468. Battle for Ertos

“WE ARE LEGION FOR WE ARE MANY.”

The earth trembled at the shaking of their voice. The Demons numbered in the tens of thousands. Not quite as large as the Human army that waited outside the city of Ertos. However, they were certainly far more organized.

The [Lesser Legions] marched forward in unison. I could hear the hushed clamor of their marching. Each step they took boomed out as a single thunderous noise— they were entirely in synchronization. I had never seen anything quite like it before.

In comparison, the adventurer army just outside of the city was an unorganized mess. From my vantage point where I floated, I could see the stark contrast. The adventurers weren’t lined up in rank and file. No, they mostly stuck to their companies or their teams. They gathered around like they were the afternoon crowd on market street. Like they weren’t even sure why they were there.

When faced with this opposing army, they drew back. The adventurers hadn’t been prepared to face an army. Based on everything they had encountered so far, they were expecting to fight off a horde of monster-like Demons. Now that was something they were more accustomed to as adventurers.

But this was an organized army of Demons. The [Lesser Legions] moved like they were better trained than even the best armies of the Mortal Realm. And that struck some fear into the adventurers. Hesitation and apprehension seized them.

And a loud voice echoed throughout the adventurer army. A single voice that somehow boomed louder than the marching Demons.

“Adventurers!”

Daniel Song, my companion, and a [Hero] or whatever, stepped forward. He drew the Sword of Alexander, raising the iridescent blade high as the adventurer army turned to face him.

“Why are you afraid? We don’t need to be scared of these Demons. We came here expecting a fight, didn’t we? We came here to save our families and protect our friends. So we don’t have to be afraid.”

He shook his head as the Mythical Grade Weapon began to shine with white light. An iridescent aura wisped off him— like ghostly strands of rainbow light.

“We just have to—”

He swung the Mythical Grade Weapon forward as my eyes grew wide.

“—fight! [Heroic Champion’s Slash]!”

And a white beam of concentrated Divine Essence shot out, melded with Daniel’s own aura. A powerful blast that swept over the battlefield. It crossed the distance to Ertos in a flash. Thousands of [Lesser Legions] lay dead in an instant. Torn apart as if they had been caught in a massive explosion.

Their ranks shattered. Broke open from the attack. Daniel drew back, huffing as the army gaped at Daniel’s power combined with the Sword of Alexander. An unlocked essence that was only accessible to him as of right now— until the Breastplate of Alexander was fixed. And at this sight, then the adventurers roared and charged forward, heeding the battle call of their [Hero].

I blinked, looking on at the destruction Daniel had unleashed. I was impressed. I had heard about what Daniel did during the siege of Alyras— how he managed to fend off one of the Level 150 Demons by himself with the help of the Sword of Alexander. I knew that it gave him quite the power boost, but seeing it with my own eyes was different from just hearing it.

“Huh. Maybe I don’t need to worry too much about him anymore.”

I smiled, glad to see his growth. Beneath me, the armies began to clash. The Humans with their overwhelming numbers and Skills colliding with [Lesser Legions]. There were [Greater Legions] thrown along the mix of Demons too, but that didn’t change the fact that they stood no chance.

I continued to survey the fighting until I noticed spells flying from the walls of the city. Powerful magic that was beyond that of even an ordinary Archdemon. There were other Demons in the city. They were here to guard the sub-ritual.

I glanced over to the crimson pillar that collided with the sky, continuing to terraform the Mortal Realm into the familiar world I had grown up in. I shook my head and began to descend.

“Damn, that’s a lot more Humans than Forti said would show up.”

Infi remarked as he created a giant ice spike, raising it over his head. He hurled it into the army of Humans ahead. The projectile explodes out, shooting clusters of ice in all directions, taking out dozens of adventurers all at once. He snorted and hurled a second and third spell.

But a group of robed Humans rushed into the opening. They raised staffs, wands, and books, creating a dome of earth. And the barrier halted Infi’s spell. The Archdemon of Pride snorted. He drew back, turning to the cursing figure behind him.

“What do you think, Debil? Should we just leave?”

Debil glanced back at him as she raised a fiery spike. She threw it into the Human army and shook her head.

“That fucking asshole sent us here to die, didn’t he? Just because we left him behind when that [Hellabomination] showed up and almost got him during a patrol.”

Both of them were [Fiends]. Archdemons who had crossed Level 100. They had been born nearly twenty Advents ago— they had been alive for so, so long. But that also meant that they were slower to level than most of Regnorex’s army.

They both considered themselves to be cautious, so even now, they were still in their low-100s in level. However, being cautious was the only way they could survive serving under their King. After all, Regnorex adhered to the right of might more than not— more than ninety percent of newly-recruited Demons from every cycle of Advent died before the next cycle of Advent began. And even the ones that survived that long were still likely to die at any point in time.

The Netherworld was already a harsh enough landscape even before having to heed Regnorex’s will. Unlike most of the other zealots following their King, Debil and Infi only joined Regnorex out of necessity. The only alternative was death, after all.

“I really think we should just leave, Debil.”

Infi shook his head as he faced the other [Fiend]. She paused, carrying a ball of flames with a frown.

“We’ll just be hunted and killed. What’s the point? At least here we’ll have a chance of fighting back and surviving.”

“We’re in the Mortal Realm now, aren’t we?”

He gestured at the world around them. Glancing back, he eyed the ritual site. He couldn’t see either Forti or most of the other Archdemons in view. He shrugged.

“Forti and the others probably left us here to die with these dumb Legions. Come on, there’s no way Regnorex can find us if we just take off and hide, right?”

“And what about the Humans?”

Debil asked, crossing her arms.

“They’ll kill us if they see us roaming around their world, you know?”

“They’re just Humans. We’ll just kill them first.”

Infi snickered. Debil blinked. She created a ball of black fire and tossed it into the Human army, incinerating dozens of low-leveled adventurers at once.

“Oh, you’re right.”

She smirked back at him as she took a step forward. Infi sighed in relief. He was glad she was finally seeing reason— he didn’t survive this long just to die to a bunch of Humans. If he was going to die, he’d rather die to his own kind than these mortals.

Debil nodded understandingly.

“Maybe we really should just leave—”

She started, only for an iridescent scythe to slice straight through her neck. Debil crumpled to the ground, lifeless. She didn’t even squeak. She didn’t react. She was dead before she even knew it.

Infi’s eyes grew wide. It took him a full moment to realize what happened. Debil— his one true companion— was dead. She had been with him ever since they were born. The two of them came from the same pool of Lifeblood. They were practically the same in all ways. His jaw dropped. He would have stayed standing there in utter disbelief if he didn’t see the flicker of the rainbow blade swinging his way.

The [Fiend] leapt back as the attack just barely missed him. He grunted, looking up at the assailant. A silver-haired girl wielding an iridescent scythe. She smirked at him as she stood atop the battlements.

“Hi! I’m Salvos!”

“You… you killed Debil, you bastard—”

Infi dashed forward, creating a spear made out of ice. He swung once— twice. She easily sidestepped the attacks, grinning back at the [Fiend]. He gritted his teeth and stabbed at her—

She swung down with her scythe, shattering the Spear of Ice. Infi’s eyes grew wide, and he backed up. Salvos just shook her head.

“I just told you, I’m Salvos. You should call me by my name.”

The silver-haired girl crossed her arms at him. He gritted his teeth.

“I will make you pay for that!”

Infi charged forward, casting aside all his fear. He wasn’t afraid of death. Not anymore. Not without Debil. He created a glinting blade made out of ice as Salvos readied herself for his attack.

But before he drew too close, there was a flash of lightning. The booming of thunder. Infi bellowed out a war cry— and those words echoed in his mind as everything went black.

Defeated [Fiery Fiend of Asmodai - Lvl. 118]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy at least 10 levels below you!

Defeated [Icy Fiend of Lucifiera - Lvl. 118]!

Less experience is awarded for defeating an enemy with the help of others!

I blinked as I watched the second [Fiend] evaporate into dust. A blast of lightning had struck him before I could finish him off. A powerful spell that could’ve only come from one person. I glanced up and exclaimed.

“Helena! You’re here!”

The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy stood atop her nimbus cloud floating over the clash of armies. She gave me a sidelong glance, and I tilted my head at her.

“What is it?”

Helena Warshade shook her head and gestured to the other sections of the walls where spells were being hurled down from.

“We take out the walls first. Then next, we destroy the ritual.”

She flew off to the other side of the walls, sending her lightning blasts down at the various Demons hiding on the battlements. I shrugged.

“That’s what I was going to do anyway, but ok.”

I dashed further down the city’s walls, using my spatial sense to find my next target.

“So they are here.”

Forti closed his eyes, strumming his fingers against the armrests as he sat listening to the battle playing out. A [Greater Legion] knelt before him, speaking calmly.

“Indeed. And we are being slaughtered.”

“So it seems.”

Forti got to his feet and shook his head. He waved a hand dismissively, turning back to the site of the sub-ritual. He placed his hands behind his back in parade rest as he whispered.

“Then it’s time to release it.”