, rendering him immune to all forms of physical damage and adverse status effects for a short duration.
In short, he was nearly invulnerable and could withstand an onslaught as devastating as a meteorite impact, even without his armour.
[Champion's Rally]
A thick burst of visible golden hue mana erupted from the Hero and surrounded them.
Ezekiel felt every fibre of his muscles squirm and explode with vigour. His heart brimmed with courage, and the oppressive weight of the Demon King's gaze pressing down against his shoulders was wafted off, carried off by an indescribable wind that calmed his body and filled him with a sense of unyielding peace and determination.
His morale pumped.
'That's right. What was I afraid of before? We've already encountered several hundred opponents among thousands whom we never thought we could win against. Even the demon generals who were somewhat overpowered were still defeated... Shitt!'
Ezekiel bit down on his lips until they bled.
He then licked it, savouring the taste as he counted the number of scars that decorated his lips. All of them had come, forcing themselves out of the Hero's damnable skill.
This skill inspires the Hero and nearby allies with unyielding courage and determination, boosting their combat prowess, resilience, and morale, as well as increasing their loyalty to the Hero for an extended period.
Sometimes, he thinks that the Hero forgets that he is no fighter and his charging headfirst towards the Demon king is the same as giving a gazelle a stick and pitting it up against a gorilla with a greatsword. However, he gradually remembered that it wasn't just that they had forgotten, but—
They didn't care!