The lesser demons stared in frozen horror as their mighty superior writhed in agony around a human's blade.
"Lord Bael'thuris!" one shrieked. "How is this possible?!"
"Kill him!" another scread. "Tear the human apart!"
But none moved to attack. Arthur's dominance of their leader had shattered their confidence completely.
Bael'thuris managed to focus through pain, his burning eyes fixing on Arthur with desperate intensity.
"What... what manner of human are you?" it gasped.
"No mortal possesses such power in this place! They should have all died!"
Arthur twisted Chaos deeper, eliciting another scream. "I have questions about your superiors. Answer, and I might make this quick."
The True Demon's laugh was bitter, filled with contempt despite its situation.
"Questions? You think I would lower myself to answer a human's inquiries?" It spat sulfurous blood. "I am Bael'thuris the Magnificent! I bow to no inferior species!"
'They are narcissistic to the bitter end. Even at death's door.'
"You can smirk all you want. Your arrogance will be your species' downfall,"
the demon continued, his voice growing weaker as Chaos drained its essence. "When the great lords arrive, they will show you true despair."
Arthur's expression remained neutral as he processed the hint. Higher-ranking demons existed—creatures that made even Superior-rank beings like Bael'thuris seem insignificant.
A lesser demon finally found courage born of desperation. It lunged with claws extended, screaming hatred.
"Die, human filth!"
Arthur ducked beneath the first swipe, using Bael'thuris's massive body as a shield.
The lesser demon's claws raked its superior's back instead of finding human flesh.
"Incompetent fools!"
Bael'thuris raged even while impaled.
"Can you not even strike properly?!"
Two more lesser demons attacked simultaneously.
Arthur twisted, letting Bael'thuris's bulk block one attacker while catching the other's wrist in his free hand.
A sharp twist, precise leverage. The lesser demon's arm snapped with finality.
Crack!
"Arghhh!"
The demon shrieked in pain before closings its mouth.
Arthur spun it around, using its body as an improvised weapon against another attacker.
"Stop using as a shield, you miserable—" Bael'thuris's complaint died as Chaos finished its feeding.
Arthur withdrew the blade in a smooth motion, opening the True Demon's chest from sternum to spine.
The creature's enhanced form deflated as Demonic Descent faded with its life.
[You have killed Level 14 True Demon (Superior-Boss)]
As Bael'thuris collapsed, his final words carried vindictive satisfaction.
"You... you have no idea..."
The remaining lesser demons stared in shock at their fallen leader. Their arrogance had evaporated, replaced by naked terror.
"Lord Bael'thuris is dead," one whispered.
"The human killed him," another added unnecessarily.
Arthur moved among them like liquid death, Chaos singing its bloodthirsty song with each strike.
Ti to collect the rest of their blood.
The notifications cascaded as systematic execution continued.
[You have killed Level 13 Lesser Demon (Epic)]
[You have killed Level 12 Lesser Demon (Epic)]
[You have killed Level 12 Lesser Demon (Elite)]
When silence finally returned to the settlent, Arthur stood amid carnage that would haunt normal minds.
After drinking the blood of the demons, Arthur leaped onto Aether's back. The void dragon's large wings carried them deeper into corrupted territory, each wingbeat bringing them closer to their destination.
Five hundred kiloters into enemy territory.
The demon extermination proceeding as planned.
The landscape below bore witness to Arthur's thodical approach. Crater after crater marked where demon settlents had stood. Each one a testant to overwhelming force.
Five true demons eliminated. Each one feeding Chaos's restoration.
Arthur felt the katana's satisfaction through their bond. Each True demon provided substantially more essence than dozens of lesser creatures. The weapon's hunger was slowly being sated, its power gradually returning.
Each true demon gave an additional 0.1% boost to all attributes.
There was ninety-five more true demons remained before reaching Chaos's maximum enhancent potential. Each kill brought him closer to peak efficiency.
It's a manageable goal. Given enough targets. Hopefully we can get so true demons to slaughter in the upcoming rge
Behind him, roughly fifty kilotres back, his summons continued their relentless ground assault. A clear slaughter of everything that moved, leaving no demon alive to threaten.
No loose ends.
Behind his summons were the players. Their ride had been easy. They just had to move and witness the corpses of the demons, everywhere and loot that they could only imagine.
Despite eliminating hundreds of lesser demons, Arthur's level remained the sa. Their level was simply too far beneath his current capabilities to provide any aningful experience for a level up.
He dismissed the lack of nurical progression. Levels were useful, but that wasn't his current objective.
His objective was to arrive at the village and to kill demons as each dead demon was one less enemy to face when the real battle began.
So that's Village 419, huh?
The settlent appeared on the horizon—walls, buildings, the sa structure as his own village.
Arthur's perception swept across the village periphery. He was so high up in the air that most players in the forest below did not notice him.
Instead of approaching directly, Arthur directed Aether toward the large mountain that dominated the local landscape.
As they approached, one question was inside Arthur's mind.
Where is this village's protector?
His own experiences had taught him the critical importance of such figures. There had been a protector for Village 420—a knight whose remnant soul had provided Arthur with Chaos and invaluable guidance.
Is their protector dead like the knight? Or Alive but injured? Or Simply absent?
The mory of his encounter with the knight remained vivid. The knight's spiritual remnant, lingering at the mountain's peak through sheer force of will. His test of worthiness. The revelation that other protectors existed across the realm.
So alive but incredibly injured. So dead that might have left traces behind.
Arthur had been fortunate—finding a protector's soul willing to share knowledge and power. The benefits had accelerated his growth exponentially, providing more advantages that separated him from ordinary players.
Chaos.
Combat techniques, golden coins and understanding so crucial things about the demons.
Each village possessed its own guardian. The question was whether Village 419's protector could be found or consulted.
Aether's flight carried them higher, providing panoramic views of the surrounding territory. Arthur studied the layout.
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