Barra joined the Boltner army waiting at Uppsala Castle.
“Welcome, Lady Barra,” King August III of Boltner, clad in armor, greeted her with a wide smile.
“Your Majesty, to greet me in person, I am humbled,” Barra replied.
“Nonsense, it is I who am indebted for my daughter’s care…” The conversation, which was about to veer in an unwelcome direction, was hastily corrected by Barra.
“So, what about the enemy?” The King’s expression turned serious.
“Hmm, they are approaching leisurely. They probably intend to crush us with fear,” he speculated. A Demon, who relished human suffering, would do such a thing. It was well-known that many possessed cruel desires, enjoying tormenting and humiliating others. This was one of the major reasons why demons and humans could not coexist.
“By the way, Lady Barra, what is the plan? We’ve been debating here whether to charge, charge cautiously, or charge with all our might.” Barra felt a wave of dizziness but convinced herself it was not the time to succumb and decided to press on with her questions. She had to ensure they accepted the plan for Marius to defeat the high-ranking demon and rush to their aid, a plan that went against the Boltner people’s nature.
“Which option is most favored?” she asked, intending to persuade the proponent of the most likely plan. It was standard practice to target the most influential person when trying to convince a group of Boltner people.
“My plan,” the King declared. “Since it’s a demon, we’ll charge as opportunities arise.”
“Please, let’s move away from charging first,” Barra interjected, already feeling fatigued. The Boltner army’s charge was among the best on the continent, but she doubted its effectiveness against a demonic army composed primarily of the Undead. If left to their own devices, they would be annihilated before Marius could arrive.
“Who will take command?” Barra asked. The King raised his hand. Marquis Moruto, who had silently joined them, looked at Barra with pleading eyes.
“I was against it. Can you stop him?” he implored.
“…It’s unlikely,” Barra replied. She understood Moruto’s feelings deeply, but this was a difficult situation. Barra’s question was primarily for confirmation. A subject could not issue orders to their king. Moreover, with Barra present, a royal would be the most suitable commander, and the only royals present were August III and Barra herself. In the face of the impending great battle, it was unthinkable to proceed without two of humanity’s strongest individuals. Thus, one of them had to take command. However, Barra, while experienced in small-scale skirmishes against bandits and monsters, had no experience in a large-scale war like this. Her anxiety about entrusting her with the command of the entire army was too great, and she didn’t volunteer. By elimination, August III was the only option. But this presented its own set of problems. When the Demon Rebera appeared, August III and Barra would be engaged in confronting her, potentially leaving the army without a leader. The arrangement was fraught with problems, but the fact that the King and Princess were among humanity’s strongest was already problematic. Burdening Marius with all the powerful enemies was also an issue, but it was futile to mention it, so Barra changed the subject.
“I think it’s best to decide what to do if Your Majesty cannot command,” she suggested. Zofi had mentioned that Rebera was short-tempered and aggressive, so she would undoubtedly be on the front lines. Barra believed that only someone like Marius could command allies while fighting demons. Heeding Barra’s words, it was decided that in case of an emergency, generals would command their respective subordinate units.
“They’re here! The enemy!” a soldier from atop the fortress shouted. It was less of opportune timing and more of the enemy’s sheer contempt for humans that led to their leisurely advance coinciding with this moment.
“Now, men! Let’s survive and raise a toast!” The King’s rather crude rallying cry was met with a roar from the soldiers. Barra ignored it, thinking, “As long as the soldiers are motivated, anything goes.” The important thing was the result, victory, not the form, and it would be foolish to nitpick here.
The Undead soldiers attempted to scale the castle walls, becoming targets for fire arrows and holy magic.
“Souls trapped in confusion, return to your true form by the guiding light! [Exorcism]” Barra’s clear voice echoed, and a torrent of pure light surged toward the Undead. This was a purification magic symbolic of light, and although it lacked offensive power, it was nearly invincible against the Undead. Barra was the only one purifying multiple Undead simultaneously; other mages were attacking in groups. No one present possessed the skill level to emulate Barra’s feat.
“They’re so clumsy,” the King of Boltner, with no role to play, clicked his tongue in a mixture of exasperation and dissatisfaction. It might be a strategy to exhaust the mages through sheer numbers, but it was too crude. Even with a large force, the slow-moving, unvarying nature of the Undead made them unsuitable for assaulting a castle. His dissatisfaction stemmed from the fact that casualties were already starting to mount, a stark reminder of the power of sheer numbers. However, they didn’t seem to possess the strength that had annihilated Berganda so quickly.
(Was Berganda’s swift downfall due to the Demon’s combat prowess…?) The speed of their advance had led to speculation that someone knowledgeable in human warfare was involved, but perhaps it was unfounded. According to Zofi, “Demons underestimate humans,” so they might be holding back or merely testing the waters. A fundamental principle of warfare is to avoid wasting troops or creating idle reserves. However, when magical soldiers are involved, they need to be allowed to rest appropriately. Not everyone can unleash area-of-effect spells like Marius or Barra. They must be employed based on the capabilities of the average magical soldier; they are worth that special treatment, as magical soldiers possess the greatest firepower among all troop types.
“[Exorcism]” Zombies were purified one after another, creating a void that was immediately filled. The current situation was by no means bad; if only Marius would return. As if mocking Barra’s wish, a sudden roar erupted, and a castle gate was pulverized. Furthermore, cracks appeared in the castle walls, and soldiers who had been on top of them tumbled down, swallowed by the tide of Undead. Merely destroying a castle gate might be possible for Trolls or Orcs. However, only one type of being could produce the destruction needed to crack the castle walls.
“Don’t get cocky, humans!” It was the Demon Rebera.
“I, Princess Barra, and Al will engage them. The rest is up to you.” August III’s decision was swift. He leaped from the castle wall, landing perfectly. Barra followed, using levitation magic, inwardly astonished that the King of Boltner wasn’t using reinforcing spells. She glared at Rebera, who cast a lecherous gaze her way.
“Ho, a brave woman,” the gaze and voice contained an unpleasantness that would offend even a man. August III felt subtly ignored.
“I am August, King of Boltner. Demon, I am the one who will kill you.” Rebera’s interest shifted from Barra to the King’s proud self-introduction.
“Oh? Humans collapse when their king is killed, right? Then it’s over if I kill you!” Rebera swung her greatsword. August III blocked it with his spear, but the immense shock forced him to step back. His hands went numb, but he sustained no other damage. This was not due to the Boltner people’s robust physique but because Barra managed to cast a reinforcing spell in time. Rebera noticed this immediately.
“Oh? a powerful mage, are we? Perhaps this will be enjoyable?” Rebera licked her lips and readied her greatsword. August III, his hands finally recovering, moved into a position that seemed to shield Barra. As Rebera grinned and raised her greatsword, Al’s kick sprang from the shadows, striking the back of her head. Rebera, stumbling forward, looked back and unleashed a wave of anger at her attacker.
“You, Al! Traitor!”
“You’re wide open, Rebera,” Al taunted calmly, unfazed by the Demon’s fury. Seeing this, Rebera’s anger intensified.
“Don’t get cocky, you subordinate scum!” As she prepared to swing her greatsword, a strange sensation, like an electric current, coursed through her body, causing her to falter. Rebera realized it was a charm-type attack, a specialty of Succubi, and resisted. In that moment, August III and Barra prepared their own powerful attacks.
“…Annihilate all existence! [Lava Flow]” Six masses of lava appeared and struck Rebera like bullets. This was Barra’s signature third-tier magic.
“Gah! You dare [unintelligible] vermin!” Despite taking the full force of the attack, Rebera roared in anger, not fear. Though her skin and armor showed some damage, she was not unharmed. The main battle in the Boltner region had just begun.
At Appalachia Fortress in Seraeno, the demonic army had already begun its invasion, and the Seraeno army held the advantage. As others had pointed out, the demonic army seemed to be poor at castle sieges; otherwise, the casualties would be much higher.
“It would be bad if flying monsters attacked from above and Trolls attacked the castle gates simultaneously,” observed Gai, the young general of Seraeno. While they had some anti-air capabilities, having to constantly monitor multiple directions would be mentally draining.
“[Exorcism]” To the surprise of the demons, the Seraeno soldiers were using purification magic while fighting. They were all highly trained battle mages—the very reason the Seraeno army was hailed as the strongest on the continent. While many individuals across the continent could fight in close combat and use magic, it was no ordinary feat to do so effectively in the midst of battle.
“Hmm, are they preparing for a war of attrition?” Hemrooth, the supreme commander of the magical soldiers, tried to discern the demonic army’s objective. Magical soldiers boast the highest firepower but also suffer the fastest attrition. Only a select few top-tier mages possess inexhaustible magic; general magical soldiers need to rest periodically. Normally, a general’s skill is showcased by expertly rotating troops to allow magical soldiers to rest. However, in Seraeno’s case, everyone was a battle mage and required even longer rest periods than regular magical soldiers. Yet, even with this, they had ample room to maneuver. Zombies, capable only of advancing, biting, and scratching, were no match for the well-trained Seraeno army. Nevertheless, some casualties were unavoidable, but they could be treated with healing magic when opportunities arose. The problem would arise if a Demon appeared. El, a Succubus, had been sent as reinforcements, but it was uncertain how effective she would be. Hemrooth himself, along with Grand General Volaes and El, were three of humanity’s strongest, but against a sufficiently powerful enemy, they might prove insufficient.
(Gastark, though…) While not an uncommon name, it was one that would cause many Seraeno people to frown. The late King Derek’s elder brother, who had been exiled and presumed dead, was also named Gastark.
“Lord Hemrooth!” A soldier called out, and Hemrooth turned in his direction. The brave Seraeno soldier, looking somewhat pale, pointed to the sky. Looking up, he saw a shadow floating in the air, clad in a tattered robe.
“A Demon,” Hemrooth stated. He noted that despite their crude fighting style, the enemy’s judgment was not poor. Or perhaps they were simply impatient.
“Your plans will not succeed. Leave now, with dignity!” the voice of Volaes, the Grand General and commander of this fortress, echoed. The soldiers chanted in unison. It was fitting for a Grand General; Hemrooth couldn’t emulate such a commanding presence. A low, eerie laugh erupted, shattering their unified call.
“As valiant as ever, Volaes.” The Demon in the robe removed its hood. Upon seeing its face, all the Seraeno soldiers froze. It should have been a fatal opening, but the demonic army had also halted their advance, so there was no immediate disaster.
“Ah, ah…” The Seraeno Grand General, of all people, was speechless, gasping pathetically. Hemrooth, far from scolding him, felt profound sympathy. Beneath the hood was the face of a young man, resembling King Derek – the face of Prince Gastark, who was supposed to be dead.
“He… he was supposed to be dead…” Hemrooth managed to utter, his voice trembling. Although his body was never found, he had fallen from a cliff with his magic sealed. Worse still, the area below was a nest of monsters. It would have been more surprising if his body had been discovered, so everyone had accepted his death without much question. That, they now realized, was their mistake.
“I did indeed come close to death. However, I was saved by Rubens, who happened to pass by, and I became a Demon.” A murmur swept through the ranks.
“I am the Demon Gastark. I have come to kill you all.” Gastark declared loudly, brimming with hatred.
“Did you sell your soul to demons?! Have you no pride as Seraeno royalty?!” Volaes’s cry was met with a cold smirk.
“Of course, I do. This is a battle to reclaim my pride. I will kill you all, conquer the continent, and engrave the name Gastark Seraeno in history!” Hemrooth momentarily wondered if Gastark had used the Demon for this purpose, but quickly dismissed the thought. If that were the case, he wouldn’t have called out “Lord Rubens.”
(If Gastark is alive… could Mergen also be…?) Hemrooth’s next thought turned to that possibility. They were not biological brothers but sworn sworn brothers. However, Mergen had committed suicide and set fire to his home after being reprimanded for siding with Gastark. This was the “truth” as passed down in Seraeno. Of course, the Seraeno Royal Family had pursued Mergen not for supporting Gastark, but because they considered him to be allied with the true evil that had manipulated and used Gastark for nefarious purposes.
“May you all be brutally murdered by those zombies!” Gastark waved his hand, and the demonic army resumed its advance. He seemed unwilling to fight himself and retreated towards the rear.
“This has become more than a joke,” spoken by Gai, his words vanished without reaching anyone. Everyone realized what Hemrooth had realized. Seeing that Gastark was not attacking, El decided to lend her support to the human forces. She could not bring herself to charge alone into the ranks of the shambling zombie soldiers.
