513. The Rose Has Thorns

Saffron saw the explosion. A blast of black flames that came from the center of the ruins of Inor. The city was now nothing but mounds of rubble and debris— having been blown apart by both the grand ritual and by the fighting. The grand summoning ritual did not help, but at that point, the Capital city of the Inoria Empire was already unrecognizable.

But even still, that blast of black flames drew the attention of everyone in the battlefield. It wasn’t just Saffron who was briefly distracted, turning to see the source of the explosion. Helena Warshade, Peris Dolonia, Laux Lionfist, Daniel Song, Edithe Dawnrise— the entire Human army raised their heads as the rumbling shook the battlefield. And they all saw the same thing.

An undulating figure that stretched nearly a hundred feet. As long as a Wyvern, and more terrifying than any Demon Saffron had ever seen. It was Levithus. A Primeval Demon; a [Hellprince]. He exploded up in the tempest of fire as Salvos the Sentinel of Secely and Mori Gladius the Champion of the Human Lands clashed with him in battle.

It was a sight to behold. Even a few of the Demon soldiers turned to stare at their leader fighting. But not all of them. Especially not the wild Demons. The [Archarachne] hissed as it raised its scythe-like blade at Helena. The Great Tempest Archmage of Mavos Academy was uncharacteristically distracted by what she saw. And that made her vulnerable.

The [Archarachne] swung down at her, only for a figure clad in a knight’s arm to block the attack. Kaitlin Darkhelm repelled the slash with her shield as she yelled out.

“Now!”

And a large man leapt out. His four arms were hefted over a great axe. His one eye fixed only on the [Archarachne]’s neck. The wild Primeval Demon tried to stumble back, but it was too slow. Too tired and too hurt. Revis Umontos, the Seer of the Cosmos, cleaved the [Archarachne]’s head straight off.

The last of the wild Primeval Demons collapsed, sending a small tremor that nearly knocked Saffron off her feet. A hand caught her, and she glanced back.

“Careful.”

Crocus Merryster— Saffron’s father— helped her to her feet. She turned back to face him as she blinked. He just stared forward, watching Salvos and Mori fight.

“Your friend is really impressive, isn’t she?”

He spoke as she shook his head. Saffron paused, even the fighting continued on. She heard the cheers. She watched as the United Coalition Army of the Human Lands pushed on. But she just saw the look on her father’s face.

“It was not too long ago we were roughly the same level. Now look at her.”

Crocus stepped forward as he reached for a crimson vial at his side. Saffron’s eyes grew wide. Reaching out, she tried to stop him.

“Father—”

She started. But he stepped forward and downed the red liquid. And he was consumed by a red aura. His muscles rippled as he smashed the glass bottle against the rock ground.

“Vampires!”

He yelled as his voice echoed around him. All the nearby Vampires turned to face him. It didn’t matter which family they belonged to— whether they were a part of the Greater Vampire Families or not. Gannon Norwood, Anya Veridian, Bolton Crimsonfang— each and every head of the various families nodded at each other.

They followed suit. They downed their own respective bottles of red liquid as Saffron just watched with wide eyes. It wasn’t just them, either. A few of their most loyal followers— their highest-leveled bodyguards— uncorked vials of their own and gulped it all down.

“That’s… blood.”

Saffron whispered. Crocus himself nodded as he turned back to his daughter. His eyes unfocused, and he spoke slowly. Like he was barely in control of his own thoughts.

“This is blood— blood of our fallen comrades.”

He took in a deep breath, steeling himself.

“The blood of our greatest warriors who have perished over the course of this war. It will help us remember what we are fighting for… even when we give in… to our innate bloodlust.”

Crocus Merryster stepped back as he reeled. Saffron reached for him.

“Father…”

But he shrugged her off. He forced himself forward as the crimson aura wisped wildly off him. He raised his head and roared.

“It is time for us to show our grit as the Demon Slayers we are said to be!”

And with that, he charged into battle with the greatest fighters of the Vampire families. They tore through the remaining ranks of Demons as they encroached on the grand summoning ritual. This was it. The final push. Saffron looked on, seeing the might of the Vampires in action. As they slew Demons above their levels.

She was so entranced by what she saw, she didn’t even notice that with each death, the grand summoning ritual just grew stronger.

Scarlet the Red Rose swept her gaze around the rubble. Before her stood a [Cerberus] that was nearly 30 levels above her. A Primeval Demon that snarled even as it stepped forward with a limp. It was clearly the most dangerous creature here. The most able one, too. But for whatever reason, her focus was at the two figures behind her.

No— Scarlet wasn’t staring at Salvos. Even though the silver-haired girl was a Lesser God, the Red Rose looked past her to the giant insect. He was shaped vaguely like a fly, except with the upper torso of a Human, and spindly arms that drooped to his side. He stared down at Scarlet with his bulbous eyes, and she frowned.

“I recognize you.”

She whispered. Scarlet would never forget him. He was a [Hellprince]. A Primeval Demon. He was the one who appeared all those years ago from the Motharis Mountain Range. But more importantly than that, she recognized from Westshield.

He was Belzu, and he was the one responsible for Mori’s death.

“So it was all an illusion. All this time, it was fake. And you were the one responsible for it.”

Scarlet spoke as the [Cerberus] circled dangerously around her. But it didn’t pounce. It just watched as the Red Rose turned to face Belzu.

“You killed Mori Gladius. But you weren’t satisfied with that. You took his identity after his death. You pretended to be him, just so you could manipulate us from the inside.”

She faced him, and he hesitated. Belzu looked past her, seeing the smirking [Cerberus]. Its wounds were gradually healing. It seemed content to let this scene play out. And Salvos just eyed its three grinning faces.

“Um, I think we have other things to worry about…”

Scarlet shook her head as raised a dagger. Staring down at the crimson blade, she spoke softly.

“I thought he had returned. I really believed he had escaped death once again. But I was wrong. I was so… so… stupid.”

Belzu didn’t respond. He just clicked his mandibles together. He hovered there, his wings rapidly buzzing as he stared at the Red Rose. If he had something to say, he wasn’t going to say it. He just waited for Scarlet to continue.

And she would have continued. There were so many things she wanted to say. Her head was spinning. Her world was broken. She was disillusioned. Out of every possible person in the world who could have been responsible for this deception, it had to be Belzu.

She gritted her teeth as she opened her mouth.

“You—”

But she was cut off as a rumbling shook the world. Salvos and Belzu glanced back, watching as the grand summoning ritual flashed. A black spire rose out in its entirety as the gray world flickered.

Belzu blinked, and Salvos gaped.

“The [Antimagic Field]... it’s faltering!”

The silver-haired girl gritted her teeth as she spoke. Belzu spun around and looked past Scarlet, staring at the wary [Cerberus].

“This is ridiculous. There is no point in having this confrontation. It was not I who killed your beloved Mori Gladius. And if we waste any more time, the summoning ritual will be complete. Clayton’s Grand Skill will come to an end. Either give us the Treasures of Alexander, or get out of the way.”

He raised a spindly hand as Scarlet blinked. She looked down at herself. An iridescent aura wisped off her— the only color in this flickering gray world. The Treasures of Alexander still shone brightly. She wore both the Boots of Alexander and the Greaves of Alexander. They had been lying around carelessly tossed aside, so she equipped them.

But now she knew it had been in Belzu’s possession. He demanded them back, but she wouldn’t give it to him. She pressed her lips into a thin line as the ground cracked. There was a lull— a moment of silence where nothing happened. Belzu and Scarlet faced each other, neither one moving. And, finally, the [Cerberus] pounced forward.

It took its chance. It saw the way Scarlet was facing off with Belzu, so it charged forward. It swiped its claws straight for the insect’s head, faster than he could react. Salvos raised a hand and cried out as Belzu flinched.

“Belzu—”

But instead of the splattering of black blood, there was the clash of metal. The flash of iridescent light. Scarlet Vermillion stood before Belzu, blocking the attack aimed for his head. She had her legs raised. The claws of the [Cerberus] grazed against the metallic surface of the Greaves of Alexander.

And she kicked the wolf-like Demon back. It yelped as it hopped away from her.

“I understand that.”

Scarlet spoke, glancing back at the [Cerberus]. She stared at Salvos and Belzu. She looked at the way they eyed each other— they were fighting together against a common enemy. So it was obvious who was the bad guy here.

The Red Rose turned to face the [Cerberus] as she continued.

“I am no fool. I understand that you are not the current enemy, I understand that this [Cerberus] is who we have to take down right now— that otherwise, this grand summoning ritual will be complete, and all our efforts will be in vain.”

The [Cerberus] growled as it eyed the Red Rose. It sprinted around her, leaping from side to side before darting straight her way. Scarlet moved. She reacted faster than her mind could even process what was happening. She kicked up with the Greaves of Alexander, once again parrying the clawed strike. There was a flash of sparks, and she backed away.

But she still continued speaking to Belzu.

“However, that doesn’t change the fact that you killed Mori Gladius. You took his identity. You can say you did not kill him, but it was because of your actions he died. And you are as culpable for his death as much as even Levithus.”

She stepped forward and threw a kick at one of the three heads of the [Cerberus]. It ducked under the strike, and countered with a flurry of strikes which she narrowly avoided thanks to the Boots of Alexander. She gritted her teeth as she eyed the [Cerberus].

“Once this is over, I shall bring you to justice, Belzu. I shall expose your deceit to the world. And you will pay!”

Scarlet screamed, leaping at the [Cerberus]. She raised her daggers as she uttered a Skill.

“[Fatal Division—”

She started. But the [Cerberus] just opened one of its three mouths. A cone of black flames was already shooting out when the Red Rose realized she had thrown herself right into the attack.

“No—”

Scarlet the Red Rose tried to pull out of her way. It was as though the world moved in slow motion. She saw the breath of black fire coming her way, but she couldn’t escape. And a hand grabbed her from the side.

“Stupid!”

Salvos called out, dragging Scarlet out of the way of the attack. The Red Rose blinked and found herself in the air. She was being carried by Salvos who was barely keeping afloat with only three of her six wings.

“You’re 30 levels below him! Just because you’re fast with the Boots of Alexander, doesn’t mean you won’t die if he touches you even once!”

The silver-haired girl reprimanded Scarlet as she descended back to the ground. The [Cerberus] spun around, growling dangerously as the Red Rose got back to her feet.

“I-I… right.”

Scarlet nodded slowly, and Salvos looked past the Red Rose with a wary gaze. The silver-haired girl lifted a scythe made of gray flames before gesturing at the [Cerberus].

“Anyway, if you really want to get revenge, you’re in luck— because this [Cerberus] is Levithus. So now’s your chance to kill him as well!”

“What?”

The Red Rose paused. Her eyes darted to the [Cerberus], and she saw the look on its three faces. It was hurt and injured and… it was sapient. It understood what was going on. It very clearly knew what Salvos was saying was true.

Scarlet eyed the growling [Cerberus] as she whispered softly.

“That’s Levithus?”

“Yep.”

Salvos nodded. Scarlet closed her eyes for a moment, before nodding at herself. She remembered Levithus— the large serpent that appeared from above the clouds. He had slain Mori Gladius from behind, right as the Champion of the Human Lands was about to defeat Belzu. And from that day on, Scarlet’s life had been full of nothing but sadness and anger.

For all that pain and suffering, it was finally time for revenge. The Red Rose raised her head and nodded.

“Then let’s deal with him, so we can deal with Belzu next.”

Salvos just grinned.

“Alright!”

And the two women charged forward as the [Cerberus] howled. The three of them clashed in combat. A battle that was but a blur. Three combatants, moving so fast that even most Elites couldn’t keep up.

All the while Belzu just watched from a distance.