“You evil! How can you talk like this when you already know Theo’s pain?! Y-you monster! Evil! You’re the worst! Go die!” → Melinda
Melinda cried rivers for Theo. She felt rage and pain at the thoughts of having one’s family discard their son like a pile of trash. She couldn’t understand why they did that and because of that, she felt pain for Theo.
“Wahahaha~ no need to compliment me anymore, young fairy.” → 3rd General
The demon was overjoyed with her reaction, he loved to see pain and rage in other people’s eyes, especially if he were the reason.
“YOU!” → Melinda
She wished to activate her strongest magic right from the get-go, but she was stopped by Theo.
“T-Theo?” → Melinda
He hugged her tightly while trying to calm her down. He felt the warmth coming from his own heart, feeling a longing for Melinda who was already in his arms. He was happy knowing he had someone who cared so deeply for him. He looked at Melinda and kissed her cheek then said with a childish smile.
“Thank you, Melinda. But I don’t care about my real family anymore.” → Theodore
“Theo…but-!” → Melinda
She still felt pain for him. And seeing his bright smile made her heart burst.
“It’s alright. You, master, Bonny, Miss Sylvia, sir Ryu and everyone else, you all became my family. From you all, I can feel the affection a demon is lacking. Demons have no love inside them, just the feeling of respect or admiration, but that’s not love. Right now, I still don’t know how to feel love, but I can learn slowly by being close to you all, and mostly to you, Melinda.” → Theodore
Theodore explained while smiling brightly, letting the fluffy sensation inside his chest to take over his feelings. Melinda was dazed for a moment, then she woke up and a big blush appeared on her face, reddening even the ears.
“Ah, uh…w-well, if you say so~. Ehehe~.” → Melinda
Melinda started laughing with a blissful and somehow dumb smile, feeling herself the fluffy sensation inside her own chest.
“Argh! You brats dare to ignore me!” → 3rd General
The demon was fed-up with the drama-play and leaped towards them in full force.
“Hmph!” → Theodore
Theodore stopped the punch after enchanting his body with [Iron-Body]. Even though Theo used enchantment, the demon’s huge fist should have been strong enough to destroy both of them. This showed the power of pure blood which came from the demon lord himself, giving him a physical power comparable to Saints.
“Hooh~. A trashy prince is still a prince. Let’s dance, shall we? 7th prince!” → 3rd General
Theo fought a fist fight with the demon while Melinda tried to attack when she found an opening, trying to lower the demons mobility when she could, and she tried to heal and buff Theo when it was needed. Sometimes Theo would try to distance himself and use magic like energy blast, earth spears, ice spears, huge fireballs and so on. The same with Melinda, every time Theo distanced himself from the demon, she would use her strongest attacks which were some small stars that she created with some difficulty to blast the demon away or create huge waves of tsunamis to smash him on the ground.
Other than that, she would use lightning, ice snakes and ice arrows. She would even use some ice storms. The demon started using his staff after a while, he would use Earth and Wind element skills to send Theo flying or to try and smash him to the ground. Even though he tried to attack Melinda sometimes, Theo would always protect her just in time by blocking the skills or hits with his own body or grab her and bring her to him by using [Death’s Grip].
While everyone was fighting with their lives on the line, Shen and the 3rd Prince looked at each other with cold eyes. All kind of magic, skills and waves of energy flew before and past them, always being repelled by a force-barrier.
[You…] → Shen
Shen was the first one to open his mouth. Slowly, he strengthened the connection with the mana around him, entering deeper and deeper into contact with the Universe.
[Are you aware what would happen once the elves are killed?] → Shen
His voice was calm but his eyes were like those of a primordial beast.
“The seal on the world tree will break and the two divine beasts: the Golden Divine Bird and the Dark Dragon of Death, will break free.” → Demon’s Prince
The prince said with a calm voice and smiling eyes. He appeared extremely relaxed.
[You know this yet you wish to break the seal? Do you even know what will happen after that? War will break out between Earth and Heaven, destroying the world as we know.] → Shen
“Not if we can control the heavenly beasts. We’ll take control over the dark Dragon then ally with it to bring down the Golden Divine Bird. Like this, we’ll get our hands on more power and be able to unite the 3 continents.” → Demon’s Prince
The prince shared his information because he wished to get Shen as his ally. He felt his power and knew he was almost close to himself in power. He thought that he was able to kill Shen but the chances were around sixty-five percent and in such a devastating battle, he’ll need to sacrifice something in return.
[Hahaahaha~!!] → Shen
Shen laughed aloud because he was half-way connected, the laugh sounded everywhere around the battlefield, startling allies and enemies alike.
[You people? Control Hraesvelgr and Nidhoggur? You would rather try to take control over the Gods themselves! YOU FOOLS! I can tell that you know nothing of the primordial beasts! These two “Heavenly Beasts” how you CALL them, have power beyond God-ranked entities! Yet you wish to control them?! How much of an idiot can you lot be? Leave, now. Or I’ll have to kill you here and now!] → Shen
Shen’s hidden rage exploded again. The two kinds of people he hated the most where the uncultured, idiotic kind which thought they know everything and brings the world to disaster because of their stupidity. And the weaklings which don’t even try to confront the first category. From the two, he hated the first one the most, wishing he could simply erase them from the face of the world if not for the Godly Test.
“Sigh~ Then you are beyond help, aren’t you.” → Demon’s Prince
The prince slashed in front and a spatial wave cut Shen in two with the speed of light.
[That might be true, but you’re not so different, either.]
[Divine Fist]
Shen who was cut disappeared in a cloud of smoke, then another one appeared behind the prince and slowly punched forward. Even though slow, space bent in front of the punch and a monstrous force pressed the prince in place, not letting him dodge. When the fist touched his body, a pillar of pressure shot out through his entire body and struck the mountain nearby, destroying half of it and leaving an imprint of a huge fist on it.
“Huff… Mmm, your power is praiseworthy.” → Demon Prince
The prince smiled while a thin thread of blood fell from the corner of his lips.
[I see you have time to examine my strength. Let me show you some more then.] → Shen
“Yes. Show me what you have, to tell you what you lack.” → Demon’s Prince
Shen then opened his palm and wished to gather more mana and activate another Spell, but the prince slashed out with his sword.
“[Space Cut]” → Demon’s Prince
“[Cronos’ Palm]” → Shen
Both spatial spells struck each other and an implosion was formed, creating a black-hole and sucking everything around, except for the two fighters who locked gazes. Both of them were controlling the space so the black hole won’t affect them. However, the terrain around was being sucked in, together with huge boulders and stray attacks from the other fights happening around.
“What is your true goal, Mister Shen? I can tell that with such power and technique, you have what it takes to close back the seal. So may I ask, what are you doing here?” → Demon’s Prince
Another golden lightning bolt struck the forest behind Shen and set a few humongous trees on fire. Afterward, more cracks opened from the ground with terrifying screams and cries echoing from inside.
[…The devil whispered me to trust someone once in a while… I am aware that I made a huge mistake.] → Shen
Shen said while turning around and looking at the elves who rushed to put out the fire and retreat in full speed.
“That’s even more of a reason to not mind these pests and join hands with me” → Demon’s Prince
The prince then opened his palm toward a group of more than one thousand retreating elves in the distance and focused his demonic energies. His blue eyes shone while the whites of his eyes turned black. His noble aura turned more ferocious while a wide grin with huge fangs appeared on his face.
“Let me help you get rid of them. [Space Collapse].” → Demon’s Prince
A ball of condensed space appeared above the group and at first, it looked completely inoffensive. However, the next second, the area of one kilometer around suddenly collapsed and the ground sunk in the form of a 10 meters deep crater.
[I’ll have to decline.] → Shen
[Nullify] → Shen
Shen’s eyes also turned dark and then shone with a golden-incandescent light. He stood tall above the elves and the area around the group of one thousand elves who stood on a still-undamaged island in the middle of the deep crater.
[Leave.] → Shen
Shen slightly turned his head and gave out a command to the elves. Their eyes then looked like those of puppets controlled by a puppeteer, instantly running from there, listening to Shen’s command without even looking back.
“Mind control? How unsightly. But such tricks won’t work on me, you know?” → Demon’s Prince
[I know. And I didn’t have the thoughts of doing so, either. You must feel the pain when I strike you down.] → Shen
Shen’s eyes shone with killing intent. He finally had the freedom to kill, after holding his blood-thirst back all this time. His test told him to not kill humans or semi-humans. But it said nothing about elemental entities like Fairies, Demons or Elves. The fairy was an entity which related to the natural elements. The demons were entities which related on the dark and chaotic elements, while the Elves were connected to the elements of the universe and creations through the World Tree. Thinking this way, Shen had a freeway to killing-strikes, and now he felt like all the frustration and rage he was holding back could finally be released.
“…” → Demon’s Prince
I can see he’s more of a pain than I thought. And his fighting spirit is too much for me to handle right now. Hmm~ let’s see if I can use what he has to protect, against him. → Demon’s Prince
The prince was overwhelmed by the monstrous killing intent Shen cultivated through numerous lives, so he thought of changing his plans. However, Shen wouldn’t let him do as he wishes.
[Don’t even think of running.] → Shen
He appeared behind the prince and struck forward with the same [Divine Fist], this time in full power. Surprised, the Prince dodged right before Shen could strike, sending an even more powerful pillar of pressure toward the ground, crushing it completely and creating a huge imprint of a fist, 10 meters deep. The prince tried to get away, but his wrist was grabbed and crushed by a metal-like grip. He looked back and saw Shen’s dark eyes locking him in place. Shen then pulled the prince and just as he was about to land a knee in his solar plexus, the prince slashed towards his neck. The normal slash lands and the Prince’s sword goes through his neck. However, there was no blood. It was because space has been dented again, giving the impression of his head being cut, when it truth, it was just distanced by one meter further away.
“You think such tricks will work on me?” → Demon’s Prince
After saying this, a slight cut appears on Shen’s neck, still deep enough to cut the artery. Blood gushed out but Shen paid it no mind.
[And you think this is enough to strike me down?] → Shen
With no reservation, Shen struck his knee in his plexus and sent him flying in the air for more than 500 meters, reaching the huge forest and landing through five gigantic trees one after the other, stopping at the sixth one. Shen then simply touched his injury and after just a moment, the cut disappeared. He followed the prince and saw him in the air while looking with a serious look at him. His shirt was completely destroyed, while from his mouth a string of blood flowed. Even though he appeared disheveled, his injuries were only superficial. His ripped muscles exhumed power and elegance, while his demonic and wild aura emanated the power and spirit of a mighty tyrant under the heavens.
[Are you finally serious?] → Shen
Shen asked with the least bit of his conscience, wishing to give up his body to the laws of the universe and finish the Prince in one go. However, things weren’t going as planned.
“…No. I see you don’t want to understand our noble dream and you can’t recognize the power of the demon lord’s family. I have no more any reason to play around with you now, so at least let me open your eyes to our glory.” → Demon’s Prince
He simply slashed in-air and a crack in space appeared, sucking the air around so to close the fissure.
“Follow me if you wish. But don’t get in my way.” → Demon’s Prince
The demon jumped inside the spatial crack and disappeared completely. The crack was now slowly closing up, having nothing to sustain it open anymore.
[Stop!] → Shen
The command couldn’t be effectuated because the prince already entered the portal, so Shen rushed before the crack could close.
“[Enlarge]” → Shen
The portal stopped shrinking and started to become bigger. Shen through it and followed right behind the prince. The two disappeared from the battlefield, letting the rest fight their own battles. When they saw this, Shen’s group got worried and felt urgency while the prince’s generals were calm and fought with all they got, having full faith in their prince.
