Rona, Lucia, Sari, Io, and the other Demon Generals and candidates occupied the Emperor's box.
I prepared to enter the match when someone tugged at my hand. It was Ava, She gave me a light peck on the cheek before whispering, "Be careful, okay?" Then, she quickly ran away before I could react.
Her action was adorable, and I couldn't help but smile.
I entered the Colosseum as my name resounded from the announcer's voice.
The Demon Lord's side erupted in enthusiastic cheers as Zef made his grand entrance into the arena.
Meanwhile, on my side, Ava cheered for me with love shining in her eyes. I grinned and formed a heart shape with my fingers, sending a loving gesture in Ava's direction.
Her face lit up with a radiant smile as she caught my gesture. In response, she blew me a kiss and cheered even louder, her love and support evident in her gaze.
"Are you ready, Grey-dono?" Zef asked.
"Always, Zef-san."
"Good, let's begin," he declared.
It's SHOWTIME!
'System, seal all my physical defenses and set them to base level. I want to fight this battle in my pure mage form,' I instructed the system.
[YES, HOST. ALL EXTRA PHYSICAL DEFENSES ARE TEMPORARILY SEALED...]
[RESETTING THE PHYSICAL DEFENSE TO BASE LEVEL....COMPLETED]
The crowd's excited murmurs gradually faded as I turned my full attention to Zef, standing before me, with a spear in hand.
"Grey-dono, I will give my best, and I hope you will honor your word no matter the outcome," Zef sincerely asked.
"Don't worry, Zef-san, no matter what happens, I will help you end this war for good," I replied with determination and honor.
"Thank you," he said as the bell rang, signaling the start of the match.
Before I could fully comprehend it, a menacing shadow loomed over me, Zef's spear, infused with magic, descended upon me with incredible speed.
"Shit! Dimensional move," I uttered quickly.
*BOOOM*
A loud blast and dust filled the air. Zef emerged from the dust and exclaimed, "AHAHA, as expected of you, Grey-dono, you have quick reflexes!"
'Damn it! That was close; it would have been painful if I took the full blow.' I thought.
To my surprise, it was a Dragon-slaying Spear.
With that, I cast the spell "Lesser Dimension Lock" just as Zef was about to blink again.
[HOST ALL INSTANT MOVEMENT SKILLS HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED]
"ooh, you kept a restriction. Not bad. But that won't be enough!" He grinned and appreciated my countermeasure, but he was relentless.
"Spear of Ice, Freezing Slash!"
Unleashing intense frigid power that headed my way. I took a deep breath and calmed myself. With determination surging in my veins, I opened my eyes wide and cast two spells consecutively.
Greater Barrier
Dual Tongue
A spell that grants me the ability to incant spells at a much faster rate.
Then, as the chilling assault drew near Powerful magic shields enveloped me, augmenting my protection.
"Spear of Earth, shatter for me. Fissure!" Zef followed with another shout his magic reverberated through the ground, causing the earth to quake. Cracks snaked towards me, threatening to consume me in their gaping depths.
Thinking quickly, I cast
Flight
and soared into the air, escaping the ground's impending grasp.
However, Zef was far from finished. He'd been readying another incantation.
"Spear of Air, strike my foe. Windbreaker!"
With swift precision, a high-intensity, spiraling spear with powerful gusts shot towards me. It struck me mid-flight, throwing me off balance and crashing me back to the ground.
Before Zef could capitalize on my vulnerability, I mustered my strength, gathered mana,
I said my incantation,
"Fire of the Ancients, Fury of Dragons, Lend Me Thy Breath.
Unleash your flames and burn away everything in my way.
Dragon Breath!"
Amidst the dust and debris from the previous strikes, a blinding eruption of scorching flames emerged. Zef reacted by using his defense spell,
"Palms of Earth, Shield Me from Harm, Earth Barrier." However, the flames broke through his defense, and he began to burn. His clothes were charred, and his skin was seared.
The shield deflected most of the damage, but the "Burn" effect persisted, inflicting residual damage on him.
Burn is a status effect that causes the person to receive 2x times the damage from all Fire-type spells.
"Those were some good flames, Grey-dono." he said cheerfully. Despite the burning pain, Zef seemed unyielding as he approached me with his spear crackling with sparks. He declared,
"Let me show you something that none have seen until now, Grey-dono"
"Spear of Thunder, Manifest!"
With thunder and lightning swirling from his spear, Zef was surrounded by a shroud of lightning. With determination, he summoned the true power of his spear.
What the hell?!
Lightning is supposed to be a very rare element rig-
"Lightning Pierce!"
In a deafening bang, he disappeared from his position.
Hu-?!
*Squish*
Before I could even react, his spear impaled my chest, piercing my heart. Blood dripped from its tip on the other side.
*Drip*
*Drip*
I gasped in pain.
The spectators in the arena were stunned as the Demon Lord wielded the rare Thunder Element, a power belonging to gods.
"Cough...heh...got...cha," I managed to say with a bloody smile, catching Zef's hands holding the spear.
"...Hell Flame," I said in a low voice,
a seemingly weak, small black flame that appeared in mid-air. The crowd began to laugh, thinking it was anticlimactic. However, as the flame descended on Zef, it exploded into a massive black torrent of flames, engulfing him.
"AARRGHHH...!" Zef's screams of agony filled the arena as the flames devoured him.
The "Hell Flame" was a 7th Tier Spell, known for latching onto its target and becoming a raging Fire, burning with black flames as long as the caster provided mana.
With the Burn Effect in play, it became highly lethal for him.
*splat*
As he burned, I slowly withdrew the spear lodged in my chest, and blood splattered.
[WARNING! DRACONIC HEART HAS BEEN FATALLY DAMAGED...]
[SEALING HEART MERIDIANS...FORCEFULLY PUMPING BLOOD WITH QI...COMPLETE]
[SHIFTING TO BLACK HEART...]
[REGENERATION OF DRAGONIC HEART INITIATED... CALCULATING APPROXIMATE TIME... 12 HOURS]
[11:59:58 UNTIL FULL REGENERATION]
"Grey...-dono, you truly...are a formidable opponent, the strongest I've seen in a long time," Zef said with labored breath, barely standing up straight as the flames receded, as I provided less mana due to my Dragon heart being damaged.
He called his spear back to his hand, taking support as he announced, "But enough dragging this match. Let's finish this, one final attack to end it."
Indeed, The decision for one last move to determine the winner was the best course of action. considering the high strain on my body due to most of my physical defenses being sealed.
"...Sounds perfect, Zef-san. Let's end this... Now," I spoke in a strained, bloody tone. Breathing was difficult with a hole in my chest.
"Good," he replied and immediately began chanting his spell.
"O Spear of Thunder, O Spear of Lightning, Heed my call,
Unleash your lightning, mighty and tall.
Defy the heaven, Defy the World, Defy the Order,
I call upon your thunderous wrath, In an instant, bring forth death.
No remorse, no regrets, no delay,
With crackling thunder and blinding light,
Heaven's power I challenge this night."
"Heaven-smiting Thunder Spear! Descend!!"
Decrease Weight
As he chanted, I began to ascend into the air, decreasing my weight.
Maximize Magic
Boost Magic
I continued by Solidifying mana on the tip of my finger and began to inscribe in the air at inhuman speeds.
"Write!
There exists purgatory in the netherworld and fields of fire in the corporeal world.
Fire discriminates not against good nor evil as it burns and purifies with ferocious mercy.
All must die and return to bone,
God has forsaken humanity.
This body, less hospitable than my home, turned to black dirt.
Endless despair as far as the eye can see.
Scorch the earth, raze it to cinders, consume all, devour all.
Burn, Burn, Burn, Burn.
Come Forth, Flames of Hell,
Dye this night sky in Crimson Red."
"INFERNO!"
Simultaneously, dark clouds formed in the sky as thunder roared and lightning crackled. A massive spear of pure lightning descended upon me.
Then the earth shattered, and ghostly howls escaped from the cracks, followed by intense red flames that rushed out of the gaps.
The ferocious flames rose high, devouring the sky, the clouds, and everything in their path. All that remained was a bright crimson pillar of flames, with the screams of the damned echoing from within.
"My Lord!" Shouts of worry filled the gallery as the spectators were terrified of the outcome of the spell.
"Grey!" Ava's voice rang out, filled with worry. It wasn't until three minutes later that the flames began to subside, and the cracks in the arena started to close.
A figure was visible in mid-air, their clothes destroyed. Skin peeled and burnt in various spots.
I was barely holding on; Zef's attack was of peak Tier 6, truly destructive.
However, the spell I had conjured was "INFERNO," a Tier 8 spell, strong enough to reduce an entire city to ash. Even though I could only conjure up merely a fraction of its strength at the moment.
The difference in the level of the spells is just too much to even compete let alone go head-on with each other. That combined with 'Boost', 'Burn', and 'Maximize Magic' is an Overkill.
As the nightmarish scene settled I could see Zef, body Fully charred. His features are barely distinguishable, "Spectacular...really, spectacular...Grey" he said in a distorted voice as he collapsed on the ground.
Marking the End of our Duel.
As the crowd from the Demon Lord's side rushed onto the battlefield to aid Zef.
Rona and Sari couldn't hold back their tears upon seeing him. Even the Demon Generals wore somber expressions as they witnessed the state of their fallen leader. Despite their efforts, many tried in vain to heal him; his body was too severely burned for any healing spell to mend. With great difficulty, Zef called out my name and asked me to look after his kingdom, his people, his children, and his two daughters.
"Let me... rest... for a while," he whispered with his last breath before he departed from the world.
His final words shocked Sari and everyone present, as they hadn't expected Rona and Sari to be the actual daughters of Zef.
I descended to the ground, and to everyone's astonishment, I replied, "No, Zef-san. This is not the time for you to rest. There are still so many wondrous things I wish to show you, things you couldn't have imagined." I extended my hand, made a small cut on my finger, and let a drop of blood fall to the ground.
"Reject death and return to the land of the living. Ingall!" I chanted, and the blood drop transformed into a glowing magic circle.
Zef's lifeless body vanished and reappeared from the circle, completely unharmed. He had been resurrected! The sight of this miraculous resurrection filled the onlookers with fear and awe, as the act of bringing someone back from the dead was unheard of.
The person capable of such a feat could easily be considered a God among Men.
Zef opened his eyes and looked around, remembering that he had died, and heard my voice beckoning him back. As the people hugged him and cried tears of joy at his miraculous return, he reciprocated their embraces and offered consolation.
Zef's gaze eventually landed on me, and he approached with everyone eagerly waiting to hear what he had to say. He kneeled before me and declared, "I, Demon Lord Zef, shall honor my bet and follow you in life, in death, and beyond."
Before I could respond, others also knelt beside Zef, pledging their allegiance: "We, the Demon Kingdom, too, swear our loyalty to Devil King Grey. Please accept us as your people." They expressed this wholeheartedly.
I returned their request with a warm smile and replied,
"I accept. Let's begi-" But before I could finish my sentence, my vision blurred, and my strength waned.
I lost consciousness as I fell onto what felt like two soft cushions.
Sometime later,
I awoke in a bed within a room that clearly belonged to a royal setting. The ceiling had vivid patterns and designs, and the large, beautifully designed bed I lay on confirmed the grandeur of the room. As I rose from the bed, I heard the system's voice in my mind.
[CONGRATULATIONS, HOST, FOR ACQUIRING THE FIRST CAMP OF YOUR EMPIRE]
[ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED: THE FIRST FORTITUDE]
[1500 POINTS AWARDED]
[PROGRESSIVE QUEST ACTIVATED...]
[THE EMPEROR'S ASCENT: CONQUEROR]
[
I instinctively pressed
[HOST, YOUR DRAGON HEART HAS BEEN RECONSTRUCTED WITH THE HELP OF CREATION MAGIC...]
[IT HAS BEEN BLESSED BY CREATION MAGIC...]
[THE DRAGON HEART CAN NO LONGER BE AFFECTED BY DRAGON-SLAYING ITEMS...]
I marveled at the news and realized that Ava had played a significant role in restoring my Dragon Heart, rendering it immune to dragon-slaying weapons.
As I contemplated these developments, I heard the door opening, and in walked Ava and Lucia, engaged in cheerful conversation.
"Oh~ You look, happy ladies, What's the matter," I asked as I walked towards them with just a towel and a few bandages wrapping me.
"Grey!" Ava rushed toward me, her relief evident as I embraced her.
"Greetings, my king. It's good that you've awakened," Lucia greeted me with a respectful bow. Her demeanor was more formal this time, and I sensed a subtle change in her, something I intended to explore later. However, there were pressing matters at hand.
I inquired, "It's good to see you too, Lucia. How is the situation outside?"
She responded, "My king, Demon Lord has already informed everyone of our allegiance and the rest of the events that transpired."
"Our army, along with our generals and Lord Zef, awaits you at the assembly point," she added with a determined spark in her eyes, eager for my next actions.
"Good. Inform them that I'll be there in a minute," I instructed, preparing to address my troops.
"Yes, my King," Lucia acknowledged with a bow before departing.
"So..." I turned towards the voluptuous Woman in my Embrace and listened to her express her concerns.
"Grey...I-I know that this is all supposed to be an act but they really consider me as your Fiancée..!!" She appeared panicked, explaining her dilemma,
"I thought of telling them the truth, but they may think you're a liar. Only you can do something about this. Grey! this is serious. Why are you smiling so happily? This lie could be ba-!!!"
Before she could say another word I Took her Soft lips stopping her sentence midway. They were warm and soft. I could feel the soft tickle of her breath beneath my nose, fingers carding through her hair as we breathed each other in.
I pulled back gently, ending the kiss, and looked into her dazed eyes "I think You have my answer now, Ava" I whispered to which She responded with a slight nod.
"Perfect, Let's go"
We made our way to the assembly point where our forces, along with Lord Zef, were waiting anxiously. As we approached, the crowd fell silent, and all eyes were fixed on me.
"Soldiers!! Bow to The Devil King!" Zef announced as I stepped forward in front of them.
There were around 700,000 soldiers total in the Demon kingdom, all present, all ready to march at my command.
Looking at them I could feel the trust, hope, and reverence for me in their eyes. Eagerly Waiting for me to address them.
"MY SOLDIERS!! MY FELLOW WARRIORS! Both demon and demi-human, today we stand, not as divided races, but as a formidable alliance, bound by a common purpose. We are at a crossroads in this war, and though our journey has been fraught with challenges, we have the strength, determination, and unity to overcome them all.
I see before me brave souls who have fought valiantly, even in the face of adversity. The tide of this war may not always be in our favor, but REMEMBER that it's not the strongest who survive, but those who ADAPT, who never lose hope, and who NEVER SURRENDER.
We may have faced defeats, setbacks, and moments of despair, but it's in these very moments that we find the fire within ourselves. Our adversaries may be numerous, and their strength intimidating, but our spirit is unbreakable. It is our unity that they fear the most, for it defies their expectations and threatens to change the course of history.
Our enemies may underestimate us, but let us use their arrogance to our advantage. The underdog has always been the greatest source of legends and victories. We may have been pushed to the brink, but it's from that edge that we shall RISE!
Remember the faces of your comrades, the pain of loss, and the dreams of a better world. Remember the sacrifices made and the hope that burns within you. This is what we fight for.
I ask you now, do not fight for the past or the present. Fight for the future, for the world we will create together. We will build a world where prejudice is replaced with understanding, where enmity is overshadowed by cooperation, and where hatred is consumed by friendship.
Do not COWER, do not TREMBLE for I shall stand between You and Your Fears.
Fight!! My Soldiers!, Fight!! for your family!, Fight!! for your kingdom!
Fight!! for GLORY!
For WE shall write the DAWN OF A NEW ERA!!"
As my voice echoed through the assembly, a renewed fire burned in the eyes of the soldiers. They stood taller, shoulders squared, and faces filled with determination.
The demons and demi-humans, once wearied by the trials of war, were now reinvigorated with a sense of purpose that coursed through their very beings.
"ALL HAIL THE DEVIL KING!! ALL HAIL THE DEVIL KING!! ALL HAIL THE DEVIL KING!!"
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
*THUMP*
The chant reverberated through the crowd, a thunderous battle cry that seemed to shake the very earth beneath us. Warriors from a variety of races, including demons and demi-humans, hoisted their weapons high, their unwavering spirits shining through. Their synchronized foot stomping continued, a testament to their devotion.
The atmosphere was electric, charged with newfound vigor and unity.
"Haha, as expected of a great warrior like you, Devil King Grey. Only you could inspire an army like this on your first occasion," Zef remarked with joy as he approached me.
"Please, Zef-san, you can call me Grey. No need for titles. As for the speech, I merely spoke from the heart. There's nothing to be proud of," I replied with humility.
"Very well, Grey-dono, if you insist," he laughed at my modesty.
"Demon Lord, Devil King, the council has arrived. They're in the military tent." a soldier informed us.
"Allow me to lead the way to the tent, Grey-dono," he offered and began walking ahead.
*Swiiiish*
*Boom*
I heard a deafening noise from the front as something plummeted from the sky.
"Well, well, well. It seems the Demons are now led by a pretty boy," a sarcastic comment emanated from a female voice amidst the dust.
"I don't understand why you brought me to this backward kingdom, Sofia. Demons? They're nothing more than pathetic," a child's voice berated my kingdom.
"Shut it, Mitsurugi. My big sister Rona called me and informed me about their new leader. As her Vice General, how could I not come to check him out?" Sofia retorted with a touch of anger.
As the dust settled, a mature woman and a child emerged. The woman had silver hair with red tips, and her bangs concealed her right eye, giving her a mysterious appearance. She carried a massive sword resting on her shoulder. The child wore a distinctive cape that immediately caught the eye.
I recognized them instantly.
They were Sofia Bulga and Lancer, a former SSS-rank adventurer known as the 'Dragon Slayer,' and the Greater Dragon of Swords, who appeared as a child.
The commotion drew the attention of everyone present.
"Sofia, you look even more stunning in person. The stories don't do you justice," I shared my genuine thoughts, recalling her anime-like appearance.
"Heh, at least you know how to appreciate beauty. But what I value is not beauty and appearances; it's strength.
Beauty may fade, but strength is the only thing that remains with you until the end of your life," she proclaimed her views.
"Indeed, history only remembers the strong. It has always been this way and always will be," I agreed, earning a bright smile from her.
Just in time, Rona rushed towards us to dispel the tension that had been brewing.
"My King, this is the Vice General of the Demon Army, Sofia Bulga, currently in my division."
"And Sofia, this is the Devil King Grey, whom I told you about before," she introduced us to each other.
"Relax, big sis Rona. I just wanted to see the strength of the Devil King for myself. You know how crazy I am about it, right?" Sofia remarked, easing the tension with a playful tone.
"What do you say, Grey? Want to show me the 'strength' you've been talking about, or is it just a silver tongue?" Sofia asked with a serious tone, quite different from her earlier sarcastic comments about me being a "pretty boy."
"Sofia?!"
"It's okay, Rona. I'll be happy to show her what true strength is," I declared, accepting her challenge, which garnered cheers from the soldiers.
"Grey-dono, I believe this is the perfect moment to demonstrate your power to the soldiers and earn their unwavering trust and loyalty," Zeff added.
"Good idea, Zef-san," I agreed, recognizing that this was an ideal opportunity, especially with a Greater Dragon present. Defeating a Greater Dragon would be a remarkable feat for them to witness, and deep down, I wanted that Bastard Lancer Dead. He couldn't be trusted, based on what I knew about him.
"Hey, Mitsurugi, we're fighting him. Get ready," Sofia addressed her companion.
"Tsk, we should be fighting the Greater Dragons, not some nobody who calls himself a Devil King. Anyway, let's finish this quickly," he replied in an annoyed tone, unsheathing his swords in preparation for combat.
Everyone stepped back to give us some space.
"We're ready whenever you are, Grey," Sofia said, moving into a fighting stance with her sword.
"Zemo," I said suddenly, confusing everyone. But as soon as I mentioned it, the shadows flickered, and a colossal figure emerged. It stood at least 10 feet tall and was five times wider than a regular human warrior.
This was Zemo, the most formidable Sumo-Khan, appointed by Akira as my bodyguard. He exuded an intimidating presence that struck fear into anyone who beheld him.
The soldiers, generals, and even Zeff flinched as this monstrous being stood on the training field.
Zemo's next words sent shivers down their spines, "Master, what is your command?"
"I want his soul, Zemo. Can you Get it for me?" I asked, feigning innocence as if I were asking for candy.
"Of course, Master. You shall have it. Give this subordinate a minute," he responded confidently, moving toward Lancer.
"YOU... YOU!! INSOLENT CREATURE! HOW DARE YOU COVET THIS GREAT ONE'S SOUL! I SHALL SHOW YOU THE MIGH-"
*SLAP*
*BOOM*
Before Lancer could finish his threat, he was sent hurtling through the air by Zemo's Pimp slap.
"You. Talk too much," Zemo quipped, leaving everyone in awe of his might.
"Huh?! La-Lancer?!" Sofia was visibly shocked by the sight of a Greater Dragon being sent flying across the field with a single slap.
"Young lady, don't get distracted. I am your opponent," I redirected her focus to our duel.
"Ah, yes. How could I forget that?" Sofia replied, quickly regaining her composure and charging toward me with blinding speed.
*Shwing*
"Ehh?! How?" she was utterly bewildered when I caught her powerful dragon-slaying sword with just two fingers.
*Crack*
*Crack*
"The quality of this is too low to even put a scratch on me," I commented as I broke the sword with a resounding boom.
Despair Aura I
I cast the Spell to induce fear and negate any confidence-boosting magic like Lion's Heart etc, in effect.
With the sword now in pieces and 'fear' induced, I made a swift move to gently grab her waist, pulling her closer to me.
"I heard you like dropping people from the skies. Let's see that, shall we?" I whispered and then vanished from the ground with her.
We both reappeared high above the clouds.
"Wait, wait, WAIT. Don't tell me you plan on dropping me from here, do you?" Sofia asked, looking down where the large buildings were barely visible as tiny dots.
"Of course not, silly. I'm not going to drop you," I reassured her, and she relaxed momentarily, only to panic upon hearing my next sentence.
"Instead, we both shall fall from here, together," I said with a mischievous grin, retracting the Qi on which I was levitating.
"Hu-AAAAAHHHHHH!!" With her scream, we both started free-falling.
"GREY!! ARE YOU INSANE?!! FALLING FROM THIS HEIGHT NOT EVEN OUR BONES SHALL REMAIN!!!" Sofia screamed, holding me even tighter.
"Relax, Sofia, no nee-"
"RELAX?! HOW CAN I RELAX WHEN WE ARE ABOUT TO DIE IN STUPID WAY!!" She exclaimed, her panic evident in her voice.
"Sofia... SOFIA! Look at me, LOOK AT ME." She opened her squinting eyes and fixed her dark gold eyes onto mine as we plummeted towards the ground. I kept my back to the fast-approaching earth.
"Do not let your fear control you. It's okay to be afraid, but do not let it rule you. Instead, you should control it.
Remember, there is no such thing as 'fearless,' but only someone 'courageous.' Now, take a deep breath and tell me what do you see."
She listened to my words, taking a deep breath to calm her mind and steady her racing heart.
"I see the LAND approaching us... but... but I also see you, your cheeky grin, and wi-WINGS?!" She was surprised by the crimson wings on my back.
"See, when fear clouds your mind, you can only see the impending danger – the land approaching us. But it's only when you relax and clear your mind that you can see the whole picture, to see-"
"A way to conquer the fear," she finished the sentence, grasping the meaning I wanted her to understand. Another form of 'True Strength'.
"True strength isn't just measured by how many fights you can win against others, but also by the battles you face within yourself. Do you understand?" I asked, to which she simply nodded, still lost in thought.
"Good, wanna trust me and see something cool?" I asked with a smile.
With a mad grin, she wrapped her arms around my neck, and crossed her legs on my waist, holding me tightly like a koala.
"Show me," she whispered, looking at me. Seeing her mad smile, I did not hesitate and immediately retracted my wings, resuming our fall.
*Giggle*
This time, both of us were giggling like fools, enjoying the fall that many would consider a plunge to certain death.
"What happened now? You don't look scared like before. Are you not afraid of Death?" I asked teasingly as we were seconds away from touching the ground.
"What? Don't get me wrong, I still fear Death, a lonely one. But now I have you, and as long as you are with me, I will find the courage to conquer even Death, DARLING," she replied fervently.
HUH?! DARL-?!
but before I could even process what she had just called me, we reached the ground.
Levitate!
~Transfer
Just before we made contact with the surface, I cast Levitate, breaking our fall. Simultaneously, Ddraig used 'Transfer' to shift the kinetic energy from the fall to the ground. The tip of my toes touched the ground, creating a massive crater beneath us.
We floated slowly to the ground beside the soldiers, who were staring at us with their jaws hanging open.
"That... That... THAT WAS AWESOME!! DARLING~" Sofia shouted with excitement, still clinging to me.
"Darling?" I inquired.
"I'm a simple woman, Grey. A long time ago, I promised myself that I would marry a strong, good man who would defeat me. So... Yeah, from now on, YOU. ARE. MY. DARLING~," she replied with a lovely smile, declaring herself to be my wife.
"Ahem! If you guys are done being lovey-dovey, then, my king, you should look at your retainer," Rona interrupted us, indicating that things were about to get interesting.
Sofia climbed down from me with a bright smile, and we turned our attention toward Zemo.
The sweet mood from before instantly shifted to a somber one as I saw Zemo dragging the lifeless body of Lancer with one hand and holding a glowing crystal ball in the other.
Lancer's body was in an Unholy and twisted state, beyond recognition. All the soldiers and generals stood in shocked silence as they witnessed what had transpired.
I chose not to ask questions at that moment, focusing on Zemo, who bowed before me.
"Master, Zemo has completed your request. Here is the soul that you asked Zemo to bring," he said with utmost diligence as he presented me with the crystal ball.
"Wait, he is dead?! That means..." Sofia was genuinely surprised by the confirmation of Lancer's death.
"Yes, Sofia. That means your contract with him is completed. Now you have the power of the Greater Dragon of Swords, along with all his abilities and remaining life," I explained as I took the crystal ball.
"WOW, I did not notice it, but I could feel the power coursing through me," she marveled at the strength granted by the Greater Dragon.
"Here, take this. You can make his soul into a sword and use it," I offered her the crystal ball.
"Really? You're giving me this?" Sofia couldn't believe this gesture. Souls of Greater Dragons were exceedingly valuable. People Would kill their own family for this let alone give it to a stranger.
"Yes, silly. It's for you. You're my wife, aren't you?" I said with a warm smile, taking her hand and placing the crystal ball in her palms.
"So... So... So sweet of you, Darling~. Thank you, thank you sooooo much," she exclaimed with joy, her heart brimming with gratitude.
"This is the first gift I've ever received from anyone... and it's from Darling~." She was elated to have received her first gift and utilized her Sword conversion ability to transform Lancer's soul into a sword, creating a Heavenly Sword of Judgment.
"Good job, well done, Zemo," I praised Zemo for his dedication.
"Master happy, Zemo also happy," he responded with joy before returning to the shadows.
"Now, with everything settled and everyone cool with each other," I glanced at Sofia, who responded with a wink.
"Let's focus on the matter at hand," I stated, and we moved to the military camp to discuss our first move.