This was an unbelievable sight to the four Grand Generals. This was the first time they faced something so atrocious, so impossible, that they refused to believe it even after seeing it with their own eyes!
"Is this truly a recently summoned Hero? We've fought heroes before, but they were never this ridiculous!" Agamemken complained.
"Keroro! You fought this guy previously, was he this ridiculous?!" Agamemvulf interrogated.
"Don't call me Keroro! I'll kill you! Yeah, I even killed him to prevent further troubles!" Agamemkeru, also known as Keroro, rebutted.
"Then her majesty's conjecture is spot-on? He really received a powerup after dying?! That's truly unreasonable!" Agamemsarai, interjected.
The four of them had a unified skill called [Alliance of Four] through which they could have conversations and communicate perfectly while fighting together or even outside of battle. This was one of the means they used to procure victory for their race in the war that millennia in the past. Now, relying on the same, they were fighting Clay who was unarmed, and yet, his attacks and defenses were impeccable to the point that they doubted whether he was truly recently summoned or not!
"These four have a way to communicate by themselves. I don't know what their planning. But something really confuses me so: Agamemkeru, looks like a humanoid than that previous frog I've encountered!"
Clay was also beside himself thinking about some useless things as he faced the four Grand Generals. Attacks were thrown left and right, and yet, none of them truly could damage the other side. Even with their combined efforts, the Grand Generals were not getting the advantage despite their numerical advantage.
Clay was also torn because he only had 1 pair of arms. He did not know any technique or whatever, to split himself up. What he knew was unarmed combat, spear, and blunt mastery. He could send energy blasts, but it was not designed to be fired as a damaging attack, but a distraction given its low-level damage. And firing a beam was utter foolishness in a battle where everyone moves in FTL-levels!
"If I had known they'd resort to encirclement, I'd have learned some techniques copied from certain anime and comics, even light novels! I have a plethora of methods of training in my head canon that I could conjure techniques if I wanted to! Not right now though, I can't lose even a second of concentration. Have to keep my eyes on them…all?"
At this point, Clay suddenly noticed that the woman had vanished from his sight. Vigilance and alarms set off in Clay's mind as he immediately released Domain at full power!
"[Domain]!"
Almost instantly, the vanished Succubus reappeared just a few meters away from Clay!
"Damn! I let her get this close. That was dangerous."
"Hah!"
Clay blasted her with 3 consecutive energy blasts of golden-emerald spheres! Now although they were not as damaging as charged beam attacks, they still packed a bit of a punch especially since he was not holding back at all. He put his everything in every attack!
"Ah!"
Sarah, the most enchanting of the Succubus demons, suffered some injuries only skin deep from Clay's attack. After all, she specialized in mental attacks and her durability wasn't that high in the first place. Knowing that their sneak attack failed, the 3 of them instantly moved to cover Agamemsarai who was injured. Clay wasn't about to let them just do as they liked. He exerted energy to propel himself towards the injured Agamemsarai, however, as someone specializing in body enhancement, even though Agamemvulf wasn't at the same Level 999 as Clay, his attributes could at least compare, beyond the Status could display. He arrived first and released an attack that utilized his strong build and claws to swipe at Clay. The claws were imbued with energy that further released blades of energy towards Clay.
"Cross Slash of the Crescent Moon!"
The cross slash could not hit Clay as he dodged to the side while he kept his right arm close to his stomach, however, right there, as if choreographed, Agamemkeru was already waiting with a familiar move than would have Clay tremble in fright previously. However, today, Clay seemed to have let go of any distractions. Clear Mind was obviously doing wonders in this scenario. Agamemkeru released the directional beam towards Clay however, Clay was not easily bullied now. He also released a beam that he had been charging up since he dodged. The scene turned blindly lit, as an emerald-green light and a pure white light tried to cancel each other out. However, as if this was still within their plans, Agamemken was waiting behind Clay to sneak an attack while he controlled the energy beam! Sensing their movements within the domain he maintained, Clay immediately slowly depowering the energy beam he was using and took advantage of its push to escape their encirclement.
HISS
"This sure is going to be extremely hard for the current me. Although I won't die, easily, I also won't be able to take down anyone of you. Your teamwork is impeccable. I admire it. However, don't think it will stay like this for long. Once I learn a lot more and stock up on my arsenal, I'll come back for you. Wash your necks until then!"
Clay chose to escape. He couldn't possibly win against them, and he knew that the empire was using his existence to rally the other races to gang up on the humans. It wasn't going to be worth it if he died from the encirclement of more fighters like the Grand Generals.
"You think we'd let you escape, human? Quit dreaming!"
"It's not like you can also stop me from escaping. Not unless we want to employ dirty tactics and involve the innocents of our camps, then, we can only bet. How many can I kill before you catch me? And if you failed, how long would I need to surpass all of you? It's better to not expand the grudge beyond soldiers' lives."
"Then how about those you killed on the way here that weren't soldiers?!"
"What, those old demons who took to the skies to hinder my advance? They were former soldiers. Besides, it was self defense. If we truly killed anyone who weren't soldiers then tell me, when I drove my soldiers to your doorsteps, did I order them to kill without distinction? Were there any that were killed, civilians?"
"…"
"Catch me if you can. If not, stay put. We'll meet again someday. Before then, wash your necks. For messing with me, and your schemes, we will finish what we started!"
Clay immediately flew away at full speed. None of the four stopped him, they too knew that they wouldn't be able to stop him today. They were having a headache. If there was any consolation to them today, it is that they didn't kill the hero only to give him a boost in strength again. That would be sinful. They all thought.
"We should report to the empress. What we summoned through a proxy, may very well be our downfall if we don't plan carefully. Let's close off the Demon Empire from the world for at certain time. That way, we'll know immediately who're intruders and who are guests."
"I'll suggest that to the empress. Let's go."
Meanwhile, the forces from the Dragonborn, the Dwarves, the Elves, and the Beastman Tribe, arrived within the empire via the Forest of Death, the sole entrance towards the Demon Empire. It was then that Clay had to face the four high-leveled powerhouses of the four other races.
"Tsk. So, they really are going to gang up on me. A good thing I hid beforehand. With Energy Control at its finest, not even an iota of energy should be leaking from me."
He observed them as they went by. With Clay, being cautious, he was able to see and memorize the faces and the Status they had with Divine Insight. If they ever met in the future, Clay made sure to remember this enmity. To think they would try to get rid of him for being a hero. What nonsense. He was treated as if he was a monster from some unknown dimension! His existence needed to be purged!
"Since that's the case, just wait and see when I fully master myself and the powers I have in this world, I'll give back in kind."
Clay held that grudge close to his heart. Just like he wanted to kill Agamemkeru for killing him previously. This grudge couldn't be resolved via dialogue at all. It was blood for blood. Revenge is a dish best served cold, so they say.
"I'll let this vengeance fester first, so that I can savor the taste when the time is right!"
Demon Empire, Imperial Capital, Throst. Imperial Audience Chamber.
The Frozen Throne—Jacqueline, was sitting on the throne as she faced the powerhouses on the same level of prestige as their Four Grand Generals. There 4 of them and their escorts, roughly numbered a few hundred. Drackon, the Dragonborn Saint was the powerhouse of the Dragonborn race. Gertold, the paragon of the Dwarves. Asta'kal'aya the Keeper of the Elves. And, Reginald, Beast King of the Beastman Tribes.
"I welcome the excellencies of the Dragonborn, Dwarves, Elves, and the Beastman Tribes, and your delegates. It is unfortunate that even with four of our Demon Empire's Grand Generals, we could not contain the recently summoned hero of humanity. This goes to show that there is even more need for us all to be united in opposing the tyranny of another hero unless we also summon heroes for ourselves and enter another world war."
"That's why we are here, young empress. We are here to put an end to a future conflict that may arise because of the existence of this hero. And us, uniting like this with one purpose is evident!" the Elves Keeper, Asta'kal'aya, spoke to alleviate the mood. Her voice was soft and soothing, but she was in fact not trying to act like it. She was dead serious.
"Asta'kal'aya, you are indeed correct. Howe'er, it cannot be put aside that our allies failed to even detain the hero. This is a recently summoned hero; how could he be stronger than the four of your Generals?" the dwarf Paragon spoke.
"It may be shameful for us to admit, but we are here to admit that the hero of humanity, recently summoned as he is, is now currently on par with us after merely less than a month here in Alleucanth. We must remember that heroes are supposed to be unreasonable, and this truth is fully displayed to us now!" Jacqueline explained.
The Beast King, Reginald stayed silent throughout the process of bantering. Then, he coughed once, and everyone paid attention.
"I suggest we go full force as powerhouses and put the pressure on them through taking a city hostage or some other tactics."
"This is something we cannot do, currently. If as you suggest we do, King of the Beasts, then there will become an irreconcilable feud between humans and the Beastman prairie. Then, when others are not around, will you be able to defend your prairie from the human hero's attacks?" Jacqueline said.
"This… I cannot." Reginald relented.
"Then please. The hero already warned us not to extend this grudge to the innocent and the civilians. At least he knows the importance of such, and he has proven his words true. When they invaded, they killed neither old, women, and children as they occupied our villages and cities." Jacqueline further established.
Thus, a meeting of the highest order for the whole known world of Alleucanth happened within the Imperial Audience Chamber. The participants were all high-profile individuals of all races, except the humans. Meanwhile, Clay used everything he had to take back the soldiers who survived this ordeal for half a month. He was preparing himself to be shunned and blamed by the humans of Acadria. With resolve, he stepped into the Palace to report to the King, Gracius vi Acadria.