Second World

Chapter 1905. Hot-headed Lunatic

At the Southern Aurebor Front, the Verremor army held the defensive line fearlessly. The orcs were a race with unusual battle lust. They were not easily intimidated, even when the enemies outnumbered or outpowered them. Additionally, they were reinforced by their national treasure, the Totem Banner.

Water Lily was in charge of the Totem Banner, while the ten war banners that received the Totem Bannerʼs effects were entrusted to the field commanders who spread out on the battlefield. Water Lily herself was working on the war table, organizing the army for an effective defense.

She was so focused on what she was doing, and everyone had been running around the place all the time, that she didnʼt sense someone coming behind her.

”Howʼs the battle going?”

Water Lily was startled by the question. She turned and saw Four Winds. Leavemealone, Arthur Bagrat, and Blackhole stood behind Four Winds. The bodyguards protecting Water Lily and the war table let them pass since Four Winds was the Grand Chief.

”Grand Chief!” Umeza Giantkiller called. He was in charge of the security around Water Lily. He was fighting a demon who tried to get to the war table. He gave the demon a roundhouse kick that sent the demon away. He ordered his pet, the three-headed wolf, to deal with the demon while he came to Four Winds.

”Itʼs about time you come,” Water Lily said to Four Winds. She talked while returning her attention to the war table. ”Want to take over? I honestly donʼt know how to turn things around. I might need to issue a retreat if the situation doesnʼt change.”

”I canʼt. You need to keep steering the army. I have to deal with another thing,” Four Winds answered.

”Other things like what?” Water Lily asked.

”Like defeating Asmodeus,” Four Winds answered. He was observing the map above the war table. It was easy to identify Asmodeusʼ position on that map. The devil was represented by the largest red dot.

”My regiment and I will follow you to battle the devil,” Umeza declared.

”No. Your regiment stays here and protects this place,” Four Winds ordered. To Water Lily, he said, ”I need you to rearrange the troops to keep the other demons away from Asmodeus. I want to focus on Asmodeus without interruption.”

”That will be difficult. Despite his size, that devil is very fast,” Water Lily answered. ”Plus, the other sides of this defensive line will weaken if I retask the troops to focus on the area around Asmodeus. We might end up having to retreat earlier.”

”We wonʼt be retreating anymore,” Four Winds announced.

Water Lily turned to Four Winds again. She was trying to check if he was joking. Four Winds was displaying his regular serious face.

Four Winds saw the skepticism in Water Lilyʼs expression. He added, ”We will be making our stand here. There will be no more retreat. We will defeat the devil. Itʼs time to go all out!”

”Grand Chief, maybe that is too hasty?” Umeza said. ”Please donʼt underestimate Asmodeus. You havenʼt seen the devil in action. He is not an opponent who can be defeated simply by using more troops. We have lost a lot of good orc warriors who tried to do that. The ones who can face Asmodeus are the hi-ranked members from the Council of Hybris. Even they lost quite many members already. Currently, they simply tried to keep him at bay instead of trying to defeat him.”

”Iʼm not fighting him using more troops,” Four Winds said. ”The troopsʼ task is to deal with the nearby demons. I will fight Asmodeus with my three friends.”

”Three?” Umeza asked.

”Yes, three. These are…,” Four Winds was about to introduce the three that came with him but found that only Arthur and Blackhole were behind him.

”Where did Haon go?” Four Winds asked.

Arthur and Blackhole looked back. Leavemealone stood at the rearmost. They were also not aware that Leavemealone was gone.

”That kidʼs mana concealment had reached this stage. Impressive,” Arthur said. ”The youngsters these days are truly something else.”

After learning Jack had mastered mana concealment, Leavemealone asked Domon to teach him. At that time, Wong was already Domonʼs good friend. Wong, who was more experienced in mana concealment, volunteered to aid in the training. With Leavemealoneʼs determination and talent, he successfully learned the ability.

”Uh… I think he is heading to Asmodeus,” Water Lily said. She pointed at a green dot on the map. That green dot was moving at a high speed to the big red dot representing Asmodeus.

”He must have left after learning Asmodeusʼ location from that map,” Blackhole said.

”Damned that hot-headed lunatic…,” Four Winds cursed.

”We canʼt let him fight the devil alone,” Arthur said. He used his wings tool and flew toward where Asmodeus was.

Blackhole went after Arthur without saying anything.

”Some troublesome teammates you have there. Are you going to be okay, boss?” Water Lily asked.

Four Winds put a hand on his temple and shook his head. ”Sigh… I guess I will have to be the one adjusting to their rhythm.”

”Grand Chief, are you sure you donʼt need my regimentʼs aid?” Umeza asked again.

”Donʼt worry. Despite how they act, they are capable combatants. We will not lose. Let me repeat, we will not retreat again.”

Four Winds used his wings tool and floated up. As he did, he pumped mana manipulation into his voice. His words reverberated throughout the battlefield, ”Verremor warriors! This is your grand chief speaking! We will defeat the devil and drive back the demons on this battlefield. From now on, there will be no retreat. We will only advance! Steel yourself, my warriors! For victory is at hand! For the glory of Verremor…!!!”

The orcish soldiers who heard the rally responded with valorous cries. Their battle cry echoed throughout the battlefield.

Water Lily, who was watching the projection over the war table, was impressed to see the army morale which had fallen to almost 50, rose back to above 70. She smiled after seeing the number.

ʼThatʼs our guild leader for you,ʼ she thought.

*

Asmodeusʼ man-head turned in the direction where the mana-empowered voice was coming from. He snickered after hearing the declaration. ”No longer retreating? Such a boastful statement,” He muttered.

He then turned his attention back to the four natives battling him. All of them were members of the Council of Hybris. They had lost countless members during this war. They had even lost one of their leaders just two days ago. Balrd had fallen. Only Petunia was left.

The radiant peafowl also almost died earlier. Petunia forced it to retreat to heal its wound first. It was unwilling but finally yielded to Petuniaʼs demand and retreated. As for Quetzalcoatl, he was helping the other side of the battlefield. Most of his skills were lightning-based. They were very ineffective against Asmodeus.

After Balrdʼs demise, Petunia wished to halt Asmodeusʼ advance all by herself due to her pride, but a squad of high-level members of the Council of Hybris came to her aid. These members werenʼt going to lose both their leaders, even if it meant leaving the other parts of the battlefield weakened.

That squad was now down to only four, including Petunia. Two of the four were level 85 mythical grades. These two had their HPs at critical already. The remaining one specialized in healing spells. She tried to heal her two comrades, but Asmodeus cast Interrupt, and her casting failed.

Asmodeusʼ bird claws went in a flash and stomped one of the mythical combatants. That stomp was using a skill. It caused a localized earthquake. The combatant died after the stomp.

The other one received splash damage but not that bad since he successfully dodged from getting a direct stomping. His accomplishment didnʼt last long, though. Asmodeusʼ serpent tail shot a lightning bolt that pierced him. He lost his life after that assault.

Petunia never stopped firing using her bowgun, but Asmodeus ignored her attacks. Asmodeus had a magic shield empowered by lightning that blocked her attacks. Normally, Magic Shield only reduced damage, but Asmodeusʼ Lightning Shield had runic symbols reinforcing it. This Lightning Shield blocked Petuniaʼs shots completely. None of her arrows hit the devil.

”Aneid, get back!” Petunia told her healer comrade. She was casting a spell while firing her bowgun. The spell was now completed. A black hole appeared near Asmodeus. While a black hole was inherently dark, this one had darkness-element infused to it. This dark black hole pulled at Asmodeus while causing dark-element damage.

Asmodeus didnʼt appear perturbed by the spell. He shoved one of his bird claws into the black hole. He then squeezed. The black hole distorted until eventually, it was ripped apart.

Petunia was taken aback. She couldnʼt believe Asmodeus could end her spell by force.

”Without your partner, you are nothing,” Asmodeus mocked. ”Perhaps itʼs time I end this game and send you to reunite with him.”

Petuniaʼs HP was also not well. She was below 30% HP. Aneid tried her best to heal Petunia, but her healings were not fast enough.

When Asmodeus was preparing three spells simultaneously to make good on his threat, a high-pitched screech was heard. He turned to the source and saw something that looked like a firebird coming at him at high speed.

”Hmph! Another plaything?” Asmodeus snorted. He changed one of his spells back into the lightning shield to block this newcomer.

The firebird crashed into the runic-empowered lightning shield. While the lightning shield seemed to hold, Asmodeus sensed a sudden spike of mana. Something that looked like a dark drill pierced through his lightning shield. A raging flame burst through the hole caused by this dark drill. That flame transformed into a flaming tiger head.

This flaming tiger head slammed into Asmodeusʼ man-head. As it did, Asmodeus felt like he had been punched by a giant fist. His head reeled back from the punch. His two other spells ended mid-casting, and he was forced a couple of steps back from the impact.