The fourth month after the Unified Empire weathered the climax of the thousand-year human-demon war,
The second week after all first and second generation court mages had died,
The twelfth year after the death of great mage Flamme—
Facing an Empire that was already struggling to survive with almost no resistance capability,
To spread the human-demon war to every inch of this continent,
To let all humans in this world communicate with demons through slaughter and warfare—
Following Demon King His Majesty's supreme decree:
Starting from the Falbe region border,
Led by Qual the Corrupt Sage, the Demon King's Left Arm,
A demon coalition army composed of nine Grand Demons and their subordinates—
Launched the final assault on the Empire's crumbling last line of defense.
—
'All for Demon King His Majesty's supreme grand ambition!'
With such rallying cries, the nine Grand Demons embarked on their campaign.
—
According to Qual's initial plan,
Each of the nine Grand Demons had their respective duties in this battle:
First, the Empire's National Defense Great Barrier was expected to be dismantled within three hours by Tod the Apocalypse Saint leading her team.
After that, the Demon King's army under Qual's personal command would completely pierce through the Empire's defense lines.
Then, within sixty minutes—
The Empire's Eight War Generals and Shadow Warriors would be slaughtered by Rivale the Blood-Stained God of War.
One hundred minutes—
Macht of the Golden Land would lead his generals to eliminate the Holy Staff Court's remnants.
One hundred fifty minutes—
Bose the Undead would deal with the current head of the Sword Saint family, House Escald.
Two hundred minutes—
Solitär the Nameless would be responsible for facing the possibly appearing—
Minus, the Last Elven Great Mage.
Two hundred thirty minutes—
Grausam the Miraculous would use magic to eliminate his presence, bypass the middle defense lines, and directly head to the imperial capital to assassinate the Empire's emperor.
Finally, Carmen of the Red Moon would open a second front together with Bal the Tearless Tyrant.
Because the Empire's last viable military forces would suffer devastating blows beforehand,
The unresistible Falbe region would be completely destroyed in the warfare brought by these two, finally becoming a dead land.
About a week later, Ditan Fortress would fall.
Then the Helen region, Bema region...
Until the imperial capital Eiseberg—
Undoubtedly, the Unified Empire would perish within two months.
'This should have been a perfect plan!'
—Before discovering that all residents of the Falbe region had been evacuated,
The Unified Empire's last defense line had been directly abandoned,
And only Agusheed with a white-haired elf stood in this place...
This was what all nine Grand Demons thought.
—
Observing the unmanned positions and desolate scenery behind the person before them...
Standing at the center of the nine Grand Demons,
Rivale, separated by merely one step from the Falbe region border, showed a smile.
"'How ridiculous, you actually think I would fight for humans?'"
"I remember someone once said such words to me—"
Agusheed, simultaneously facing the pressure and gazes of nine Grand Demons...
Remained silent.
Although showing no signs of answering Rivale, the meaning represented by the calm on his face was still obvious:
'No matter what you say, it's useless'
'No one is allowed to pass from here'—
"How unsociable, little Agu..."
Seeing that Rivale's words had no effect whatsoever, Tod sighed slightly.
She stepped out from the Grand Demons' formation, passing her colleagues' figures to stand before Agusheed.
After very naturally elbowing Agusheed's waist,
The Apocalypse Saint leaned half against him, speaking in a tone of discussing with an old friend:
"I remember that woman called 'Flamme' is already dead, right?"
"If so, then why are you still defying Demon King His Majesty's orders?"
CRACK—
What responded to Tod was the strike that instantly severed the white hair on her forehead,
And...
Agusheed's expressionless face with gradually lowering brows and eyes.
He looked down at Tod indifferently, his shoe tip stopping at the obvious border line.
"This is the bottom line. Cross it and face destruction—"
Hearing Agusheed's cold voice,
Witnessing firsthand the few strands of hair that crossed the border line being severed,
Tod, who hadn't expected her old friend would actually take action, looked up at his gloomy face in disbelief.
Then—
Tod decisively retreated submissively, hiding behind Rivale and starting to fake cry.
"Wuu wuu wuu..."
"Little Agu suddenly became so scary, little Riva quickly protect me—"
Regarding this seemingly disappointing colleague...
The Grand Demons present paid little attention.
Because from beginning to end,
Their attention and energy all remained on Agusheed,
With no time for other concerns.
"In my magic power sensing, the current Falbe region is almost completely empty,"
"Except for you and the elf you brought—there isn't even anyone left guarding the Unified Empire's last defense line."
"In other words, Agusheed..."
"Not just today, but for a long time ahead, you'll be blocking us here, right?"
The commander of this campaign, and also the Grand Demon with the worst relationship with Agusheed among those present—
Qual the Corrupt Sage slowly narrowed his eyes and asked.
Then, all Grand Demons present quietly awaited Agusheed's answer.
The result was tacit agreement.
Agusheed gave everyone the answer with indifferent eyes.
Then, girl-like light laughter rang out in front of this empty position.
Gentle and pleasant words echoed in everyone's ears.
"What should we do, Qual, and everyone?"
"Should we retreat?"
"Since teacher appeared here, we have no reason to continue fighting, right?"
"I finally understand why Schlacht said he wasn't interested in this campaign when we were at Demon King Castle—"
"With teacher blocking us, breaking into the Empire from here is simply impossible..."
Solitär, hidden beside Macht's left hand, chuckled softly.
She swept her gaze across each colleague's eyes, speaking of that undeniable future.
Bose, looking directly at Agusheed, was first to give an answer.
"Demon King His Majesty's orders are absolute. No matter what, we cannot retreat."
Next was Macht with a bored expression on his face.
"I don't care. I wasn't interested in this kind of thing anyway."
Rivale, immersed in delight, laughed heartily.
"At this point, besides slaughter, do we have any other choice?"
Tod, still hiding behind Rivale, remained submissive.
"Do I look like someone who would sacrifice her life for Demon King His Majesty's orders?"
The Grand Demons' statements were some helpless, some resolute,
But without exception—
Regardless of what they said, none had any intention of retreating.
The last to speak was Qual, raising his arm toward Agusheed.
"Everyone's choice is obvious, isn't it?"
"Nine against one, there's still a chance of victory—"
"Since no one will die in the end anyway, let's try challenging him."
Facing Agusheed the Nation Destroyer, the nine Grand Demons revealed their terrifying magic power,
Along with the tens of thousands of Demon King's army following behind them, all advancing toward the border at the same moment.
Agusheed breathed out lightly, raising his arm like Qual.
The strongest Grand Demon alone facing nine Grand Demons and tens of thousands of Demon King's army...
This was an unprecedented, never-before-seen confrontation.
Under the witness of the white-haired elf trembling as she watched all this from afar—
The final battle determining the survival of the Empire and humanity
Began.
—
Fifteen minutes later...
The Kamaros Mountains in front of the Falbe region border had disappeared.
One-third of the entire terrain suffered irreversible destruction.
Among the shattered boulders and battlefield ruins—
Tens of thousands of remnant troops who had long lost consciousness lay scattered unconsciously across the devastated battlefield.
Eight Grand Demons with lightless eyes knelt in the central crater.
The wounds from Space Slash on their chests were clearly visible.
Solitär, still conscious because she had been deliberately spared, half-knelt in the distance,
Witnessing all that absurd and exaggerated scene with her own eyes.
—Before Rivale the Blood-Stained God of War with rolled-back eyes,
Agusheed in his black robe stood there expressionlessly.
He held in his hand a magic sword created by Solitär's magic,
The blade now resting against the neck of Rivale kneeling before him.
From beginning to end, without a ripple.
Black hair swaying in the wind, indifferent gray eyes devoid of emotion.
Even at this moment, the strongest Grand Demon still appeared like an elegant classical noble,
Not a trace of damage could be found on his body, nor had he been stained by the slightest dust.
If anything must be said...
The only anomaly appearing in Solitär's eyes was just that trace of blood on the magic sword.
"I said..."
Looking down at the still clear border line in front of Rivale's knees,
Under Solitär's obsessively infatuated laughter,
Agusheed very calmly repeated the warning he had given before.
"This is the bottom line. Cross it and face destruction—"
----------
Powerstones?
For 20 or 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/michaeltranslates