POV: Gzeph

What the hell was I thinking, escaping from there? They only cared about my unauthorized access to the data server... not about what else I had done.

Too late, now I'm a fugitive.

Thousands of years in service and I still couldn't shake those habits.

It will still be a couple of days until my spaceship arrives at my off-side lab.

Around the middle of that trip, my sensor picks up a faint signal coming from a nearby world.

Strange, is the machine broken? If the signal was real, I should've picked it up from way back at my office.

A quick check of the machine doesn't find any obvious defects. I guess I should check the source of the signal. A little workout can't hurt. I've been too much in my office lately.

I land my ship a bit away from the source of the signal, then hide it in a nearby cave. I shouldn't be long but I better be safe than sorry.

After a short walk, I arrive at the outpost. It is located next to an inactive volcano. I have doubts that they are researching some form of thermal energy.

I cautiously check out the location without getting seen. There are no obvious flags or signs of who the outpost belongs to but a simple look at the guard's uniform tells me... yeah, it belongs to 'them'. The demons from the "Creed of Whispers" actually managed to hide this outpost close to our homeworld.

Goddamnit, Lou, why did you have to stop me back then? If you had let me use the second bomb nearly eight thousand years ago, they wouldn't be around anymore... We had them on the ropes back then, we could've ended it all... now, they are back everywhere, spread over the whole universe, worse than ever before.

I hope you rest in peace, Lou. I won't until I've eradicated those child murderers!

...

It seems like most of them are from different systems but none of any significant power levels. This should be as easy as always.

I wonder if I should curse or thank Todo for allowing the systems' powers to diverge that much. Well, it makes my work easier at least.

I see no point in keeping any of them alive, so frontal assault it is.

I take out my morph weapon and change it to a gun.

Bang Bang

Two already down. They are as weak as expected.

And as I hoped for, I was noticed. More soldiers appear. Some start rushing at me while others take shots at me with either magic or guns. This is about to get fun.

Bang Bang

Most of their shots miss despite me barely bothering to move. I don't even feel the few hits that they manage to land. Is everyone here that weak?

Their front liners have reached me, so it is time for melee combat.

I change my weapon to a sword and start dancing around them.

Slash Slash

More and more of their soldiers drop dead, none of them can take a single hit from me.

After a few more minutes all of them are dead. Did I take any damage?

Name Gzeph Brightborough Status none Age 9223 Classes Scholar 74, Fighter 72, Pugilist 73, Brawler 71, Cleric 72, Diviner 67, Space Wizard 71, Gunner 72, Pyromancer 67, Machinist 71 Race Highlander (human) 63 Divine Honorary Deva Warrior 71 EXP 312876 HP 24409/24410 [30513] MP 17529/17529 [21912] SP 28271/28901 [36127] STR 4803+322 (sword, mace, gun) or +288 (unarmed) DEX 4969+30 VIT 5123+270 MAG 3259+85 FTH 3853+85 WIL 4391+200 CHA 4567+70 Equipment Deva Morph Weapon (sword, mace, gun), Divine Suit, Mythic Glasses, Deva Coat Skills - Weapon Gun Training 72, Mace Training 72, Shield Training 72, Stun Fist 71, Sword Training 72, Unarmed Fighting 144 Skills - Magic Create Simple Material 71, Cure Magic 72 (Rank 3), Fire Magic 67 (Rank 4), Holy Magic 139 (Rank 3), Locate Object 67, Space Magic 71 (Rank 3) Skills - Status Opportunity Attack 73, Reckless Attack 73, Scrutinize 74 Skills - Special Machine Construction 71, Meditation 138, Repair 71 Skills - Passive Extra Language 74, Fire Resistance 67, Hard Worker 63, Longevity 71, Magic Discount 71, Mana Regeneration 67, Patient Aim 72, Quick Learning 74, Quick Load 72, Stamina Boost 135, Unarmored Defense 71 Weakness Poison

Hmpf, a single point of damage. Pathetic. I'm getting rusty.

I wade through the sea of corpses into the facility. Something must be here.

I look around the inside of the building.

Rustle

I can hear that there is still someone left.

The noise comes from a side room. I look inside and see a mixture of a laboratory and cultist sacrificial site.

There's the last survivor, trying to collect some documents.

Name Asholog Status none Age 16 Classes Battle Mage 25, Warrior 24 Race Devilkin 25 Divine Abyssal Deathlord 27 HP 5581/5581 MP 2331/4331 SP 2790/4050 STR 738+184 DEX 648-30 VIT 690 MAG 576 FTH 552 WIL 594 CHA 543 Equipment Great Axe Skills Abyssal Gate 27, Armor Training 24, Axe Training 24, Curse Magic 25 (Rank 2), Dark Lord 27, Fire Magic 50 (Rank 2), Full Resistance 27, Health Boost 49, Weapon Magic 25 Weakness Holy

Of course, it had to be a Demon Lord. That'll take two minutes more than necessary.

"Planning to go somewhere, demon?"

"Hmpf, that's none of your business, intruder. Where are all of my guards? Am I just surrounded by imbeciles?"

"They are dead, and soon so are you."

"Don't make me laugh! Don't you know who I am?"

"No, and I don't care. You'll be just another number in my reports."

"As if! You can't do anything to me! I'm a mighty Demon Lord! I'm invincible!"

"Cute."

Bang Bang

Your attack has inflicted 0 damage.

"S-see? It is useless."

"We'll see about that."

I put away my weapon and rush at my opponent. Then throw a punch at him.

Right hook. Left hook. Uppercut. Nutcracker.

The demon goes to the ground and then struggles to get back up.

Your attacks have inflicted a total of 0 damage.

"*urgh* Cease your futile... effort. You can't... hurt me."

"Are you sure about that?"

I know that I can't deal damage but...

"I know your [Dark Lord] skill."

I have the right tool for the job in my inventory. I switch to an SMG.

"And yes, we use different systems. But you see..."

Gun loading noises

"The skill may negate damage but not PAIN."

Rattatatatata

After unloading a whole munition clip, the oh-so invincible Demon Lord passes out.

What an idiot. Just standing there while his opponent prepares his finishing move.

"Say, my friend, you're kinda cold. Here, let me help you."

I drag the unconscious idiot over to an open chute.

"I think what you need is a nice relaxing bath. I heard lava helps with stress. You first, buddy."

I throw him into the opening leading towards the volcano.

One problem less.

...

Shit, I should've interrogated him first. Ah, too late now.

I hope he didn't have anything important on him...

I begin searching through the remaining documents.

I can't find anything about the artifacts. If they had anything, it is now burned in the lava.

However, I stumble upon a familiar-looking blueprint. Is that really...?

These damn child murderers... how did they get their hands on blueprints of my inventions? ...is that why my artifact detectors don't work anymore?

But... I've replaced this specific detector model millennia ago. Is there a traitor leaking that info to them?