V3 Chapter 54

“How foolish…!”

Julian barked out as he rushed toward Oriel with his axe billowing outward with blazing flames.

"But what about you? I may be foolish, but you are a true, and genuine fool. You and your stupid group are fools beyond redemption!"

An explosive glare could be seen in the eyes of the Demon Princess as she brought her awareness to the highest level possible.

"You think you can fight against the Empire, with what? That measly power of yours?! Huh, belief, arrogance, ambition... I've seen it all before. But what did it brought to those idiots who thought the same as yours, huh? Regret, and despair! And you will never be an exception!"

"And that's where you are wrong!"

"No, I am not."

Oriel snorted in contempt.

"Sadly, your eyes are blinded by your stupidity! Your arrogance and ambition are keeping you from learning the simplest and most significant lesson of all."

"Hmph! Those are for the weak! This is the beginning of a new era! An era of the strong! An Empress who don't have any ambition would only bring ruins to the Demon Empire! A new ruler is needed! One that can bring a new future- a future of prosperity to the Empire! One that can spread fear! A world like that is where we Demons should live!"

"That's just nonsense!!"

Using all her remaining magic power, the crystal wings on Oriel's back suddenly let out a dazzling azure light, and the Ice Crystal Sword instantly became a bright silver light that shot toward Julian’s chest with a sonic boom like sound.

It was as if the sword had reached the speed of light.

Flying through the air and leaving behind after images of itself, almost no one could see it clearly thanks to its speed and the added bonus of the darkness that shrouded the entire land from the obsidian-dyed thick clouds that veiled the sky from above, made it even harder to discern.

Julian’s eyes released a refined glint as a large amount of hot magic power flooded out from his body, protecting him completely.

The moment the sword made contact, its momentum began to slow down instantaneously before stopping completely.

At the same time, the Minotaur’s axe swung violently.

With an explosive bang, the air around the axe began to distort from the incredibly hot energy being gathered within it.

Baang!!

“Pft!”

Oriel sprayed out a mouthful of blood from the damage dealt with her, and she was sent blasting again on the ground.

She then hurriedly spread her wings open, but suddenly a shadow appeared behind her, and black whip-like things suddenly coiled around her limbs, stopping her movement.

“You-!!”

Oriel glared angrily at Sorietta who caught her.

“Fight not, your highness, you had already lost,”

“How dare you, you traitor!”

Oriel exploded in anger, and the air around her immediately plummet.

The black tentacle-like whips that had coiled around her was immediately solidified into ice and Sorietta who saw that, immediately back away.

“To think you still have that much power!”

Sorietta muttered with a grave voice.

Was the curse not working?!

“I’ll kill you!”

Oriel turned around and tried to chase after her, but Julian appeared with an inferno, and attack her.

Before Julian’s axe hit her with a loud ‘boom’, Oriel hurriedly summons a protective shield in time, covering her completely and repelling Julian away.

However, Oriel still felt the incredible impact from the attack, and she was knocked back, coughing up another mouthful of blood. Her pale face turned even paler, almost ghastly white even.

But that didn’t stop Julian’s continuous attack.

The Minotaur step into the air, as if there was an invisible platform under his feet, and charged like a bull.

Baaaang!!

Another hit on the ice shield, and immediately after a large crack could be seen on the shield’s surface.

Oriel once again felt the impact and spat out a mouthful of blood. However, she was still feeling disgruntled, and couldn’t escape.

“This is the end!!”

Julian took notice of Oriel’s weakness, and without hesitation, and once again charged relentlessly. Without giving Oriel a chance to recover, the Minotaur attack the ice shield without stopping, slashing and smashing his burning axe repeatedly.

Crack!

Baaaaang!!

The ice shield finally shattered.

Oriel’s eyes widened in shock.

She saw the incoming blazing axe of Julian and hurriedly tried to avoid it. However, she found out that her body was moving right in the opposite direction to what she had intended as if her body wanted to welcome the enemy's attack and deliver her life on a silver platter.

As a result, her final body’s movement and control had defeated her original purpose of trying to avoid the attack.

Oriel glanced at the side and saw Sorietta smirking just behind her.

When she looks closely, she could see a thin, black thread coiled around her limbs.

It’s her doing!

Oriel’s anger reignited.

The dark magic’s [Shadow Puppeteer] spell.

Though it only worked on weaker opponents, and would certainly not worked on her in normal moments, but in this split moment where she was weakened considerably, it became a fatal moment.

“Damn…it!”

In a span of less than a tenth of a second, she wouldn’t have the time to protect herself.

Even if Julian’s attack wouldn’t be able to kill her, but it would surely incapacitate her.

On the brink of life and death, Oriel raised her arms and welcomed the frightening burning axe coming down swiftly towards her with the Ice Queen’s Wings who had tried to defend her by wrapping around her like a cocoon.

However, she knows that the crystal wings would not be able to protect her fully, with her magic power running low.

Though the legendary artefact was strong, it still depends on her. Without the support of her magic power, the Ice Queen’s Wings is no better than a shard of ice.

Oriel realized that she had never fallen into such a dangerous situation before, to the point that her life was on the line.

Julian, the Flaming Minotaur’s eyes flashed with a cruel desire to kill. Though he wanted to bring the Demon Princess alive, he knows better than to hold back. If this attack didn’t end the battle, they would only delay it further, and perhaps, would even meet the reinforcement from the Demon Empire.

They would surely fail.

The Demon Empire should have gotten wind of what was happening right now in this place.

Though there’s a possibility that he could kill the Demon Princess in this attack, but Julian was confident that she wouldn’t fall. The Demon Princess was not that weak to die easily!

Julian exerted his utmost strength to slash down.

This is the end!

He thought, and so were Oriel and the others who had witnessed the sight. However, suddenly, as the blazing axe was about to hit Oriel’s Ice Queen’s Wings, the edge of the blade suddenly stop a few inches away from the surface. It’s as if something had stopped the axe blade from moving further.

The flames that covered the axe swayed violently, and even sparks started to spread out.

Julian’s eyes widened in shock. More so, Sorietta, who could not understand what had happened. Then, suddenly the succubus felt a feeling of danger came unto her. She hurriedly turned around-

Pierced!

“Ho? To think you were able to avoid a fatal wound in that kind of situation, I’m impressed,”

Sorietta’s eyes widened in shock, and then suddenly, she coughed blood.

Right in front of her was a woman wearing a masquerade mask that covers the upper portion of her face.

Wearing black, skimpy clothing, she stood in front of her with her hand piercing deep in her chest. If she didn’t lean her body sideways at the right moment, that hand would have pierced right into her heart, and even the Gods would not be able to save her.

“You, how dare you!!”

Sorietta gritted her teeth, endured the pain, and shot her claws towards the masked woman.

Hhowever, the latter just pulled her hand, dodged her claws and turned around, her legs making a sweeping kick that hit her head.

With a loud bam! followed by a loud scream, Sorietta was sent blasting toward the ground.

“Ah, that scared me. Attacking a woman’s face, so evil- and you call yourself a succubus without that much elegance?”

The masked woman smirked.

"A woman's face must be left alone in the battle, as even a single scratch could make one ugly. Only a savage barbarian would choose to do such a rude thing...not a succubus." She whisked her long hair with an elegant poised as she made a model-like sance in the air.

"A succubus must always appear elegant, and noble, no matter what situation occurs. Well, I guess that's only to be expected from a fake like you, no manners at all~"

Oriel and Julian stared at the masked woman with shock. Then, the masked woman turned towards the two of them, as if what she did just now was a common thing.

Her lips curved into a gentle smile.

"I was not disturbing or anything, am I?"

"... ..."