He had instructed Xander to watch the borders five days ago when he started making his way here but the snake had seen no one and no activity. Either this ambush had been set up before he decided to run here or whoever did it was powerful enough to hide the levitation of boulders 3 meters across from Xander.
He is sure it is the first option and also has a very good idea about who is behind it, but it isn't time to point fingers just yet. He had to resolve these attacks for now.
He brought out his claymore and began to focus on it. Chaos flames concentrated on it at a rapid pace but he simply waited. He jumped up when the 3m diameter rocks had reached 20m away from the ground. He swung his claymore at the rock above him as he rose and released the blade of chaos flames he was brewing. The blade sliced through the rock cleanly and he flew through the gap created between the dissected rock.
The rocks struck the ground and created an explosion of earth and fire. He concentrated hard as he shot down a pillar of chaotic flames toward the ground. The pillar met the ground and pushed against it, which pushed him as he fell and slowed his descent. He sustained some damage from shrapnel but he escaped most of the damage and would be safe. He couldn't relax though.
The demon in the sky was releasing more rocks and this time they were not few and were not dropping down all at once. Aeternus looked at the sky and considered his options.
"There must be hundreds of them up there."
He realized that his ambushers must have prepared very well for him and he might not come out of this alive. He could see at least 100 such boulders floating in the sky. If they keep dropping them, odds are one of them will actually flatten him. The damage that it will do to him will be worse than some chipped ribs because of shrapnel. So he used one of his trump cards.
His body glowed an ominous dark light, almost purple. Then a beam of chaotic flames shot into the sky. It couldn't be dodged, so it destroyed the demon controlling the rocks and all the boulders in the sky in a glorious explosion. The attack was so powerful that the rocks were falling down as molten lava instead of rock fragments. That wasn't his concern anymore, he had already switched his attention to the group of high-rank demons flying toward him from all directions.
A force began to act on his body which slowed him down. The effect was small at first, barely noticeable, but it was increasing. Unlike the spirit attacks that had been going on since the attacks started, this wasn't useless. It would become a big problem when soon enough time has passed and it isn't a problem one should have during a fight.
They were all wearing the same cloak that covered their features but he could see their stats and name. Their identity didn't matter to him anyway, at least not now, he was more concerned about their abilities. They all had one boost under an ability named the Oath of the lord. It was a boost of gluttony. It took a little power from the foes that they kill and keeps it in store for future use.
It was enough information for him to know that they were working for the same boss and it has to be a very powerful boss too for them to have such a powerful boost. This boss is also the demon lord since there is only one demon in the plane with the ability to grant a boost through the oath of the lord.
'I was right about the demon lord having it out for me but I might have been wrong about the extent she was willing to go. I didn't think she would want me dead.
The recent developments have made him rethink his idea that the demon wouldn't want to let others kill him. He was sure she wanted to kill him herself. But he may be wrong about that. She may have decided to get rid of him so that others won't get him or she wants another demon to take his uniqueness.
He decided not to linger too long on the possibility. Her intention, motive, or aim doesn't matter in whether he tries to save himself or not.
He continued his search and spotted the one responsible for slowing down his body. It was a sleeping demon of sloth being carried by another demon of cowardice but he would have to go through the entire group if he intends to get to the demon of sloth.
That would be very difficult to do, to say the least. The demon of cowardice was lagging behind at the very back of the group and stopped 50 meters away from him. Plus the demon of cowardice had boosts that buffed only the agility stat. He would not be able to catch it if the demon is determined to stay away from him. The distance is also too far for his cloud of darkness to catch the demon unaware. It is already public knowledge to stay away from his cloud of darkness.
The bulky demon at the front of the group flew down with an axe which it swung down on him. Aeternus would have groaned if he could. He could tell that this was a demon of wrath and it was using a buff of increased resistance. The resistance increases the more damage the demon suffers.
The others in the group surrounded them and brought out bows. They began shooting arrows at them. They don't care about their comrades since he can shrug off the damage easily due to the increase in magical and physical resistance. With the situation of things, he won't be able to get past the demon of wrath while the others run interference.