---
The Chaos of War
The battlefield had become a maelstrom of death.
The sun barely peeked over the horizon, yet the ground was already soaked in blood. Thousands of warriors clashed—steel against steel, magic against flesh.
Flames from enemy mages scorched the earth, arrows rained like a storm, and war cries drowned out the sound of dying men.
Azrael Kaelthorne, standing at the very heart of it all, was locked in a battle against two titans—Earl Sherlock, the Smart Demon of Battle, and Normon Astro, the Crimson Executioner.
His golden eyes glowed with eerie amusement as his sword Necrilith hummed with abyssal energy. Every strike carried the potential to erase a life in a single blow.
Sherlock, his red armor splattered with blood, smirked. "I'll admit, you're better than I thought."
Normon, a giant of a man, cracked his neck. "He's fast. And that sword of his… feels unnatural."
Azrael twirled Necrilith effortlessly. "It's not the sword. You two are just weak."
Sherlock's grin faltered. Normon tightened his grip on his greatsword.
Azrael vanished.
---
Orin and the Kaelthorne Knights' Battle
While Azrael fought against two of the strongest enemy commanders, Orin Velst, the second-in-command of Kaelthorne's forces, led the charge against the enemy ranks.
Unlike Azrael, Orin was not a noble. He was a seasoned warrior, a battlefield legend, and one of the most trusted knights in the Kaelthorne family.
As an Aura Level 9 warrior and an 8-Cycle Mage, he was a force of nature.
Before him stood thousands of enemy knights, mercenaries, and spellcasters.
Their leader, Count Rivalt, sneered. "A mere dog of Kaelthorne thinks he can stand against me?"
Orin's battle-scarred face remained expressionless. "Your insults mean nothing. Your life, however, does."
Rivalt roared in rage and charged, his Aura-coated halberd slicing through the air.
Orin sidestepped effortlessly.
In one fluid motion, he unsheathed his sword and slashed.
SPLAT!
Blood sprayed as Rivalt's left arm flew into the air.
The enemy knights gasped. Rivalt stumbled back, screaming.
Orin wiped his blade. "You talk too much."
The Kaelthorne knights, all Aura Level 8 or higher, roared and stormed forward, their sheer might overwhelming the enemy.
Steel clashed, bones shattered, and spells ignited the battlefield in a frenzy of death.
Orin's gaze flickered toward the distance—toward Azrael.
Even amidst war, his lord's battle stood above all others.
---
Azrael vs. Sherlock & Normon – The War of Monsters
BOOM!
A crater formed beneath them as Azrael clashed blades with Sherlock. The sheer force sent shockwaves across the battlefield.
Normon appeared behind Azrael, swinging his massive sword down.
Azrael barely twisted his body, the blade grazing his Abyssal Suit, cutting through the enchanted material.
A thin line of blood dripped from Azrael's side.
Normon grinned. "Got you—"
Azrael snapped his fingers.
Necrilith reacted instantly.
Abyssal energy surged forth, sending Normon flying backward, his armor cracking from the impact.
Sherlock, seeing an opening, dashed forward—his sword coated in crimson Aura, aiming for Azrael's neck.
Azrael ducked.
Then he struck.
Necrilith tore through Sherlock's shoulder, the abyssal energy corroding his flesh.
Sherlock howled in pain. "What the hell is this cursed sword?!"
Azrael didn't answer. He drove his knee into Sherlock's stomach, sending the Aura Level 10 knight skidding backward.
"You two are weaker than the last enemy I fought."
Sherlock gritted his teeth. Normon wiped blood from his mouth.
This battle was far from over.
---
The Battlefield Shifts
While Azrael continued his fight against the two commanders, the rest of the battlefield shifted dangerously.
The Kaelthorne mages, positioned at the rear, unleashed devastating spells.
Massive firestorms engulfed enemy ranks, turning men into ash. Lightning struck down entire platoons. Ice froze charging knights solid.
The enemy mages countered with equal ferocity.
Explosions shook the ground. Arcane beams clashed midair. The sky darkened with the sheer amount of magic being thrown.
And amidst this chaos, Orin led the Kaelthorne knights like a storm.
He cut down knight after knight, his Aura burning brighter than the sun.
Mercenaries who thought to challenge him died in seconds.
Despite being outnumbered, Kaelthorne's forces held their ground.
But victory was still uncertain.
---
Azrael's Power Awakens Further
Azrael took a deep breath.
His pain tolerance was inhuman, but he could feel the exhaustion setting in.
Even with Necrilith's 350% damage boost against demigods, Sherlock and Normon refused to fall.
He needed to end this.
Azrael lowered his stance.
Dark energy swirled around him, his very presence warping the battlefield.
Sherlock's instincts screamed.
Normon's grip tightened on his greatsword.
Azrael vanished.
SHING!
Sherlock barely blocked in time, but his sword cracked from the force.
Normon swung—only to hit nothing.
Azrael was behind him.
SPLAT!
A deep gash tore across Normon's back.
He roared in pain, stumbling forward.
Sherlock charged in, but Azrael was gone again.
Necrilith whispered for more blood.
The battle was reaching its climax.
---
A Strategic Retreat
For the first time in the battle, Sherlock felt doubt.
Normon was wounded. His Aura was fading.
The enemy forces were falling apart.
And Azrael Kaelthorne…
He wasn't even tired yet.
Sherlock cursed. He knew what needed to be done.
"Normon! We're retreating!"
Normon gritted his teeth. "You coward!"
Sherlock grabbed his arm. "We don't have a choice! If we stay, we die!"
Normon looked toward Azrael, who simply stood there, his golden eyes unreadable.
It wasn't fear that made them retreat.
It was the simple, undeniable fact that Azrael hadn't even gone all out yet.
With a final glare, they vanished into the chaos of battle.
Azrael watched them leave.
The System window appeared once again.
---
[Mission Update!]
Sherlock and Normon have retreated.
Victory is not yet secured. Continue fighting.
---
Azrael smirked. "Fine. Let's finish this war."
The battlefield still burned, and Kaelthorne's forces had yet to claim their full victory.
The war was not over.
Not yet.
---
End of Chapter 38