416. Plans Going Awry

Iivor smirked as he held up the Dimensional Storage Unit under the moonlight. He flew away from the palace alongside Desidia— the green-skinned Demon was carried by his magic, unable to cast any sort of flight spells on her own. They’d done it. The two of them managed to complete their side of the mission without even spilling a single drop of blood.

Sure, Iivor would’ve quite enjoyed spending a few minutes toying with those four Humans. But the Archdemon of Envy knew how to put the mission above his own wants, unlike a certain [Changeling]. Avaritia wanted to hoard all the fun and experience for himself, which made him pay almost no attention to the task at hand, which was to acquire the Crown of Alexander and leave. Otherwise, even Gula and Libid wouldn’t be able to survive the converging armies outside of the city.

As such, it was only up to Iivor to do what was necessary. Desidia was here, but she only wanted to follow the path of least effort, so she listened to him rather than concocting her own plan. Iivor chuckled, shaking his head. Finally, he was going to be recognized for his achievements. It was annoying, always being overshadowed by the ostentatious Gloria or impulsive Avaritia.

To think Avaritia’s hotheadedness would be useful for once. Iivor smirked as he lowered the little pen. It looked odd— shaped unlike anything he’d ever seen, with a mechanism that made its tip poke out. But the Demon was sure it was just some odd contraption from the Mortal Realm. Now, he just had to summon the Crown of Alexander…

“Hey, Iivor.”

Desidia spoke up curiously. He mumbled a reply as he tried to work the Dimensional Storage Unit.

“What is it, Desidia?”

“Are we just going to leave Avaritia behind?”

She asked hesitantly. Iivor shook the pen, and nothing appeared.

“Avaritia has the Boots of Alexander. He’ll be fine. I’m sure once he’s done with that [Berserker], he’ll be going after the [Hero] and his friends next.”

“I see…”

“Why isn’t this—”

He clicked his tongue as he tried to pour his magic into the little object. Desidia watched him fumble with it, slowing his flight as he grew more and more frustrated. The Archdemon of Envy clicked his tongue and raised the pen.

“Just give me the Crown of Alexander already!”

Iivor concentrated his mana into the tip of the Dimensional Storage Unit— and it snapped in half. Desidia paused as he blinked.

“What?”

“Uh… I don’t think that’s a good sign, right?”

The green-skinned Demon scratched her cheeks. Iivor himself just stared at the broken artifact, jaw agape.

“But this— I didn’t do… that wasn’t enough mana to…”

His voice trailed off. Then his eyes widened. The realization settled in as he glanced back, seeing no pursuing Humans. No attempt at stopping them from escaping. And Iivor’s eyes grew wide.

“THOSE DAMNED HUMANS!”

He soared straight back to the palace as the wind around him coalesced. A tempest followed behind him. Desidia sighed, watching him go.

“What a pain…”

Thousands of spells and arrows flew through the air as Gula zipped around the volley of attacks. It was an unending salvo. The number of Humans only grew as more and more joined the fray. Even Libid was being overwhelmed by their numbers.

The [Jinn] hissed, his form growing incorporeal for a brief moment as a blast of frost exploded near him. He flew back and unleashed a rain of black flames back down at the army, felling hundreds in moments. But the Humans worked together. Their [Mages] created barriers through their combined magics, repelling the continuous barrage of cinder.

Meanwhile, Gula sent the Humans’ own magic flying back at them as her portals closed in and out of existence, but it was barely an effective offense at this point. She scowled and raised her arms, conjuring a dodecahedron on both hands.

“Perish.”

Her voice was callous. She hurled the first dodecahedron down. It expanded, before rapidly contracting and disintegrating everything it touched. Hundreds of Humans gone. This time, they couldn’t even defend against it. No barrier could save them from that attack.

Gula raised her other hand and tossed the second dodecahedron down to the next nearest group of Humans. They went scattering in fear as she shook her head. They looked like they were close to Level 100— maybe some were even Diamond Rank. Their deaths would deal a massive blow to the Human forces.

The dodecahedron expanded as she expected, but it didn’t contract. Even as the [Fiend] waited, there was no destructive contraction right after. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the chaotic space was torn in half.

“What…?”

The [Fiend] looked on as the aura of a black blade ripped across the battlefield, It cut straight to her, and even tearing through the portals out of existence. Gula teleported out of the way and blinked.

A figure landed directly beneath her. A knight in glimmering plated armor. Gula couldn’t see who it was through the visor, but a quick [Identification] made even the Archdemon of Gluttony hesitate.

“Who… are you?”

[Warrior - Lvl. 163]

A tinny voice echoed up as an obsidian blade was raised towards the heavens.

“I am Kaitlin Darkhelm, Commander of the Vaun Qieur Empire’s Swordsguard Forces.”

Gula narrowed her eyes. She didn’t expect this. Another Elite? Where had this Kaitlin Darkhelm been all this time? The Archdemon of Gluttony wasn’t sure— she just readied herself as the knight took on a wide stance and raised a shield. With a sudden jolt, Kaitlin Darkhelm exploded into the sky, swinging her blade.

“Be prepared to die, Demon!”

The Archdemon of Gluttony braced herself, creating a barrier as the unexpected Elite clashed. The sky sparked and thundered as a powerful shockwave rippled through the battlefield. Gula gritted her teeth, faced with this overwhelming foe.

What are you idiots doing? Her eyes flickered to the palace of Alyras as she hoped Iivor and the others would return soon. Otherwise, she and Libid would have no choice but to leave without them.

Saffron Merryster ran through the halls of the palace as another tremor shook the entire structure. She stumbled— nearly falling over. But she pressed on, running straight for the source of the fighting. Why? Why was she doing this?

It was because she had to do something. No— she could do something. She clutched a vial at her side. A bottle of red liquid. She’d ‘stolen’ it from the healing wards because she knew she could use it. In fact, the Vampire had taken a quick swig of it, and now she was practically flying through the corridors, boosted by magic and her [Bloodlust].

She’d left princess Rana behind long ago. And Saffron was now approaching the source of the earthquakes. Where the fighting was happening. She slowed as she looked ahead, seeing bodies scattered through a broken hallway.

Palace guards lay dead— like a massacre had been carried out. A few of them stumbled away from a hole in the wall, gasping and falling over.

“S-stay away, young lady! You won’t be able to keep up! They’re monsters!”

Saffron hesitated. She wanted to heed their warnings and turn back, but she couldn’t. Her mind was in a haze, and with [Bloodlust] taking over, she could only listen to her impulses. And it told her to help. To do what she could do make a difference.

What was more— she knew her father was here. She recognized his scent, thanks to her currently enhanced senses. She needed to help him if he was fighting against one of the Archdemons.

The young noble Vampire peeked her head through the hole as the ground shook. A powerful shockwave almost sent her flying back, but she steadied herself and looked on. And what she saw was—

Two large figures, locked in combat. One, a Demon. A [Hellbeast]. A thing with a hunched body. A goat’s head. Its legs were thin, like hooves, but its arms were burly and rippled with muscle. The second wasn’t nearly as tall as the [Hellbeast]. A mere Human in the face of a monster. Yet, she still towered over Saffron, standing seven feet tall. She grappled with the Demon as her biceps flexed like mountains in her arms. A crimson aura wisped off her as she smirked savagely.

“What’s wrong, Demon? Can’t keep up?”

Lofus, the Broken Berserker of Bherein, laughed maniacally as she shoved the [Hellbeast] back. Avaritia stumbled and frowned.

“What is this? You weren’t this strong when we last fought.”

She ran forward and swung. He ducked under the punch, but the mere impact of her punch striking the air caused the ground to break— various walls to shatter. A pillar of dust shot into the air as a part of the palace collapsed.

“My Grand Skill: [I Shall Break the World with My Hands]. What’s wrong? Is it too much for you?”

Lofus laughed as she swung again, and Avaritia backed up. Even though she missed, the impact sent him stumbling. This time, Saffron went flying. She crashed into the corpse of a soldier. She held on tightly to the vial, but the glass cracked, almost breaking. No… She forced herself back up, trying to push through the strong gales threatening to topple her over as the shaking floor barely held up from the fighting.

What is this? Her mind reeled as she took another step forward. Just… how strong are they? Saffron didn’t know. But she had to find her father. He was here. She could smell his scent.

The Lady cast her gaze over the room as Avaritia avoided another of Lofus’ deadly punches. Then she paused. Saffron stared at a bloody mess lying in the corner of the room as the Archdemon scoffed.

“You’re stronger now, I’ll give you that. But—”

Saffron dashed ahead. Her eyes wide with fear. She reached Crocus Merryster’s side, whispering.

“Father—”

And Avaritia appeared behind Lofus.

“You’re still too slow.”

The Broken Berserker of Bherein screamed as he raked his claws over her back, drawing a splattering of blood.

Daniel Song clutched the real Dimensional Storage Unit in his hands. It was, of course, a pen. Just like the fake. But he had plenty. When he woke up in this world, he wasn’t just naked. He’d had a bag with him full of trinkets and things from Earth.

The pen had been enchanted to be the anchor for a Dimensional Storage Unit, by a high-leveled [Space Mage] in the Elutra Kingdom. Daniel himself didn’t know exactly how it worked, but he just knew it was inconspicuous enough, yet still unique as it was a pen from another world.

He kept it with him at all times, using it to scribble in his diary alongside the various other stationery he had with him. He had the others ready— as a decoy. Because, soon, the Demons would be back.

The [Hero] glanced back at his friends. Amanda was right at his side, but Edithe and Hadrian were a step slower. Hadrian was injured, walking with a limp, while Edithe helped him forward.

“Just go!”

She called out as Daniel hesitated. Amanda paused, glancing between them.

“What are you guys on about?”

The former assassin snapped. Hadrian shook his head.

“We’ll split up. Edithe and I can distract them. We’ll be the bait.”

“That’s—”

Daniel started. But the wall exploded. He cursed. That wasn’t as much time as I’d hoped. He backed up and raised his sword warily at the descending yellow figure. Iivor’s eyes flashed with rage as a tempest brewed before them.

The [Hero] stepped forward and tossed a fake pen at Edithe.

“You guys run. I’ll hold him off!”

The pen went flying. Edithe reached to catch it, but the Demon flicked a finger. A wind blade cut the pen in half mid-air.

“I’m not falling for that again.”

Iivor glared at Daniel and raised a hand. There was a flicker— a gathering of wind at his fingertips.

“Hand over the Crown of Alexander, and I’ll spare you and your friends.”

A green-skinned Demon landed next to Iivor. Desidia yawned as she looked over the four Humans.

“Why do you even bother, Iivor? Let’s just kill them and get this over with.”

“I am giving them a last chance to resolve this quickly and quietly. There will be no need for you to struggle futilely for a lost cause. There will be no need for you to be sacrificed in vain.”

He tilted his head dangerously at Daniel.

“What do you say, [Hero]?”

Daniel glanced back at his friends. At Edithe, Hadrian, and Amanda. The three of them were tensed, but they were waiting for him to give an answer. He closed his eyes, considering his options. Then he made his decision.

“No.”

Daniel dashed forward as Edithe raised a staff. Hadrian brought up his sword, and Amanda readied her double bladed dagger. But Iivor sighed in disappointment.

“Very well then.”

The [Hero] swung out.

“[Hero’s—”

“[Tempest of Destruction].”

Daniel froze as a wind sphere trapped him, before imploding into a thousand wind blades. The young man’s eyes went wide as the attack ripped through his radiant armor, and he screamed in pain. Amanda, Edithe, and Hadrian raised a hand.

“Daniel!”

The wind sphere dissipated as he dropped to his knees and slumped over. Iivor eyed the other three as Desidia cracked her neck.

“One down, three to go.”