Sinmosa gave Nola a resigned look: “Well, if they start fighting later, we’ll just have to be on our toes then.”
“Mhm, I was thinking the same thing as well. But my size…I’m afraid my speed won’t be as quick as yours…”
“Hah, don’t just dump all the responsibility onto me.”
“Don’t say that. Besides, I still have Cinderel riding on my back right now.”
“Alright alright, if there’s any trouble later, we can just leave it to Sasani.”
Sasani: “…ruff?”
However, no matter how unwilling he was to be dragged into this mess, he didn’t have a choose right now, kind of like a stranded fish in a pond…
“Let him up then.”
I hopped off the Abyssal Golem, wings flapping slightly to break my fall as I did so.
“But Master…”
No.3 clearly wasn’t all too happy about this whole arrangement. He did not wish for me to personally fight since I might just end up getting hurt. However, while I might have understood his concern, it wasn’t like I could just do nothing for the rest of my life either. In order to rule over the strong, one had to be strong himself –that was the rule.
According to the script given to me by Lucifer’s clone, I would definitely have to face a variety of strong opponents in the future. Unless I was able to suppress them all by force, it would hard for me to subjugate any worthy fighter worth his salt.
And that was why increasing my own strength was of paramount importance. Even though Ferti’nier’s existence had caused my evolving speed to slow to a crawl, that was no reason for me not to try and get stronger either.
Using one of my world famous analogies, let’s say a person suddenly maxed out his credit card and ended up with a mountain load of debt and interest to repay. Every month, that person would have to give up a portion of his salary to pay off this bill. What if this person wasn’t able to repay this debt within his lifetime? Well, his death would automatically cancel out that credit card debt.
So should he try to avoid his debt by dying then? Clearly, that wasn’t an option –a person must be forward looking. Work hard and all that nonsense. That should be the choice of a normal person.
‘Mhm, stress isn’t just a form of pressure, it’s a way to motivate myself, to be strong and climb ever upwards. In short, GO ME!’
(TL: I did my best to shorten his analogy and sort of link it to the story better. It was supposed to take up half a page…)
“Hahaha, even your subordinates won’t listen to you…what a failure…hah…”
“You…”
“What do you mean you, so you won’t listen to your master’s command then? Didn’t she command you to release me, or did you not hear it at all? Perhaps you’ve already been thinking about rebelling? Tell me then, how long have you been eyeing your master’s position? I bet you want her as well…hahaha, don’t deny it, I can see it in your eyes…”
No.3’s hesitance ended up becoming an excuse for that leader Devil to unload on him. Clearly, for a Devil to become a leader, he had to have something else other than strength. At the very least, he needed to have a brain. The moment this loud mouth picked up a whiff of weakness, he immediately latched onto it relentlessly.
“I’ll kill you, I swear!”
No.3’s anger had almost overwhelmed his reason at this point. Yet just as he was about to give that loud mouth Devil the stomping of his lifetime, the Devil in question, happily raised his head, as if he wasn’t afraid of No.3 at all and wanted to encourage him further. Eyes smiling with satisfaction, his lips curled into a devious smile as he said: “Why the hurry to kill me? Is it because I revealed your inner thoughts? Looks like your subordinate is really planning to rebel.”
“Master…my loyalty to you will never change…don’t listen to his lies…”
No.3 seemed to be genuinely worried that the leader Devil’s words might end up creating a rift between us. Looking at him like this, I couldn’t help but be a little confused myself.
‘Did his intelligence suddenly take a nosedive or something? Oh wait, that’s not right, he was always a little lacking in that department. But why doesn’t he trust me then? Haven’t I always been saying that he’s my most trusted subordinate?”
“No.3, what’s the matter with you today? Did you hit your head or something? I know you’re anxious but after that betrayal by One-eye, I’ve already witnessed your loyalty.” I gave him a reassuring look before smiling slightly: “I won’t fall for his words so easily.”
“But Master…” No.3 left his sentence hanging there, not daring to finish it at all. However, even without that, I could roughly guess what he was thinking right now…Back when that Devil tried to provoke me into a fight, I could have easily rejected him instead of accepting his proposal. Perhaps to No.3, I must have seemed like an easily swayed person then?
“Dumby, why would I not believe you. Just stand down for now, leave this fellow to me.”
As I said that, I waved my hands, signifying for him to make space for our upcoming fight. After confirming once more that I wasn’t taken in by that Devil’s words, No.3 finally relented. Most likely still a little concerned, he made sure to give that Devil one last warning glare before leaving.
“Hmph, I didn’t expect you to actually accept that.” Having regained his freedom temporarily, the leader Devil started stretching his limbs without even bothering to look at the sulking No.3. He then gave me what had to be most annoying stare to date, coupled with an exceptionally disgusting smile: “Truly a beauty, *lick*…”
‘Hey! What’s with that disgusting mouth action…I swear, I can’t take his crassness anymore.’
I immediately tossed out what looked like an ordinary red Fireball.
As for that leader Devil, while he might have been busy taunting me, he hadn’t lowered his guard for even a second. The whole reason why he did that in the first place was to try and distract me and create an exploitable opening. Upon seeing the Fireball careen towards him, he didn’t even bother trying to dodge it but instead stretched out his right hand to grab that football-size Fireball.
“Hey, I’m not done talking yet, trying to ambush me like that isn’t good.”
As he said that, he smashed that Fireball into his left hand, snuffing out the flames in a burst of sparks.
‘Was that his way of showing off his might? Was he trying to say that fire had no effect on him?’
“Ambush, I think you’re overestimating yourself here.” I disdainfully laughed at him. Stretching out my left hand and bringing my palm up to the sky, I began channelling mana into a mote of black flames. Just looking into the endless abyss that was its blackness, one could have sworn that he glimpsed a vision of absolute destruction.
