Illimitable Until Death

Chapter 921: IUD-Chapter 916 The Leader of the Demon King’s Army

“Creeeak…”

With a harsh, ear-piercing sound, a massive door, one that seemed to have not been opened in countless years, slowly creaked open.

Fang Li stepped forward casually, loosely gripping his sword as he walked inside, one step at a time.

“BOOM!”

Just as Fang Li entered, the heavy door slammed shut behind him with a thunderous bang, as if pushed by some invisible force.

Most likely, Kazuma, Aqua, Megumin, and Darkness were in a panic outside because of what just happened, weren’t they?

However, since they didn’t immediately rush in, it seemed they were still mindful of Fang Li’s previous command.

And so, within the audience chamber steeped in deathly silence, only Fang Li’s footsteps echoed through the vast hall.

“Thump… thump…”

The sound of his heartbeat began to grow louder and clearer.

“Humm…”

Within Fang Li’s body, the power of the True Ancestor also began to stir more actively.

“———”

The space, shrouded in pitch-black darkness, was utterly silent.

But Fang Li, who could see through the darkness, easily perceived his surroundings.

In this grand hall resembling an audience chamber, rows upon rows of knights stood on either side.

Each one was clad in pitch-black armor, holding a gleaming sword.

Their helmets hid shriveled, lifeless faces with glowing red eyes, and they emanated an aura of darkness and dread.

These were clearly high-ranking Undead Knights.

They stood arrayed with discipline and menace, not with solemn dignity, but with overwhelming terror, like knights guarding a sovereign king.

Each one of these Undead Knights likely matched the strength of a Level 30 Adventurer.

And there were no fewer than a hundred of them, perfectly aligned in eerie silence, enough to send chills down anyone’s spine.

But Fang Li walked forward as though he couldn’t care less, showing no fear or reaction to the terrifying presence.

It was as if he had completely ignored them.

At last, walking down the aisle flanked by the Undead Knights like a hero approaching royalty, he stopped before the throne.

His gaze turned forward.

“I’m surprised you managed to make it this far, Adventurer.”

As that voice echoed, a figure seated on the throne came into Fang Li’s view, like it had emerged from the very darkness.

It was a towering, heavily armored knight clad in thick black steel.

A massive greatsword stood beside him, and his entire form radiated a chilling black aura that stung the skin.

The knight had no head.

His severed head rested atop the throne, like a royal crown watching over the chamber.

Fang Li could feel the oppressive stare, one that seemed capable of cursing, coming from the helmeted skull aimed directly at him.

“I am Beldia, Leader of the Demon King’s Army.”

The deep, powerful voice rang out, entering Fang Li’s ears.

“To the Adventurer who overcame countless Undead and arrived here unharmed, state your name.”

Hearing this, Fang Li curled his lip into a smile.

“You’re the Demon King Army’s leader, yet you’ve got an oddly knightly sense of etiquette.” Fang Li stared directly at Beldia and said, “There’s no need for hollow formalities.

I’m not some so-called hero come to defeat the leader of the Demon King’s army.

I’m just a slaughterer come to end your existence.

No need for names.”

“What we need to understand isn’t each other’s names, but each other’s strength.” Fang Li narrowed his eyes slightly, speaking indifferently.

“Though I’ve already roughly figured out your rank, Headless Knight.”

———”Headless Knight.”

That title belonged to one of the highest-tier Undead.

Among Undead beings, the most elite were Liches and Vampires, both regarded as royalty among the Undead.

Though the Headless Knight wasn’t quite on the level of a Lich or Vampire, it was still a being ranked just below them.

The fact that this Headless Knight could serve as a Leader of the Demon King’s Army was proof enough that his power was anything but ordinary.

At the very least, his strength should far surpass that of High-Class Devil Bagra, who previously led a Demon King army corps in an assault on the Royal Capital, and be even more formidable.

And indeed, that was exactly the case.

Even setting aside the increasingly overwhelming dark aura emanating from him, the feedback from Enemy Detection Skill alone was intensely powerful, enough to tell Fang Li this Headless Knight’s rank.

So, Fang Li was certain.

“Even if it were just you alone, you’d be more than capable of massacring all of Axel.

And if you led this entire army of Undying Knights, you could easily invade the Royal Capital.”

Fang Li stated this plainly.

“A Demon King Army leader of your strength, why would you come to a beginner village like this, where only rookie adventurers gather?”

Though his memory of the original story was hazy, Fang Li vaguely recalled that indeed, one of the Demon King Army’s leaders had come near Axel.

However, he couldn’t clearly remember the details.

In response, the other party didn’t bother hiding anything.

“This is a commission from the Demon King,” Beldia answered truthfully.

“There is an exceptionally talented Diviner among us.

Not long ago, they observed a holy light descending upon this area.

The Demon King grew curious and specifically instructed me to investigate.

This castle is simply the temporary base I chose.”

Hearing this, Fang Li raised his eyebrows slightly.

A holy light?

A divine radiance so potent that even the Demon King was concerned, and it had appeared right here in Axel?

There was only one being Fang Li could think of who matched that description:

Aqua.

It was clear now, the descent of Aqua, the Goddess of Water, had caused disturbances in this world that only beings of the highest rank could sense.

The Demon King’s forces had picked up on this, which was why Beldia had been sent to investigate.

“But I didn’t expect that shortly after arriving here, an adventurer would attack my castle and even make it all the way to me,” Beldia said, his tone both hearty and cold as he stared at Fang Li.

“And you even came alone.

How arrogant.

Did you leave your companions outside so you could hog the glory of defeating a Demon King Army leader for yourself?

That’s just plain stupid!”

Saying this, Beldia rose from his throne.

A terrifying surge of power radiated from his massive form.

“If you want to challenge me, at least bring along the Arch Priest who’s been releasing Sacred Power ever since entering the castle, so strong that I can feel its threat even without seeing them, you foolish adventurer!”

As his words fell, Beldia extended a hand and grabbed the greatsword at his side.

“CLANG!”

With a sharp metallic sound, he drew the massive blade and pointed it directly at Fang Li.

“Go, my soldiers!

Cut off that foolish adventurer’s head!

I’ll use it as a welcome gift for the Arch Priest, brimming with Sacred Power!”

With that command, the eyes of the surrounding Undying Knights lit up, glowing with feral bloodlust.

And within Fang Li’s eyes, a flash of cold light mirrored their deadly intent.