BOOOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!
The clouds above parted, revealing a beam of purple light. Concentric rings, from large to small formed around the impact zone, emitting a deep vibration and an ominous humming sound.
This time, the Archdemon of War could neither block nor dodge. He was forced to face this highest tier of magic head-on, uncertain if either his armor, forged by a dying star, or his raw stats that could shrug off nuclear explosives, would be enough to withstand it.
The beam struck directly where he stood. The immense, crushing force drove him to his knees instantly. Beneath him, the ground began to crack, slowly forming a crater as a shockwave trembled through the entire region. Everyone throughout the Austronesia Empire could now witness the magic that could rival gods.
"RAGGGHHHHHH!!!"
Wil'liam struggled to endure. His armor crumbled, disintegrated piece by piece, but he stood firm as was swallowed up by the light, completely immersing him in its powerful embrace as his armor, body and both souls began to gradually vaporize until there was nothing left. However, that wasn't all.
The light traveled a further distance, going as far as miles upon miles, destroying whatever was in its path. As a result, several tall mountains that were high enough to receive the blast were easily obliterated by it.
It all happened in an instant too, at a speed mere humans could never comprehend.
Finally, as the spell concluded, it culminated in a massive explosion.
When the [Corruption of Stars], a Transcendent Tier 4 spell, finally lost its momentum, it left behind nothing but dust and debris. Half of Marawi city and the entire environment area was obliterated.
The demons who had survived the blast rushed over to the battle site, only to find a 2000-meter-wide-crater. In the center lay the Archdemon of War, Wil'liam
On the opposite side of the crater, they saw the Elven Goddess of the Holy Light, Rasera, floating in the sky, likely clearing herself from the massive blast. As her mana was nearly depleted, she descended rapidly.
But even though her energy was spent, the demonic energy miles in her surroundings suddenly converted back into pure mana by her mere presence and entered her body to recover her depleted power.
However, she was confused. Her attack had a greater disintegration effect. Not only could it vaporize anything, but it could also affect something at a soul level.
Somehow, War survived.
And the reason is simple...
"I decided to leave my dreary abode, yet what do I find here?" A voice that no one had ever heard before suddenly rang in everyone's ears.
It was loud.
It was deep.
It was commanding.
"This place looks even more boorish than the previous city. I wonder why..." The owner of the voice stood at the center of the chaos, almost as if he had been there all along.
He had flowing white hair, with hues of crimson-red and golden-yellow gleaming from its glossy surface, and his mature face lay bare for all to see.
This man wore a long, exquisite robe. The kind of apparel that only royalty would be allowed to wear. It had none of the unnecessary jewelry and excessive designs that often bloated the attire of human nobility, yet something about his form seemed more pristine.
He wore a single obsidian necklace that gleamed with otherworldly beauty, and his pure black attire had reddish designs that made it stand out beneath the glow of the moon.
The whites of his eyes were doused in black, and his irises were a fine blend of red and yellow.
Then, decorating his head, as if they were crowns born from his natural skin, were two red horns.
"Did someone die or something?" The man smiled, clearly chuckling at his joke as he floated about a meter in the air with two of his bat-like wings on his back and both hands were behind him as he observed his surroundings.
The filth and debris were all fed into his senses as he took a swift look around.
Standing behind him were two of his subordinates, Death and Famine. Although they were being completely silent and seemed very obedient, they both stared at the other two demons in the ground with a sneer.
"L-Lord Andromalius!" The voice of Wil'liam, who is now merely a half a head, rang out loud in a way that no one had ever heard before.
His tone was filled with only one thing.
...Pure reverence.
Who could blame him? For he was in the presence of one of the 72 Demon Lords, Lord Andromalius.
Compared to them, they were but mere specks that could do nothing but bow their heads and grovel before his magnificence.
"L-Lord Andromalius?!" Conquest shouted with a stupefied face.
That very moment, the creatures known as invincible showed greater awe and reverence to a more supreme entity.
"Well, this is indeed an unexpected turn of events..." The Demon Lord turned away from the weaker members of his race and finally returned his attention to the woman in armor who watched in absolute silence.
"So... were you the one who let out that powerful surge of mana?"
'Damn it, we're doomed.'
Those were Rasera's only thoughts when she gazed upon the Demon Lord.
The being's overwhelming presence, his immaculate attire, his commanding expression. All of it oozed the same thing.
Power.
Sheer, unbridled power!
Everyone present was nothing compared to this supreme entity, one that could even be revered as a deity.
He had survived and blocked [Corruption of Stars] with little damage. And despite her sheer willpower and hatred towards Demons, Rasera found her legs shaking, almost tempting to buckle and crumble to the earth.
It took all of her strength to remain upright and still.
Even the noisy demons in the area fell silent the moment the Demon Lord appeared, so the entire expanse became as silent as a graveyard.
Not even the strained breathing of the others could be heard.
They all had to be quiet and look to the one who held their lives in his hands.
"I asked a question, but it seems like you are not willing to respond." The Demon Lord itched his ear a little, scanning the audience a little before sighing.
"Look, you should just relax a little, okay? I didn't come here to fight or anything. If I did, you'd be dead by now."
The Demon Lord was right.
Yet, the way he said it so casually made Rasera's heart squeeze in pain. The weight of powerlessness was heavy on her, but she could still say nothing.
"You can rest assured that I won't harm you right now. I'll take my leave as soon as I'm done satiating my curiosity, so don't worry." He added, scanning the audience once again.
Despite being a goddess, Rasera's mind was clouded by grief, pain, and fear, but there was no way she would fall for such an obvious front from a treacherous demon.
The smile of the Demon Lord was calm, kind, and even somewhat friendly. It seemed so genuine that, despite his overwhelming presence and might, one could probably believe his words and sympathize with his intentions.
But...
'I'm not buying it.' Her mind echoed as she gritted her teeth.
Demons were the pinnacle of evil. They desired nothing but chaos and took pleasure in inflicting as much of that chaos on those they deemed inferior to them.
There was no way a Demon Lord would try to sympathize with anything other than themselves, or think of sparing them upon meeting them.
Demons were brutal and merciless, and this one was no exception.
'He'll get the information he desires, and then he'll annihilate everyone and everything that exists in his line of sight.'
No one would be spared from his power.
"I can see that you distrust me quite a bit, and I understand why..." Andromalius' voice suddenly echoed in the air, instantly suspending Rasera's thoughts.
"But you're really overestimating yourself if you think I would make a personal effort to eliminate you." He sighed. "Where's the pleasure in that?"
Rasera felt her teeth clenching against each other as she made a deep scowl.
The Demon Lord looked at her in particular and broadened his smile. "Even now, despite seeing you cause so much damage to two of my subordinates, especially receiving such blatant disrespect and sensing such deep animosity from you, I still refuse to take your life."
Yes. He made it a point that he could kill her at any time.
Rasera and Andromalius were miles apart in strength and power, and even if the Goddess was in her true power, she still doubted on defeating him.
Her life was literally in his hands.
"I just don't want to. It'll be too bland to do so now, especially since it proves me right that there are stronger powers out there in the world," he chuckled, "So in essence... you were not worthy to die by my hands."
He floated off from Rasera and went to the side of the two injured subordinates, his backs turned against the purported enemy.
But, both sides knew that they were no real threats to him.
"But instead, I'll let you be the punching bag of two of my subordinates here. Haha! Have fun!" He waved, and then in the blink of an eye, all three of them vanished.
VWUSH!
And with that, slight crackles of crimson lightning and energy danced around the area where the three demons previously occupied. Now, it was empty.
The only ones left on the devastated grounds were Rasera and the two demons.
"So Famine, you heard our master," A new voice suddenly echoed, and Rasera looked up to see the two Archdemons floating in the air with their wings spread wide.
"Of course I do, Azeroth," Famine said as her gaze examined Rasera's body.
Despite her armor covering almost every inch with less skin exposed, her curvy figure was still evident.
"I just can't wait to make her my toy," Famine said, licking her lips subconsciously with a predatory gaze.
Sensing this, Rasera couldn't help but feel disgusted. Those hungry eyes reminded her of how she had been ogled by other degenerate gods during her time meeting with the deities in their domain.
The next moment, two new wings of devastation erupt from her back, emitting brilliant light that blinded onlookers and caused mass destruction in their path.
With a flap of her wings, Rasera flew hundreds of meters into the sky in less than a second, leaving a massive crater below and facing her opponent at the same altitude.
Seeing this, Death started glowing intensely with demonic energy and a smile spreading across his face.
"Yes! This is it! Show us what you can do!" he said, tightening his grip on his crimson-glowing scythe.
Behind him, Famine stepped forward and stood next to Death.
"Awake."
BOOOM!
A terrific aura exploded from Famine's voluptuous body and headed straight to the sky.
Booom! Boom! Boom!
In seconds, Famine's body transformed into a humanoid dragon form, complete with two curved dark horns, a long tail, and dragon scales. Clenching her fist, Famine, who had awakened the dragon soul she fused with, felt infinite power.
Crack!
The entire world seemed to tremble as she clenched her fist, as if she held the world in her palm.
In the next moment, a spear emitting a scarlet-red mist that screamed death appeared in her hand.
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"Hah! I miss this feeling," the transformed Famine said with a hoarse voice that shook the surrounding space. She raised her spear and swung it.
BOOM!
The dark clouds surrounding her were split in two, and a mountain two kilometers away was cleaved in half.
As the three prepared to begin their fight, none of them noticed they were being watched from space.