Chapter 1041: The Night Before The Storm
A week had passed since they had their strategy meeting.
William and his entourage traveled steadily towards the North using a route that Baba Yaga had planned for them.
As a Demigod who had traveled the entire continent, she was well aware of the lesser beaten paths where no Demon dared to tread.
She had stored her mobile house inside her own domain, and spent most of her day riding in her giant mortar as she led William's entourage along the hidden paths that she had used previously on her journeys.
Celine, on the other hand, stayed in her laboratory in the Thousand Beast Domain, and secluded herself for the time being to do some experiments.
Although she didn't say it explicitly, it seemed as though she was planning to fight alongside William, and was currently preparing some items that she would use in their upcoming battle.
William had asked Kira and Athrun to not join the battle because he didn't want to involve them, or their Clans, in this unprecedented attack on the Gremory Clan's capital city.
Finally on the tenth day, Baba Yaga told them that they would rest during the day, and only travel at night. Although the North was very cold, it was surprisingly a very populated region in the Demon Continent.
Most Demons are highly resistant to certain temperatures, especially from the heat and the cold. They would often travel in groups to hunt, and forage in their snow-covered forests, which were teeming with life.
This was why Baba Yaga told them that they would only travel during the night because the temperature would be too frigid for even the cold-resistant Demons to wander outside of their homes.
The days passed as everyone started to adapt to their nightly routine. When Baba Yaga said that the night was frigid, she wasn't joking. Fortunately, William had reached the final stage of his Elemental Sovereign Job Class, which allowed him to create a dome of warmth for each flying carriage in his entourage.
Looking outside the window of William's flying carriage, Chiffon looked at the world of snow and ice with an indifferent expression on her face. The City of Lexicon had been one of the many prisons that her father, Luciel, had used to lock her up after her mother's death.
She didn't have very fond memories of the place. Just like her brothers and sisters did to her, the other members of the Gremory Clan shunned her as well. They would ridicule her, and make her beg before she was given scraps for food.
Back then, she couldn't stand up to them because, for her, they were stronger than her. This was why she was bullied. However, things were no longer the same. She was no longer the naive, little girl that begged them for food.
Chiffon was confident that if she ever saw the faces of those who had made her life miserable in the past, she would smash their faces with Sharur, and feed their bodies to Medusa, who had somehow ended up becoming her adorable pet.
"You don't have to force yourself to join me in this fight," William said as he wrapped his arms around Chiffon from behind. "I can handle them myself."
The pink-haired girl reested her hands over William's hands, before shaking her head.
"You are my husband, so it is normal for me to help you," Chiffon replied. "Also, I believe that I need to overcome this hurdle as well. I need to get revenge for my mother as well. I will not forgive them."
William sighed internally, but he no longer tried to dissuade Chiffon from fighting alongside him. He had felt her strong need to vent out her childhood frustrations on the people that had made her childhood miserable.
Kenneth, who had decided to accompany Chiffon to the outside world, was seated across them with his eyes closed. He had been cooped up in the Thousand Beast Domain for most of the journey, so he decided to come out for a change of pace.
What many people didn't know was that even if Kenneth closed his eyes, he was able to see everything around him using his Mind's Eye. This was one of the abilities he had, so he could see clearly the Half-Elf's concern for his wife.
Charmaine was seated beside Kenneth and was looking at the husband and wife pair with an envious gaze.
'Sir William only holds me like that when he drinks my blood,' Charmaine thought as she replayed the last time the Half-Elf had embraced her in her memories. 'Tonight is supposed to be the night that he will drink my blood. It's a shame that it will be put on hold until it's only the two of us.'
While everyone was lost in their own thoughts, the flying carriages started to descend from the sky.
William frowned because he thought that it would still take them at least a day more before they reached their destination.
Just as he was about to check what was going on, Baba Yaga's voice reached everyone's ears.
"If we move any closer, Argus Panoptes will be able to see us," Baba Yaga said in a firm voice. "All of you should rest for the rest of the night and finalize your strategy. Once you cross the next two miles, there will be no turning back. This is as far as I will take you. I don't want to involve myself in the war between you and the Demon race."
William nodded in understanding. Baba Yaga had already made it known that she wouldn't participate in the battles that the Half-Elf was planning to fight. The only reason she had helped him thus far was due to her adopted daughter Celine's request.
As the flying carriages landed in a hidden place at the foot of a mountain, William and his entourage gathered for their last strategy meeting. This would be the night that they would finalize their plans.
The Half-Elf made it known to them that when the sun set the next day, and the first stars appeared on the horizon, their attack on the city of Lexicon would finally take place.
Chapter 1042: Clash Of Clans [Part 1]
Alvah stared at the map in front of him with a determined gaze, as if gazing at it was enough to let him know exactly where William was currently.
It had been almost two weeks since he had last heard of his exploits and, since then, not even his shadow had been seen.
Alvah had used all of the manpower and connections at his disposal to find the black-haired teenager who dared to challenge his authority.
However, it had not yielded any results. The Patriarchs of the Major Clans who were close to him even told him that he was being paranoid about an Upstart that just wanted his name to be known to the world.
This was a very common occurrence in the Demon Realm, so the Patriarchs of the Major Clans didn't think much of it. Some even assured Alvah that the one who went by the name Raymond Parker had already gone into hiding because he was afraid of the Gremory Clan's, as well as the Demon Lord's, wrath.
If this incident had happened half a year ago, Alvah would definitely not think much of it as well. However, the mocking gaze that Raymond Parker gave him not long ago was etched in his memories.
'Those were not the eyes of an Upstart,' Alvah thought. 'Those were the eyes of someone that is not afraid of me, or the Demon Lord. I'm sure that he is planning something and I'm sure that, whatever it is, it will not be simple.'
Just as Alvah was thinking of calling his spies, in order to check if they had heard any news about Raymond Parker, he received a message from his Myriad Beast that continually kept a lookout in his territory.
"Something very bright is shining in the sky over the city?" Alvah asked with a frown. "Are you sure?"
"Yes," the Myriad Beast, Argus, replied. "It is at least a dozen miles up in the sky. I can't see it clearly because it is shining brightly."
"Could it be a meteor?"
"I don't think so. Whatever it is, it's not moving."
Argus had been the protector of Lexicon City for many years. During its watch, it had seen several meteors fall down from the sky, but most of them burned up and disintegrated before they ever touched the ground. This was why it was confident that whatever it was looking at right now, was not a meteor.
"At least a dozen miles in the sky?" Alvah's frown deepened. "I don't know of any beasts that can fly that high. Even Dragons don't go to such lengths when they fly in the sky."
Suddenly he received another message from Argus. This time, the Myriad Beast declared that whatever was in the sky was now falling towards the city.
"Activate the city's barrier!" Alvah ordered.
The defenses of the city were being controlled by Argus, so he wasted no time ordering his Myriad Beast to protect the city with the barrier that had been placed long ago.
A dome of blue light enveloped the entirety of Lexicon City, as the unidentified object descended from the heavens at a very fast rate.
Argus followed its trajectory and when it had confirmed where it would land, it immediately left its post and fled. To his surprise, the angle of the falling object shifted and it was once again locked into its location.
'Impossible!' Argus thought as he ran away again.
Since it was a giant, its strides allowed it to traverse great distances in a matter of seconds. But, no matter where he went, the trajectory of the falling object remained locked onto its body.
In desperation, Argus summoned its giant Spiked Mace and braced itself for impact. Although the city was enveloped in a very powerful barrier, it felt that it wouldn't be enough to stop whatever it was that was targeting it.
Using all of its concentration, Argus focused its hundred eyes on the meteor-like object that was about to fall into the city that he had protected for many years.
"A stick? No… a spear?" Argus muttered as he firmly planted his feet on the ground, and raised his weapon high.
It was at that moment when a powerful shout echoed throughout the entire city of Lexicon.
"Bloom in the battlefield!"
"Fleur Du Soleil!"
The spear of the Sun God shone radiantly like it never had in the past. William had allowed it to soak up the power of the sun in the stratosphere for three-full days, raising its might to unprecedented levels.
The moment its tip descended upon the barrier, a powerful explosion, similar to that of a nuclear warhead, thundered in the surroundings. For a few seconds, the world turned very bright. It was so bright that everyone was forced to cover their eyes, so that they wouldn't go blind.
Unfortunately, for the Hundred-eyed Giant, it only had a single hand to cover its eyes because the other hand was holding a weapon in a tight grip.
Argust screamed as his eyes went blind due to the brightness that burned them to the core, but his scream was muffled by the thunderous explosion that shook the entire city.
Moments later, the barrier shattered and Soleil descended towards the giant, who was struggling in pain.
Due to its searing hotness, the spear pierced through Argus' spiked mace, and went straight into its head, burying itself deep inside it before unleashing its fiery might.
Suddenly, Argus' head exploded like a watermelon. Its body then collapsed on the ground deader than dead.
That was how the Hundred-Eyed Guardian of Lexicon City died, which made Alvah, who felt the backlash of its death, hold his head in pain.
William hovered above the city as he watched the barrier crumble underneath his feet.
"Go!" William said as a portal appeared behind his back.
The two Flying Armored Elephants, Gluteus and Maximus, trumpeted their arrival. Riding on top of Maximus was none other than Cassey, who still had a dumbfounded expression on her face.
She thought that they would have a hard time breaking through the city's defenses. However, all it took was one attack from William and the barrier, as well as one of the Myriad Beasts under Alvah's control, was demolished under his overpowering might.
Chapter 1043: Clash Of Clans [Part 2]
William held Soleil in his hand as he gazed at his surroundings.
He had ordered Gluteus and Maximus to trample the Gremory Clan's fake residence, in order to make Alvah, and his subordinates show themselves to him. He didn't like senseless killing, so he prohibited the two Flying Armored Elephants, as well as Cassey, from attacking the civilians.
Soon, the sound of horns reverberated in the air as the army of the Gremory Clan mobilized to fight off the invaders.
William then threw Soleil back towards the sky to let it absorb more sunlight. It had depleted its firepower after breaking through the barrier and killing the Hundred-Eyed Giant. The Half-Elf had often wondered what Soleil would be able to do if it was allowed to absorb sunlight for a very long time.
The destruction that it had caused earlier made him realize that the longer the spear soaked in the sunlight, the more devastating its attack.
Since that was the case, he needed to let it charge in as much sunlight as it could, before he used it again for another lethal strike.
Cassey, who was currently mounted on top of Maximus, gave William a side-long glance before shifting her gaze back to the army that was in front of her.
In truth, she was quite happy that she and William were on the same side. Her most powerful Summon, Impundulu, had only one weakness and that was Divine Flames. As far as she knew, Alvah didn't have any of that in his arsenal, which made her resolve stronger.
"Slaughter them, Impundulu!" Cassey ordered.
A powerful shriek answered her call and a giant black bird with dark-purplish streaks on the tips of its wings appeared above her. Tendrils of lightning snaked around its body, as it charged towards the approaching army with the intention of drinking all of their blood.
Just as the giant vampiric bird was about to start its slaughter, a giant nine-headed snake materialized in front of it, and spat poisonous fumes in its direction.
Impundulu didn't even bat an eye at the deadly attack and charged forward. It then unleashed a powerful lightning AOE skill that made the giant nine-headed snake, as well as the army behind it, scream in pain.
Suddenly, gray clouds covered the sky, and a strong gust of wind blew over the city. Soon, it started to snow heavily, reducing the visibility.
The Great Yeti, Banffa, gave a resounding roar as it unleashed the power of a blizzard to wreak havoc on its foes.
William sneered as he changed his job class to Ice Sovereign and manipulated the blizzard to his advantage.
Soon, hail as big as bowling balls crashed down on the Gremory Clan's army. The soldiers didn't expect the Blizzard that their Protector Beast had summoned to be used against them. This had caught them completely by surprise and, in less than a minute, most of them had suffered injuries due to the powerful barrage that seemed unending.
Banffa roared in anger because it had never faced anyone who was able to manipulate its elemental storm to such an extent. After realizing that his opponent also held the ability to wield the power of ice, the Great Yeti once again took control of the Blizzard and used it to attack William and his allies.
William pressed his palms together as he tried to wrest control of the Blizzard from the Myriad Beast, but Banffa's hold on it was secure. Since that was the case, William did the next best thing and that was to create a blizzard of his own!
The already heavy snowfall became heavier, and visibility had been reduced to zero. No one could see anything, except the vast whiteness that was in front of them.
Aside from the whistling sound of snow and wind, only the screech of Impundulu, as well as the shriek of the nine-headed snake, Xiangliu, could be heard.
Perhaps, only William was able to see the current status of the battlefield thanks to Optimus, who was monitoring the battle and the city in real time.
< If you keep this up, the Gremory Clan's army will be buried in snow in five minutes tops. >
'How about Alvah? Have you found him?' William inquired as he continued his battle with Banffa, who was also strengthening its Blizzard to unprecedented levels.
Although no one could see it, William and the Myriad Beast were attacking each other with Glacial Spears, Icycle Shards, and several other ice elemental attacks in order to prove which of them was superior over the other.
Their battle has become so intense that Gluteus and Maximus had no choice but to take shelter from the icy torture that they were experiencing. Although they had very sturdy bodies, both of them were still beasts at the peak of the Millennial Rank.
A battle between powerhouses could easily turn them into ice statues. Fortunately, William had encased them in a protective barrier that prevented them from freezing over.
Cassey's lips had already started to turn blue due to the sheer cold that she was experiencing.
Even so, she didn't retreat and summoned her Ancient Fire Elemental to keep her, and the two Flying Armored Elephants warm.
As powerful as it may be, the Ancient Fire Elemental was also having a very difficult time. It if was fighting against Banffa then it could definitely fight it to a tie. However, with William summoning a powerful blizzard to contend with the Myriad Beast, the only thing the Ancient Elemental could do was to keep itself, and the three creatures beside it warm and toasty.
—---
Alvah smashed his fist on the table as he gazed at the grayish world in front of him. Even if his consciousness was connected with the Great Yeti, he was still unable to overpower the black-haired teenager that had come uninvited into his domain.
Originally, he mocked William for trying to fight his Myriad Beast using the power of ice. He didn't expect that not only did his opponent resist his attack, the invader even summoned his own Blizzard to make the situation much worse.
'My soldiers will be buried in snow at this rate,' Alvah gritted his teeth as he ordered his Great Yeti to cancel the Blizzard that it had conjured. This was the only thing that he could do in order to preserve his army's fighting strength.
William noticed that the force that had been pushing against him had disappeared completely, and only the Blizzard he summoned continued to rain hail and snow everywhere he pleased.
"Heh, do you think I'll stop because you stopped?" William sneered. "Not a chance!"
The snow and hail had almost buried the army in front of him. He would be a fool to stop now and give them some time to recover from his devastating attack.
As William was about to strengthen the power of the blizzard to the next level, a whistling sound reached his ears, and it was not a whistle that came from the wind.
It was at that moment when Wiliam's sixth sense kicked in, so he hurriedly jumped to his right side.
At the corner of William's vision, he saw something red flash amidst the white world that he had created. Suddenly, the place where he had just been earlier exploded, sending snow flying in every direction.
The attack was so powerful that it seemed to have cut the blizzard in half, making it dissipate as if it was just a dream.
William gazed at the red, whip-like weapon that had broken his spell so easily before shifting his gaze to the still-whistling creature that was at least four meters tall.
It was carrying a sack behind it, and from the bones sticking out of its holes, William knew that this opponent was not something he could brush aside completely.
Chapter 1044: The Mortal Enemy of Womanizers
"N-No way!" Cassey gasped in shock as she looked at the creature that was whistling in the distance. "Why is he here?!"
The patriarch of the Rajah Clan had only seen the whistling man once in her lifetime, but that was more than enough to cement his notoriety inside her heart.
"William! Let's retreat!" Cassey shouted. "We can't win against him! That being is El Sibon!"
William frowned because even before Cassey had told him the creature's name, Optimus had already given him the information that he needed.
—--
< El Sibon >
– The Whistling Demon
– Bone Collector
– Threat Level: Calamity (High)
– Demigod
– Cannot be added to the Herd.
– The Whistling Demon, El Sibon, had no permanent place to call his home. He would wander around the Demon Realm in search of prey that was worthy to be added to his collection.
– It is said that when the whistling sounds close, there's no danger, and the whistler is far away, but when the whistling sounds distant, it means it is nearby. It is also said that hearing the whistling foretells one's own death, and one may hear it anywhere at any time.
– El Sibon hates womanizers with a vengeance. He likes to torture them to death before adding them to his collection. If you are a womanizer then you must beware, El Sibon will give you a scare. The strength of womanizers will be halved when fighting against him. He is every ladies' man's worst enemy.
—-
"Womanizing Half-Elf…," El Sibon said in a hoarse voice as he gazed at William with his glowing red eyes. "I'll kill you."
The corner of William's lips twitched when he heard the Demigod's threatening words. He wanted to argue that he wasn't a womanizer, but the Demigod's red whip came lashing in his direction at the speed of sound, giving him no time to voice his thoughts out loud.
William raised his hand and forcefully returned Gluteus, Maximus, and Cassey inside his Thousand Beast Domain. Fighting against a Demigod was not part of their plan, and he had no intention of using his Heroic Avatar at this moment.
He planned to use it after finding Alvah's location, but even though Optimus had done a full sweep of the city, the patriarch of the Gremory Clan was not found. Also, even though he didn't want to admit it. There was a powerful suppression that made him unable to fight the Demigod with his full power.
William had a feeling that even if he used his Heroic Avatar, it would still end in failure, so fighting against El Sibon was something that he wouldn't do unless he could be certain of his victory.
"Die… Womanizer!" El Sibon once again lashed at William, but the latter had already changed his Job Class to Thunder Emperor, allowing him to escape with his Lightning Strider Skill.
The Demigod could only watch him go, as the bones inside his sack rattled. It was as if they were feeling sorry that one of their compatriots had managed to escape instead of joining them inside the sack for eternity.
Alvah, who saw this scene, sighed in relief. He didn't expect that the wandering demigod, El Sibon, would end up in the Northern Regions of the Demon Realm. Because of his appearance, William was forced to retreat, allowing him and his army to survive this calamity.
However, just before Alvah could fully celebrate his unexpected victory against his opponent, El Sibon started to whistle once again. He then turned his head to the side, and looked at one of the demons in Alvah's army.
"Die!" El Sibon declared as his whip pierced through the demon's chest.
However, that was not the end. Under the horrified gazes of everyone, the demon's body began to convulse before his skeleton was pulled out of his body, leaving the flesh behind. It was a grotesque scene and everyone could only look helplessly as the Demigod gave its red whip a tug.
The demon's skeleton flew in El Sibon's direction, landing in the sack on his back. Soon the rattling of bones spread throughout the surroundings.
The Demigod started to whistle again as he set his eyes on another demon whose legs had already collapsed under his feet.
"N-No! I am not a womanizer! I am not aarghhh!" The demon cried out in pain and fear as El Sibon's red whip pierced his body, and latched itself on his bones.
"Die," El Sibon laughed evilly as he once again pulled the demon's skeleton, adding it to his collection.
On that day, thousands of demons died in the City of Lexicon as the Whistling Demon reaped the lives of those whom it deemed guilty of being unfaithful.
Although the number of Demons the Demigod killed had exceeded his expectations, Alvah didn't bat an eye and just kept his silence. Even he, as the Patriarch of the strongest Clan in the Demon Realm had no choice but to turn a blind eye to El Sibon's rampage.
Demigods were existences that could come and go unhindered in any place in the world of Hestia. No sane mortal would dare to challenge them unless they also had the backing of a Demigod.
Even though he felt regretful for the loss of his soldiers, Alvah had no choice but to grit his teeth, and wait for the calamity to move to another location.
"Raymond Parker… I'll make you pay for this offense that you have committed against me this day," Alvah swore as he clenched his fist tightly. He had lost one of his Myriad Beasts, which had greatly weakened the strength of his capital's defenses.
Right now, he was sure that the spies of the other Major Clans in his territory would send news of what had just transpired to their Masters.
Alvah knew that his prestige and influence would weaken after this setback, but there was nothing he could do about it. Making excuses would just make him look weak in front of everyone, so he decided to just accept it, and make preparations to counter William's next attempt to attack his capital city.
—--
Somewhere in the Fortaare Desert…
'Such a shame…,' Zeph thought as one of his agents in the city of Lexicon finished his report. 'If only El Sibon hadn't appeared, Alvah might have already suffered from an aneurysm by now.'
After pondering for a few minutes, he told his spy to report to him as soon as anything out of the ordinary happened in the territory of the Gremory Clan.
The spy bowed his head respectfully before cutting the connection with his Master.
Zeph walked towards the window, as he gazed at the clear blue sky of the desert. Its appearance was the stark contrast of the chaotic atmosphere that was currently happening in the North.
Now that William's location was known to Alvah, the Patriarch of the Gremory Clan would definitely have countermeasures prepared for the black-haired teenager's next attempt to attack his Domain.
Zeph was not the only one who thought that it was a shame that William didn't succeed in his plan to exterminate the Gremory Clan. Several of the other Patriarchs, who had a bad relationship with the family that backed the Demon Lord, shook their heads helplessly at the stroke of luck that had come to the capital city to help the Clan they hated deep in their bones.
Chapter 1045: Enjoy Your Victory While It Lasts
"It's truly a shame that El Sibon appeared, isn't that right, William my boy?" Zeph asked with a smile on his face.
"As expected, you already knew about it," William replied. "You've got good connections, old man."
Before Wiliam left the Fortaare Desert, Zeph had given him a round mirror the size of a baseball ball. This was the means they used so they could communicate with each other over long distances. He had received a call from Kira's Grandfather half an hour after he had left the city of Lexicon.
Zeph chuckled as he waved his hand in order to appear humble in front of the black-haired boy, who was feeling a bit down because his attack didn't go according to his plan.
"Don't be so down, Will," Zeph said. "Although you didn't manage to raze the Gremory Clan to the ground, what you did still had an effect on the geopolitics of the Demon Realm. In fact, the effect might be better than you imagine. However, in order to take advantage of the situation, you need to capitalize on your momentum."
"Capitalize on my momentum? What scheme are you cooking up, old man? I'm all ears."
"It's nothing much, I just need you to…"
After listening to Zeph's proposal, William realized that he still had lots to learn when compared to the old schemer who was looking back at him with a look of anticipation.
"Fine, let's do it your way," William replied with a smile. "You're good, old man."
"Hahaha! Of course I am," Zeph replied with a smug expression on his face. "I have been lying in the shadows and scheming behind everyone's backs before you were even born. How can you possibly match my brilliance?"
William smirked because the old man did indeed have the qualifications to brag about himself. The plan Zeph offered was quite great, and it would definitely impact the Gremory Clan's plan to expand its Domain. Since this was a move that would make his enemy suffer, William was more than happy to kick Alvah and his Clan while they were down.
Two hours after the event that had transpired in Lexicon City, the Patriarchs of the different Major Clans in the Demon Realm received a call from their acquaintances, showing how the person that went by the name Raymond Parker had destroyed the barrier of the Gremory Clan's capital city, as well as kill one of Alvah's Myriad Beasts.
It also showed the appearance of El Sibon, and how it had started a killing spree after William had escaped its clutches. Many of the Patriarchs that hated the Gremory Clan gloated when they saw the recording. The Gremory Clan's supporters, on the other hand, felt threatened at first because at the end of the video, the black-haired teenager had made a declaration.
"Any Clans who continue to offer their support to the Gremory Clan in their ambition for war will answer to me," William declared. "Alvah and his family only survived because El Sibon interfered. However, do not think that you will be as lucky as them. I have a list of the Clans that support the Gremory Clan, and I will visit you one by one."
William showed everyone a devilish smile that made the hearts of Alvah's cronies shudder.
"If you don't want to be annihilated, it will be best to break all ties with the Gremory Clan," William stated. "Do not think that I will be fooled with fake pretenses. I am giving all of you exactly two hours to cut every single connection you have with them."
The black-haired teenager then took out a scroll from his storage ring and recited the names of the Clans that were currently supporting the Demon Lord and his goal to wage war in the Silvermoon and the Central Continents.
"Astaseul Clan of the Sleeping Valley…"
"Brichazac Clan of the Stoned Steps…"
"Castemont Clan of the Infested Plains…"
William mentioned the Clans who had been confirmed to have formed a partnership with the Gremory Clan, as well as the Demon Lord.
Zeph had done a lot of digging throughout the past week, in order to know which Clans were currently working with the Demon Lord. he needed this list so that the people who were on his side would be aware of which clans they needed to target before Luciel's and Alvah's plan was executed.
After saying the names of over twenty clans, William stopped and sneered.
"I know where all of you are located. Do not think for a moment that a Demigod will always appear to save you," William said in a teasing tone. "I have an artifact that allows me to travel long distances in minutes. None of you are safe from me. I will be visiting all of you soon."
After saying those words, the connection was cut, leaving the Clans that had been called out by him feeling very anxious. The Gremory Clan was the strongest of the Major Clans in the demon realm. If even they were not able to resist William's sneak attacks, then how could they possibly cope with the black-haired teenager whose feats were now known to many?
Joash smiled as he watched the projection disappear in front of him. This was the perfect opportunity that he was waiting for. Although Luciel was a cautious and scheming individual, he was someone who didn't like to be ridiculed.
Now that his plan was being challenged by William, he would no doubt leave the capital city and hunt the black-haired teenager down.
This was precisely the moment that Joash was waiting for. As long as Luciel left the powerful runic formation of the capital city, he was confident that he would be able to defeat him in no time at all.
"Now, what are you going to do, Luciel?" Joash muttered. "Are you still going to remain cooped up inside that castle of yours, or are you going to show everyone why you hold the title of Demon Lord?"
Joash didn't know the answer to these questions. All that he wanted was for Luciel to leave his Stronghold, so that he could enact the plans that he had painstakingly prepared for over a decade.
The Black Dragon gazed towards the North, where his enemies were currently at.
"The time is almost at hand," Jash muttered. "To think that I will be collaborating with your son… Fate sure is full of surprises."
—--
Inside the Capital City of the Demon Realm, Astryae…
Luciel had a frown on his face as he read the reports of his subordinates. His agents were doing their best to dig up any information regarding Raymond Parker, but they had no leads as to where to start.
All that they knew was that the black-haired teenager passed through the Southern Stronghold, and was being accompanied by Joash's daughter, Vesta.
This made all of them conclude that the person that attacked the Gremory Clan had a connection with the Black Dragon that guarded their Southern Borders. The revelation had unnerved most of the officials in the capital city.
Joash was one of the four Demigods of their Realm. If he really planned to stage a rebellion, that would mean that they would be fighting against a Demigod.
No one in their right minds would fight against a Demigod because this was akin to suicide. This had lowered the morale of the officers in the Demon Lord's army because the Southern Stronghold housed a great number of soldiers that were under Joash's command.
"Just what are you planning to do, you overgrown Lizard?" Luciel said in a cold and deadly voice that reeked of killing intent. "Did you lose your courage on the day that you lost your tail?"
The Demon Lord scoffed as he thought of a way to overcome the current dilemma that he was facing. He had greatly underestimated William's capabilities, and only thought of him as one of the many Upstarts that appeared in the Demon Realm from time to time.
Now that the black-haired teeanger dared to attack the family that backed his throne, Luciel felt that if he didn't do something soon, none of the Clans would support his idea to conquer the lands outside their Domain in order to expand their territories after the Heir of Darkness was born.
Felix had assured him that it would be less than three weeks before the Ancient Ruins found its successor. Because of this, Luciel decided to remain in the capital city and not venture anywhere until the Prince of Prophecy was born.
"Fine. Enjoy your victory while it lasts," Luciel muttered as he pressed his palms over the armrest of his throne. He knew that this was not the time to hesitate. As long as he followed his original plan, he would still be the one who would win in the end.
'Let's see who will have the last laugh.'
Luciel had long wanted to wash away the shame and humiliation that he had felt the day he lost his arm while he fought against William's father, Maxwell. For that to happen, he needed a stronger power. Fortunately, the timing of the Prophecy had synchronized with his plan.
Although he didn't believe in such things in the past, he was willing to believe it now. It was the only way for him to retain his seat of power, and bring all the Demon Clans under his will.
"Just a little more…," Luciel closed his eyes as he leaned on his throne. "Maxwell, I don't care if you have turned into a tree or not. I will have my revenge! I will personally cut you down with my own two hands, but not before I kill your wife and son in front of you!"
Luciel clenched his fist, as he imagined that glorious scene that had been denied him. The power that he needed was well within his reach. However, it was not yet mature, and needed more time to grow.
After a full five minutes, the Demon Lord finally made his decision. He no longer cared if the Demon Clans ceased to support him.
"As long as the power of Darkness becomes mine, this entire world will be under my mercy," Luciel said with confidence. "Isn't that right, My Lady?"
A woman wearing a black veil that covered her face nodded her head. Although she didn't say anything, her gesture was more than enough to assure Luciel that his decision was right.
Underneath her black veil, a devilish smile that could captivate thousands of demons was hidden from plain sight. She had already played her role, and was merely waiting for everything to come to fruition.
'Deus has waited many years for this moment,' the veiled woman mused. 'Just wait a little longer, My Prince. Your faithful servant is waiting to offer her everything to you.'
Chapter 1046: If Only I Was Born Human
"Argh! Stupid disciple! Why must you always change locations without telling me!" Chloee shouted angrily, while holding a chocolate bar in her hands.
With Conan and Elliot being able to pinpoint William's current location in the Demon Continent, regrouping with him should have been easy… at least, that was what was supposed to happen.
Unfortunately, reality was different.
The Half-Elf had veered away from his original destination and went to the Gremory Clan's territory in the north to give them a good beating. Unfortunately, his plan ended mid-way when the Demigod, El Sibon, got in his way and forced him to retreat.
Simply put, Princess Aila, Shannon, Conan, Elliot, and Chloee, didn't know what they should do at the moment.
The Demon Continent was a very vast place, and randomly following William around was not a good idea, because he could travel instantly from place to place using his Lightning Strider Skill, as well as his ability to instantly teleport to Soleil's location.
Although Shannon could create a portal to traverse great distances, it had a limitation. She could only use it once a month, especially when the distance that she planned to travel was very far.
Princess Aila also felt depressed because she had traveled far just to see William, and finally sort out her feelings for him. Conan and Elliot had assured her that the dreams that she was having really happened in her past life.
However, whether William would accept her or not was something that both of them were unsure of. Based on what she had told them in her dreams, William and her did spend a lot of time with each other.
They had once been lovers, but due to the restriction placed on her by the Vanirs, she was forced to choose between erasing William's memories, or having him tortured until she agreed to erase his memories.
William didn't agree to it back then, and endured countless hardships for her. If not for the fact that he was an Einherjar, and a Captain that served under Freya's Main Legion, they would have killed him without batting an eye.
Since both choices lead to the same result, Princess Aila made a hard decision and erased William's memories, so that her clan would stop in torturing him. She wasn't as strong as the silver-haired teenager who was willing to suffer for her sake.
Every Time she saw his injured body, her heart ached. In the end, she decided to free him and spare him from the daily torture that he endured under the heartless wardens of her family.
When Wendy took William away in her dreams, Princess Aila felt relief, as well as guilt. Relief because the silver-haired teenager no longer had to suffer, and guilt because she was the one that gave up first.
This weighed heavily on her heart, so she decided to look for William, and see if she could right her wrongs in her current lifetime.
While Princess Aila was deep in thought, Elliot sighed and opened his eyes.
Using the power of Clairvoyance, he tried to predict where William was going to go next. However, what he saw made him depressed.
Hearing Chloe's hateful shout from on top of the flying carriage, Elliot decided to join her in order to get some fresh air.
A minute later, he sat in front of the little fairy, who was angrily eating the chocolate bar in her hands, while cursing William repeatedly.
"Chloee, there is something I want to tell you," Elliot said.
"Speak!" Chloee replied in an irritated tone. She was still feeling angry about William. Seeing Elliot, whose face resembled her disciple, with the exception of the color of his hair and eyes, made her want to slap him so badly.
"I love you."
"Huh?"
"I said I love you," Elliot said as he looked at Chloee with a serious expression on his face.
"What nonsense are you spouting?!" Chloee used her chocolate bar and swatted the annoying angel in front of her, but Elliot dodged her attack easily, making her more irritated.
"I'm not spouting nonsense, it is true," Elliot answered. "It was love at first sight… Um, maybe not at first sight, but definitely love at third sight."
"I see. So, you choose death."
"Hahaha."
Elliot laughed happily, while Chloee's expression turned grumpy. After the two of them had fought seriously against each other, the little fairy understood that she would have a very hard time hitting Elliot with her fist, if the angelic familiar focused on dodging.
After laughing for quite some time, Elliot's expression became serious once again as he gazed at the little fairy who had just taken out another chocolate bar, since she had finished her first.
"I said I love you, what is your answer?"
"Scram!"
"Che~"
Elliot gave a long and depressed sigh as he gazed towards the North.
"You like William, right?" Elliot asked without looking at the little fairy, who had just taken out her third chocolate bar.
"What is it to you? Are you going to say things like 'I don't have the right to love others'?" Chloee glared hatefully at the annoying Elliot who was not paying attention to her.
"Of course not," Elliot replied as he continued to gaze at the North. "I just want to tell you one thing. William loves you, too."
"Hah? Stop spouting nonsense!"
"Why should I lie?"
"Just to make fun of me like you always do! Do you think I'm stupid?"
Elliot uttered another sigh as he turned his head to look at Chloee who was now chewing on gummy bears.
"I was born from William's soul," Elliot said. "Naturally, I know things about him that even he doesn't know about. Although he will not admit it, when the two of you fought, he fell in love with you."
Chloee snorted as she continued to chew on her gummy bears. She didn't believe Elliot one beat, and wouldn't believe him no matter what he said.
Judging from her expression, Elliot understood that Chloee had decided to ignore him, but he didn't care about that and continued to talk.
"The you back then that was covered in wounds, wearing a fearless grin, and eyes as clear as the sky was truly captivating that William's heart skipped a beat. It was also why he decided to face you head-on despite knowing the fact that the punch you would give him would hurt just as much as getting hit by Truck-kun."
"... Who is Truck-kun?"
"Let's not talk about that bastard."
"Okay, continue."
Elliot chuckled because although Chloee was glaring at him, she was no longer ignoring him.
"Although he doesn't look like it, William is a greedy person," Elliot stated. "Even though he wouldn't admit it, he has developed feelings for you, and just hides it in the corner of his heart, because you are a familiar, and he is a Half-Elf, both of you were not meant to be together."
"I'm getting a very strong urge to punch you right now," Chloee said as she threw a gummy bear at Elliot which bounced off his head.
The angelic familiar waved his hand and a whip made of lightning bolt caught the gummy bear and sent it flying back to him.
Elliot caught it with his hand and bit into it, as he continued to gaze towards the North.
"So, unless you tell him what you feel, he will just keep those feelings hidden inside his heart and just treat you as his Master," Elliot commented. "A part of him loves you, and I was born with that half. This is why I'm telling you that Will does love you. So, you still have a chance."
Chloee frowned. She didn't know if Elliot was lying or not, but since she was born holding a piece of Celeste's Soul, her personality was something that the beautiful Elf had wanted to have. A domineering, and straightforward personality that used violence to get her way.
She was Celeste's inner wish, that she had tucked away into the corner of her heart. Chloee was the person Celeste always wanted to be, but didn't have the courage to become.
"Hmp. What's the point? You and Conan said that he could only love one more. Also, according to you, there are already three candidates vying for that last spot. Why would I even bother with such troublesome things?"
"You're right," Elliot admitted. "I know that you won't bother with such things and I know that, even if you tell William that you love him, he will just treat it as though you are just teasing him. This is why I am telling you that he loves you. That way, even if the two of you don't become a couple, you know that he feels the same way about you."
Elliot then stood up and did some stretches.
"Life is a matter of choice," Elliot stated. "There are times when you have to say the things you want to say before it is too late. After that, the only thing that is left for you is regret."
After saying those words, Elliot flew back inside the carriage, leaving the little fairy alone on the rooftop of the carriage.
"You told me how he fell in love with me, but if I told you that I fell in love with him because of that same moment and in the same manner, would anyone believe me?" Chloee muttered as she gazed towards the North.
When the two of them fought against each other in the Tower of Babylon, Chloee felt an excitement that she had never felt in her life. It was as if she had met her match, and that was why she didn't hold back in her last attack.
When she saw William's confident smirk as he used his World End Tempest to fight against her Overwhelming Strike, she knew that the person in front of her was similar to her as well.
A stubborn person that would not yield when pushed into a corner. That was why Chloee fell in love with him.
"Stupid Disciple," Chloee muttered as she bit into the gummy bear in her hands. "If only I was born Human, could things have worked out between us then?"
When Chloee was born, she thought that she was a very special existence. She was strong, she was small, and she could beat the crap out of anyone that annoyed her.
Never in her life did she feel as helpless as she did right now.
Chapter 1047: Please, Make Sure That She Doesn't Start Killing People
The next day, the flying carriage that Princes Aila, Shannon, Conan, Elliot, and Chloee were riding in arrived at the Fortaare Desert.
After much debate, they decided to visit Kira's Grandpa. This idea came from Shannon who used her ability to check on William from time to time.
Through the scenes that played in her mind's eye, she discovered that Zeph was quite a capable individual. Because of this, she convinced everyone that they should head to the Fortaare Desert and ask the old coot to let them talk to William using his communication artifact.
"Are you sure this old man will be able to help us?" Chloee asked as she looked at the gates of the city that towered above her.
Shannon nodded. "Of course. However, if he refuses to cooperate, we can always use violence to make him listen to our demands."
"Oh! I approve of this plan. I like beating up old people!"
"... You shouldn't beat up old people, Chloee," Princess Aila commented from the side because she remembered her Master, Owen, who sometimes complained that his hips were aching due to old age.
Conan and Elliot glanced at each other and smirked.
They didn't have the heart to tell the angelic beauty that the reason why Owen's hips ached was because of his nightly activities with his beautiful wife.
As they neared the gates of the city, the Guard Captain shouted and asked them to state their name and business in their city.
"I am William's Master!" Chloee shouted. "If you don't let me in, I will break this gate with my bare hands!"
"William?" the guard captain frowned. "Who is William? I don't know anyone that goes by that name. Do you guys know?"
The guards standing beside him shook their heads. This was the first time that they had heard the name William, and none of them knew who the little fairy was talking about.
"We are friends of Raymond Parker!" Shannon shouted. "We need to talk with your Patriarch. Let us in!"
She had completely forgotten to tell everyone that William was going by the name Raymond Parker at the moment, to prevent his identity from being known by everyone.
Just as she expected, the Guard Captain's expression changed after hearing Shannon's words. He immediately asked one of the guards to inform their Patriarch about what was happening at the gate because he didn't know if he should believe these people or not.
"I just sent word to our Patriarch," the Guard Captain replied. "Please wait until he arrives."
"Hmph! I should just smash this gate and get it over with," Chloee muttered.
"My Goodness!" Elliot exclaimed. "Let's just talk things out first like civilized people. If they don't let us in, we'll break ourselves in!"
"Okay. Talk first, bash later."
Conan, who was seated on Princess Aila's shoulder chuckled as he gazed at his two comrades. They had been traveling for quite some time, and they badly needed a place to stay, especially the two ladies, who had decided to look for William without much preparation at hand.
After fifteen minutes of waiting, the gates of the city opened.
An old man, along with his subordinates, walked out of the city and gazed at the unusual group that had come knocking on their door. All of them were armed and ready to fight against possible impostors who claimed to be William's friends, just to enter their city and spy on their activities.
"You said that you are Raymond Parker's friends?" Zeph asked. "Do you have any proof?"
Elliot flew towards Zeph and hovered a meter away from him.
"Old man, let's talk over there," Elliot said as he flew towards the side of the gate.
Zeph frowned, but he still followed the little creature that he was seeing for the first time in his life. After making sure that they were out of earshot from the others, Elliot whispered something in the old man's ears, which made the latter's eyes wide in shock.
Shannon had briefed them that Zeph knew about William's true identity, so Elliot merely told him things about the Half-Elf in order to convince the old man that they were really William's friends.
"If you still don't believe us, you can contact him right now," Elliot stated. "You have the means, right? Just tell him that Elliot is here. That is more than enough to confirm our identity."
"No need," Zeph replied. "I will believe you for now. Enter the city with me."
Zeph waved to his subordinates to make way for Elliot and his friends, and allow them to enter the city with him.
The old Patriarch of the Sand Clan took them to his office, and closed the door behind them. He then took out a round mirror from his storage ring and activated it. Immediately, the image of a black-haired teenager appeared on its surface.
"Is something wrong, Zeph?" William asked. "I'm kinda busy right now."
The sound of screams, and explosions could be heard in the background. Clearly, William was in the middle of attacking one of the Major Clans that supported the Gremory Clan to make the other Clans change their decision to form an alliance with them.
According to their agreement, Zeph would only contact him if it was something important. This was why the Half-Elf answered his call, even though he was in the middle of a one-sided massacre.
"Sorry to interrupt you at this crucial moment, but there are some people who have arrived here in Sand City and they are claiming to be your friends," Zeph replied.
"My friends?"
"Take a look."
Zeph turned the mirror and let it face the grumpy Chloee who had her arms crossed over her chest. Although he was skeptical that they were indeed William's friends, letting them see each other would put his worries to rest.
"Stupid Disciple! This old man is making things difficult for us!" Chloee shouted. "Chop his head off for me!"
"Um? Fifth Master? What are you doing there?"
"We came to look for you!"
"Eh? Why?" William scratched his head because he could tell that Chloee was feeling irritated at the moment.
"Let's talk after you come here to pick us up!"
"Okay, but it might take me four days to return to the Sand Clan, is that fine with you?"
Chloee's grumpy expression became grumpier, which made William unconsciously shudder. He knew for a fact that the little fairy didn't like to talk, and preferred to use her fists to make her point.
He was afraid that if he didn't try to pacify her, she would start destroying the Sand Clan's residence, which would cause complications at a later date.
"Fifth Master, I am completing a very important mission at the moment," William explained. "As much as I want to meet you. Time is not on my side. I have to deal with some important matters before I return to the Fortaare Desert."
Before Chloee could reply, Elliot dragged her away and let Conan talk to William for the time being. When William saw Conan, his confusion grew because he didn't expect that his familiars to also be in the Demon Continent.
"Conan? What happened? Why are you in the Demon Continent?" William asked.
"It's a long story, Will," Conan replied. "It is not only Chloee, Elliot and I that are here. Princess Aila, and Shannon are also here."
"W-Wait a minute! D-Did you just say Shannon?! Are you there to annihilate the entire Sand Clan? Did the Headmaster order you to do this? Don't do it! We are on the same side!"
"Yes. She is here with us, but don't worry. She's wearing protective artifacts to prevent others from killing themselves. We're not here to kill people. Everything is going to be fine… maybe."
Zeph, who was holding the round mirror in his hands, almost dropped it after hearing something ominous. He never thought that even the son of the Dungeon Conqueror would feel anxious after hearing the name of the girl who was currently sitting on the couch of his office and wearing a fox mask to cover her face.
"I understand," William said with a serious expression on her face. "Please, make sure that she doesn't start killing people. I will be there in three days!"
"Okay." Conan gave William the thumbs up. "Come here as soon as you can."
William then told Zeph a few things before the connection was cut. As soon as the image of the black-haired teenager disappeared on the surface of the mirror, the old man wiped away the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead.
There was some news that he had received a while ago that the Patriarch of the Greenskin Clan, as well as his elite warriors, had died after they confronted a lady wearing a fox mask.
When he saw Shannon, he didn't think much of it because masks were quite common in the Demon Continent. However, when William told him that the fox lady who was casually sitting inside his office had the ability to wipe out his entire clan, he almost cursed out loud.
Fortunately, he managed to hold it back and just gave William the middle finger in his heart.
'F*ck, what did I do to deserve this?' Zeph thought. 'Is this bastard trying to use this as a threat to ensure that I won't stab him in the back? I'd better handle this properly or else.'
On that day, a feast was held inside the ancestral hall of the Sand Clan. This was the only way that Zeph could think of, in order to pacify his VIP guests, and ensure that his entire clan would continue to exist for many more years to come.
Chapter 1048: Betraying His Race For Love [Part 1]
Word spread quickly within the Demon Continent after William and his forces decimated the Orkish Clan, which was considered as the Gremory Clan's right hand Clan.
If one were to ask all the Clans in the Demon Realm if there was a Clan that they hated the most, more than half of them would say that the Orkish Clan would win the 'Most Hated Clan' Award in their entire Continent.
They were a savage Clan that could no longer be called Demons, because they were literally Monsters that had mutated due to their bloodline ability to consume the flesh and blood of their victims.
William didn't bat an eye and demolished their entire city, killing as many as he could. When the Orkish Clan saw William's declaration to attack any Clan that had close ties with the Gremory Clan, they just laughed at him.
They thought that his bold words were just a big joke that ignorant fools said to make themselves look good. However, it didn't take long before they realized that the black-haired teenager was indeed a force to be reckoned with.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
The Clans that had sworn their allegiance to William, also joined the battle. They rode on the backs of the Requiem Antz that had evolved into Flying Scorpions, and shouted their war cries filled with vengeance.
Looking at this scene, William understood that the Clans that he had taken under his wing had a lot of pent up frustrations that they were unable to vent out due to their fear of being persecuted by the Major Clans.
Now that they had a powerful backer who cared for them, these Nomadic Clans banded together like warmongers who lusted for the blood of their enemies.
"Although I don't like war, this battle has a certain beauty in it," Vesta asked as she stood beside William with her arms crossed over her chest, and a smile plastered on her face. "When the oppressed fight back against their oppressors, I bet the Orkish Clan never saw this coming."
William remained silent. He never liked wars, but understood that this was the only way he could prevent a bigger one from happening. As long as the Demon Clans thought that he was all talk and no bite, his earlier feat against the Gremory Clan would soon be forgotten.
This was why he decided to strike while the iron was still hot and annihilate the Gremory Clan's strongest supporter, and make everyone know how serious he was about keeping his promises.
"What's your next plan?" Vesta asked. "Will you continue to cut off the Gremory Clan's limbs?"
"No." William shook his head. "I will return to the Fortaare Desert and pick up my acquaintances. If that band of troublemakers is not reigned in, the destruction they could cause will not be any less than what I am doing right now. In fact, they might even become more notorious than I am."
"Surely you jest. How can they possibly surpass you?"
"Oh, believe me when I say that they are more than capable of fighting the Gremory Clan by themselves. They are that troublesome."
Vesta glanced at William in disbelief. After seeing the things that he had accomplished so far, she couldn't think of anyone that could do the same things in their current generation.
What Vesta didn't know was that William was quite worried right now. He had first hand experience with what Shannon could do, and even thinking back on those days made him shudder inwardly.
If Shannon were to remove her restraints, and allow her Divinity to surface, a one-sided genocide would occur and she wouldn't even need to lift a single weapon to do it. All she needed to do was remove her fox mask, and everyone who saw her would without a doubt take their own lives whether they liked it or not.
William was unable to understand how Shannon had managed to escape Hestia Academy, and come to the Demon Realm with Princess Aila, Conan, Elliot, and Chloee.
While he was deep in thought, his army had finished their mission. They raised their hands high up in the air and shouted their cries of victory.
The red-headed teenager nodded his head in satisfaction before glancing in the direction of the Demons that had decided to flee their city.
The Half-Elf had explicitly ordered his army to not attack those who decided to escape. This was not him being merciful, but to let the other Clans understand that after he was through with them, their fate would be the same as the Orkish Clan, whose former glory would be forever buried in the ground that was soaked with their Clan's own blood.
——
Alvah smashed his fist on the table, breaking it completely. Although he already expected this to happen, seeing it truly happen made him very bitter. After asking for the Demon Lord's help repeatedly, all he got was a scroll that said "You started this, deal with it yourself."
This made Alvah so infuriated that all the servants that were serving him made themselves scarce for fear that he would vent his anger and frustrations at them.
"Ungrateful bastard!" Alvah gnashed his teeth as he clenched his fist tightly, drawing blood from the palm of his hand. "After all I've done for you, this is how you repay me?! Damn you, Luciel!"
The Patriarch of the Gremory Clan, who once looked at the other Clans in the Demon Continent with disdain, was now on the brink of losing his mind due to pressure that had suddenly assaulted him from all sides.
The Clans that he had suppressed in the past had now found a perfect opportunity to strike back at him.
After William defeated the Orkish Clan, the morale of the Clans that had allied themselves with the Gremory Clan had hit rock bottom. Some of them even declared their intention to break free from their control in an attempt to stop the black-haired teenager from setting his sights on them.
However, these petty acts of saving their own hides were drowned out by the war cries of those that had been waiting for an opportunity to strike back at the Gremory Clan.
Using William's momentum, various uprisings happened within the Northern Regions, causing Alvah's allies to fall one by one. Alvah knew that there was something very fishy about these recent events, because it was too orderly.
It was as if this was a battle of chess, in which he was slowly, and surely, being pushed back. The attacks were coming in his blindspots, causing him to lose terribly with each passing moment.
"Someone is pulling the strings from behind," Alvah thought.
As one of the best schemers in the Continent, he knew that someone was orchestrating these events from the shadows. William might be strong, but strength alone wasn't enough to make him lose his foundations in a span of several days, similar to dominoes toppling against each other once the first piece fell down.
Suddenly, an image appeared inside Alvah's mind. His body subconsciously trembled when the dots were finally connecting together.
"Did he find out about it?" Alvah muttered as he sat on his chair, while attempting to take control of his trembling body. "No. I made sure that no evidence was left. He can't possibly know what I did!"
Alvah repeated these words over and over again inside his head, but the more he did this, the greater the fear in his heart grew.
"No. It's impossible… the people I sent all died and no trace remained," Alvah took deep breaths in order to calm himself. "Without any evidence, how can he know what I did?"
Alvah tried over and over again to reassure himself, but it didn't work. Now that he had an idea about who was behind everything that was happening to him, he realized that everything he had built up over the past few decades was about to come crumbling under his feet.
Chapter 1049: Betraying His Race For Love [Part 2]
Joash twirled the wine cup in his hand as he gazed at the carnage that William's army had unleashed on the Orkish Clan through the eyes of his daughter, Vesta.
"Alvah, I will never forgive you," Joash stated as his gaze fell on the wine cup in his hand. "Everything that you've built through the years, I will destroy. Everyone that you cared for, I will kill. Everything that is precious to you, I will take. Only when you are at the edge of despair, will I appear and make you regret killing my wife, while I was away for the war on the Silvermoon Continent.
"Do you really think that I didn't know that you were behind everything? The only reason you are still alive is because I want you to suffer until your dying breath. That is the only way that I can quell the anger in my heart. Don't worry, you won't be going to hell alone. I will send your entire Clan, as well as your precious Demon Lord, to the afterlife to keep you company."
Joash had planned everything for many years. He chose collaborators that would not betray him and help him enact his revenge. The patriarch of the Sand Clan, Zeph, and the Headmaster of Hestia Academy, Byron, were just some of the people he had forged strong ties with.
All for the sake of his revenge.
"Astraea, just a little more and the filthy Clan that killed you will be no more," Joash said softly.
People thought that Demigods were too indifferent for love. However, they could never be more wrong.
As one of those that stood at the Apex of the world, those whom they cared for didn't surpass the number of fingers on one of their hands. This was why those individuals were very precious. So precious that they would not bat an eye to start a genocide for their sake.
Baba Yaga would do that for Celine, and Vlad would do that for James.
Joash was the same. As long as someone tried to poke their reverse scale, they would find themselves at the receiving end of a mad dragon, whose heart had hardened itself against betraying his own race, just for the sake of revenge.
——
As William and his entourage traveled towards the Fortaare Desert to meet up with the others. A powerful fluctuation rocked his body, making him gasp for breath.
Seated beside him, Celine clutched her chest as tendrils of dark energy snaked around her body.
The same thing was happening to William as well, but this was not the first time that this had happened to them. The black-haired teenager, as well as the beautiful Elf, closed their eyes as they endured the power that was going berserk inside their bodies.
The minutes passed slowly, but their conditions were not getting better. In fact, they were getting worse. Knowing that they were going to endanger the others, Celine grabbed William's hand and activated her artifact, Eternity.
As the two stood in that vast, and empty world, their hold of their senses gradually weakened, until they could no longer control their bodies. Just like two wild animals, the two of them used their bodies in an attempt to ease the torment that they were experiencing.
Blood, sweat, tears, and other fluids flowed freely as the hours passed by. Both of them were no longer conscious at this point, but their bodies still moved, like puppets being controlled by a puppeteer.
When William opened his eyes, he found his head resting on Celine's voluptuous chest. A trail of dried up blood could be seen on its side, which made William realize that he had bittern her again on that place, out of instinct.
Fortunately, the wound had already healed, and Celine's powerfully beating heart assured him that she was fine.
As the Half-Elf propped himself up, he saw the aftermath of what both of them had done in their berserked state. Scratch marks, bite marks, as well as bruises could be seen all over Celine's beautiful body.
William didn't fare any better because every part of him was in pain. Even his hips were aching, and the Half-Elf didn't like it one bit.
Using his Wind Magic, William gently lifted Celine's body, and cleaned her up with Water Magic. After making sure that every part of her had been scrubbed clean, William used his Healing Magic to mend all of her injuries.
Even after everything that William had done, Celine didn't stir from her slumber. This showed how exhausted she was. William sighed as he took clothes out from his storage ring and gently dressed her.
"We can't continue like this," William muttered as he used his Wind Magic to move Celine to the bed, so that she could have a proper rest. "Should we stop fighting it, and just give in to our instincts?"
As William used his magic to clean his own body, these thoughts came to his mind. Celine and him had talked about many things, and one of them was going to the Ancient Ruins, in order to stop themselves from being overwhelmed by the influence of the Dark Powers that were calling out to them.
Although they still couldn't prove it, both of them had a feeling that, even if they were to escape at the edge of the world, they would still be forced to turn back and accept their fate.
William didn't want to admit it, but the possibility of the two of them losing their minds if they kept resisting the call of Darkness was something that had been gnawing at the back of his mind. What happened earlier was proof that the longer they stayed away from the source, the more danger they posed to themselves and those around them.
"After reuniting with the others, Master and I will go North," William muttered softly as he used healing magic on himself. "Maybe it's about time we stopped running away, and faced this problem once and for all."
The Half-Elf didn't know if this was really the right decision, but right now, he had no other choice. Fate had started to make her move, and those who resisted it would find themselves fighting against a mighty current, unable to push forward even if they used all of their might.
——-
Somewhere in the Temple of the Ten Thousand Gods…
An enchanting lady, who would eventually ruin the entire multiverse, smiled as she gazed at the Half-Elf who was deep in thought. She knew that William wouldn't be able to run away from the trial that he needed to face, but for some reason, she also felt saddened about it.
"Everything is coming full circle," the Primordial Goddess said with certainty. "The past, present, and future have already converged to make this a reality. Nothing can stop it now. Not even I will be able to do anything but watch as you make your choices and act on them.
"Still, I can't help but be tempted to break the rules that Amalthea and I agreed upon. Hah~ Why must things be complicated?"
The primordial Goddess shook her head in order to brush away the mundane thoughts that were starting to appear in her consciousness. Now that William had finally made his choice, the curtain would soon close.
As the promises of the past, present, and future intertwined, the end of the world was going to taste so sublime.
Chapter 1050: I Am Looking For My Prince [Part 1]
Two days later, a lightning bolt descended from the sky and landed at the residence of the Patriarch of the Sand Clan.
William lightly stretched his arms, body, and neck waving at the old man, who had dark circles under his eyes.
"Yo! Old Zeph. I'm glad to see you're still alive," William said with a smile.
"You imp! How dare you do this to me?" Zeph asked as spittle flew in every direction. "Do you think it's funny to let someone that could potentially annihilate my entire Clan inside our main residence? You bastard! How dare you do this to me?"
"Calm down. I didn't even know that they decided to go sightseeing in the Demon Continent. This is not my fault."
"Well, they could have chosen to sightsee somewhere else! I don't want my Clan to suffer the same fate as the Greenskin Clan!"
William chuckled, but deep inside he was feeling sorry for the old man. After experiencing what Shannon was capable of, he understood where he was coming from. Even so, the Half-ELf thought that since the old coot and him were on the same side, it was fine to share his burdens with him, right?
"It's fine, aren't you still alive?" William commented as he tried to pacify the old Demon whose veins were bulging at the corner of his head. "Besides, both of them are good girls. Did they make things hard for you? Of course not. That is how confident I am in their character."
"Well, I guess you're right." Zeph wasn't able to refute William's words because Princess Aila and Shannon had been very cooperative with them. They didn't even leave their room and just waited for the Half-Elf to arrive, which took a load off of the old man's shoulders.
The two talked as they walked together. William mostly asked about the recent news that was happening around the Demon Continent.
After dealing a devastating blow to the Orkish Clan, William also visited another Clan, which also had strong ties with the Gremory Clan, and demolished their city to the ground. This was part of the strategy that Old Zeph had come up with, so it was crucial for William to ensure that the attack would be a success.
After doing these two things, the Half-Elf immediately returned to the Fortaare Desert to know why Princess Aila, Shannon, Conan, Elliot, and Chloee, decided to come to the Demon Realm in order to find him.
As soon as William arrived at the temporary residence where his friends were staying, a little fairy came flying in his direction with a mighty shout.
"Stupid Disciple! What took you so long?!"
"It's nice to see you again Sixth Mast-argh!" ꜰʀᴇᴇ ᴡᴇʙ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ. ᴄᴏᴍ
Chloee didn't bat an eye and gave William's chest a powerful kick, which sent him smashing towards the wall of the residence, breaking it completely.
Zeph, who was standing right beside the Half-Elf half a few moments ago, made a fist pump and gave Chloee two thumbs up in his heart. He had long wanted to slap the black-haired teeanger silly, but only held back because he was afraid of retaliation.
Seeing William suffer from the little fairy's kick made Zeph feel that the VIP Treatment that he had given Chloee's group wasn't wasted.
'This feeling is good,' Zeph mused as he pretended to look concerned at what had just transpired in front of him. He didn't even pay attention to the damaged wall in his residence. If possible, he even wanted to urge Chloee to continue beating William up, even if the entire place goes down.
Losing a small residence as a price to see Wiliam getting beaten up was something that he would pay to see.
"You're still the same, Sixth Master," William said with a face filled with injustice as he stood up from the rubble, while clutching his chest. He had just finished using a healing spell to cure his injury, so he did not feel any pain from the blow he had just received.
"Hmp! This is what you get for making me wait!" Chloee crossed her arms over her chest and glared at William. "If you want to compensate me. Give me more of those chocolate bars. I know that you stocked up on a lot of them."
Seeing the little fairy's attempt at extortion made the corner of William's lips twitch. Even so, he still agreed to his request. A happy Chloee was a Chloee that doesn't randomly attack people with a flying kick.
Right after giving the little fairy over a dozen chocolate bars, the Half-Elf noticed two figures standing on the balcony of the residence.
One of them was an angelic beauty. One that would make any guy want to protect her smile.
The other was another beauty, whose gaze was enough to literally send you to the afterlife.
"It has been a while, Aila, Shannon," William said in greeting. "Sorry for making the two of you wait."
"I'm glad to see you again, Sir William," Princess Aila replied with a smile.
Shannon, on the other hand, only nodded her head in greeting. No one knew that underneath her fox mask, the young lady could feel her cheeks burning, as she gazed at the black-haired-teenager, whose exploits had made her heart skip a beat.
Five minutes later…
William sat on a chair and casually sipped on his tea. On his right shoulder, Chloee, who was holding a chocolate bar in her hands, sat and ate without a care in the world.
Conan sat on Princess Aila's shoulder, while Elliot took this opportunity to get some fresh air. For the past three days, the angelic familiar had been keeping a close eye on Shannon to ensure that she wouldn't cause any trouble for the Sand Clan.
It was a very taxing duty because Shannon liked her newfound freedom. She would often try to sneak out of the residence, just to go sightseeing, but Elliot couldn't let this happen. If Shannon was attacked by a foolish Demon from the Sand Clan, and she accidentally killed them in the process, the harmonious relationship between Zeph and William might become strained.
In order to prevent this from happening, he took it upon himself to guard Shannon 24/7 and thwart her attempts to escape from the residence in order to satisfy her curiosity.
When William arrived, Elliot was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief because he was sure that the Half-Elf could reign her in. Since that was the case, he left the residence to wander around the city, in search of something interesting to help him pass time.
"Okay. I think it's about time that the two of you tell me why you are here in the Demon Continent," William said as he placed his tea cup on the table. "Let's start with you, Shannon. How did you manage to escape, and why did you escape?"
The fox lady turned her head to look at William. Although she was still wearing a mask, the Half-Elf could feel a pair of determined eyes looking back in his direction.
"I came here in the Demon Continent to find my Prince," Shannon said.
"You're looking for your what?" William asked. "A Prince? Here in the Demon Continent? Are you out of your mind?"
Shannon smiled underneath her mask as she eyed William with an amused expression on her face.
"Yes. I am looking for my Prince," Shannon answered. "In fact, I am looking at him right now."