While Chi’s fighting spirit is commendable, you feel the odds are not in her favor. Figuring that you can afford it, you attempt to use [Submission] one last time, to save Chi from herself, as well as prevent potential losses amongst your fledgling forces.

“Chi, you’re surrounded and wounded!” you shout out to the wounded bunny girl. “It is commendable—even admirable—that you sought to free all of your beloved bunnies-in-arms instead of running away when you had the chance. And I am grateful you kept my innocent servants alive!” You attempt to sugar coat what you’re about to say as much as you can before you cast [Submission] with the following words, “Which is why I am giving you this one last chance to surrender. Do not turn this into a slaughter! Nobody has to die today! We can come to an agreement! Just surrender and we will work this out! You cannot expect this to end well otherwise.”

[Energy 16/250]

Well, at least you regenerated enough energy passively to cast a single spell.

Chi looks at you, then looks at Alpha and Gamma, at all of her former comrades and the freed captives from the catacombs.

That’s right! You will have to fight all your former comrades at once. Unless you’re a complete psychopath you can’t remain indifferent to that.

“Admiration, commendation, gratitude…” Chi slowly and quietly lists off the words you used. “Big words. Coming from someone who allies himself with the like of that”—she points at Pythia—“and ultimately hollow. You will just attempt me to turn into a slave the first chance you get! Last time you threatened the lives of my friends and then used them against each other!”

“Chi-sama! Remember what Eta used to say!” Beta shouts at the top of her lungs. “Never Give up!”

“… Never surrender.” Chi finishes with tears in her eyes and dashes straight at you.

Son of a—

“Imps, attack her with all you’ve got!” you command the imps before Chi reaches you. “Alpha, Gamma, attack Chi from behind! Same goes for the rest of fighters—attack her like you mean to kill her!”

While you gave the orders, Chi already cut through two of your imps. There goes the third. The fourth creates fireballs and throws them at Chi, but she just dashes through the fire and cuts down the fourth loli. It shatters before falling to the ground. Only one loli left and Chi will reach you before Alpha or Gamma get here in time.

While contemplating whether a single [Shadow Bolt] or [Drain Life] will even do anything against this monster, you get a better idea. When Chi finishes off the last loli imp and dashes toward you, ready to impale you with her blades, you pick up tied up Beta and use her as a shield.

Chi hesitates and stops her blade before it pierces the captive bunny girl. At that moment you see Chi arch her back and scream in pain from a bone-crushing impact. Elza sent an ice pillar at Chi. And though it didn’t impale Chi, it apparently broke her back, and she powerlessly falls face-first to the ground. A second later Alpha arrives and aims her rapier to pierce Chi’s heart from behind.

“Stop! Don’t kill her!” You shout and Alpha stops. She doesn’t even look at her former leader and simply sheathes the rapier and proceeds to look at the clouds.

Pythia lands next to you and says, “Great job Demon Lord! You owe me one, you know?”

“Owe you?” you ask trying to contain your rage.

“Of course, silly! Your negotiations were going nowhere and the bunny was about to attack you. That’s why I drew her away from you. I risked my life to wound her, you know! She coated her blades with some kind of nasty acid!” Pythia points at her damaged wing. There is a deep hole going through a fourth of the wing, but it seems Pythia stopped the spread. “I’m surprised you kept trying to get her to surrender after I already wounded her so severely and placed her right in the spot for a pincer attack!”

You say nothing while considering what to do with the bird-monster.

“So, can I have a bite?” Pythia asks. “Just the leg—she won’t need those anymore!”