"Impudent fool, tell me your purpose and I might spare you!!!?"
The lesser demon’s voice rang across the ruined battlefield, thick with arrogance and desperation.
Even now, when nearly every demon under his command had been reduced to ash, scorched silhouettes, or broken corpses scattered across the ground, he still believed himself to be in a position to negotiate.
His grip on the halberd tightened, and his stance widened slightly as if asserting dominance as if his posture alone could somehow shift the situation back in his favor.
Will heard the warning clearly and could not stop the faint chuckle that escaped his lips. It was not loud, nor was it mocking in an exaggerated way. It was the kind of quiet, tired amusement one felt when listening to someone who still had not understood how badly things had gone wrong.
Spiritual energy flickered into existence around Will’s right hand, shimmering faintly.
It was not unstable, it moved with precise intent, flowing outward in controlled threads that spread across the battlefield like invisible fingers.
The crude weapons scattered across the ground responded instantly.
Halberds, daggers, chipped swords, maces, and broken spears that had once been wielded by the fallen demons began to tremble.
Then, one by one, they lifted from the ground. Dust and ash slid off their surfaces as they rose, suspended in midair beside Will.
The number of weapons was staggering. Dozens quickly turned into hundreds, all hovering at different angles, their rusted edges and jagged forms pointed toward the lone surviving demon.
The lesser demon’s eyes widened slightly, though he quickly masked the reaction behind a sneer.
"Cheap tricks," he growled in his rough voice "Do you think scraps and trash can..."
Will did not wait for him to finish.
With a subtle shift of his fingers, the spiritual energy surged forward.
The weapons launched like a storm.
The air screamed as countless metal objects tore through it, converging on the lesser demon from every angle.
The demon reacted instantly, his SS-rank perception allowing him to track most of the incoming threats.
He twisted his body, stepped back, and swung his halberd in wide arcs, deflecting some weapons while narrowly dodging others.
Several blades still struck him. A dagger cut across his shoulder. A broken spear pierced through his thigh.
A mace slammed into his ribs with enough force to crack bone. However, none of these attacks were fatal. His demon body absorbed the damage, and dark energy surged to repair what little harm had been done.
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"Is that all?" he sneered. "You should have.."
Before he could speak, words got caught in his throat.
Among the swarm of crude weapons, one object gleamed differently.
It was not larger, nor was it more ornate, but it carried a sharpness that did not belong among rusted iron and broken steel.
The dust kicked up by the earlier barrage had partially concealed it, and by the time the demon noticed the glint, it was already too late.
The world seemed to shift.
Will appeared behind him.
There was no loud movement, no dramatic flash of light. One moment, the lesser demon was facing forward, and the next, a presence existed behind him that made his instincts scream in terror.
Pain exploded through his body.
One of his arms fell to the ground with a heavy thud, severed cleanly at the shoulder. The cut was precise, so clean that for a fraction of a second, the demon did not even register what had happened.
Then the pain reached his mind, and a howl tore from his throat as dark blood sprayed across the scorched earth.
He staggered forward, clutching the empty space where his arm had been, and turned with murderous intent.
"You will regret this!" he roared, his remaining hand gripping the halberd so tightly that the weapon creaked.
"Just shut up."
Will’s voice was flat and unamused.
He vanished again.
The lesser demon barely had time to raise his halberd before Will reappeared, this time directly in front of him.
The demon blocked the incoming strike by instinct alone, the clash of metal rang out sharply as sword met halberd.
Sparks flew as the weapons clashed against each other, and the ground beneath their feet cracked from the force.
Despite the demon’s rank, despite his experience, it was immediately clear that he was being overwhelmed.
Will was no longer relying on invisibility, arrows, or elemental advantages. He fought purely with swordsmanship now, his movements were filled with strength and control.
Every step was calculated. Every swing of his blade flowed seamlessly into the next, leaving no openings.
The demon retaliated with brute strength, swinging his halberd in wide, destructive arcs meant to overpower and crush.
However, Will slipped past each attack with minimal movement, redirecting force rather than opposing it directly.
Steel rang again and again as the two exchanged blows.
The demon snarled, pouring more demonic energy into his strikes, but it made little difference. Will’s techniques were simply superior.
After several exchanges, Will’s expression changed slightly.
He decided it was time.
Sovereign Sword intent surged.
A golden aura flared around his blade, sharp and oppressive.
The air itself seemed to grow heavier as the intent infused into every motion he made. From that moment onward, each strike carried a weight that far exceeded what his rank should have allowed.
The lesser demon felt it immediately.
His movements slowed, not because his body could not keep up, but because his instincts were screaming at him to retreat. Every clash rattled his bones. Each block sent shockwaves through his arms. His halberd began to crack under the pressure.
He tried to roar, to rally his remaining strength, but fear had already taken root.
Minutes passed in what felt like seconds.
By the time the final strike landed, the outcome was inevitable.
Will stood breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling as exhaustion finally caught up to him. Beneath his feet lay the massive purple body of the lesser demon, completely still. The demon’s skull had been torn apart, leaving behind a grotesque and unmistakable scene of finality.
There was no life left in his eyes.
****
Meanwhile, a Few hours ago...
Bloodveil empire...
Vampire troops moved with terrifying speed as they rushed toward the heavily guarded entrance of the Abyssal Node.
Their pale figures blurred through the terrain, cloaks snapping behind them as their auras pressed outward instinctively.
At the head of the formation was a high-ranking noble vampire, his posture immaculate and his expression tightly controlled. He was the personal butler of the Vampire Queen, a figure feared even among the aristocracy.
This elite force had been gathered for one purpose.
To rescue the royal princess.
Despite their overwhelming power, beads of sweat formed on the foreheads of these pale figures. Each of them understood the stakes clearly. If anything had happened to the princess, the Empress would not hesitate to drive daggers laced with garlic through their hearts herself.
***
Back in the Abyssal Node, the battlefield had fallen silent.
Will surveyed the destruction briefly before turning his attention toward the heavily reinforced carts that had been the true objective all along.
He approached the largest carriage and raised his hand. Sword intent surged outward, slicing cleanly through the reinforced gate. Metal screamed as it split in two and collapsed inward.
As the opening cleared, a single figure came into view.
Will froze.
"What is she doing here??"
Inside the carriage lay a pale figure dressed in gothic black, her form delicate and unmoving. Crimson eyes flickered weakly beneath a scarlet veil, and deep crimson hair spilled across the floor beneath her.
Kathrine Nightreign.
The Vampire Princess.
One of the main cast.
She lay weak and trembling, her body clearly starved of blood for days. The exposure to demonic energy caused her skin to shiver violently, her breathing was shallow and uneven.
"She’s feeling cold."
The system responded immediately.
[host I advise you to be a man and provide her with the warmth of your blood]
"tsk, say it clearly," Will replied internally. "You want me to place a binder on her."
He had delayed doing so before due to the immense distance between Riverdale Empire and Blood veil Empire. Now that the opportunity stood before him, there was no reason to let it slip away.
Will stepped into the carriage and carefully lifted Kathrine into his arms. Her body was unnaturally light, and her head lolled weakly as he carried her.
He sat down at one end of the carriage and rested her head gently on his lap.
"hey, hello!!!, UIMM miss wake up!!"
He tried speaking, tapping her cheek lightly, but she did not respond. Her condition was worse than he had expected.
At last, he sighed.
There was no other option.
Will drew a dagger and made a clean cut across his palm. Blood flowed instantly, and he deliberately stopped the wound from healing.
The scent of blood filled the carriage.