Chapter 929: The Demon Emperor Declares War!

"What a complete dick..."

Asmodeus examined the woman’s corpse for a few moments, scanning her body for any lingering divine energy he could devour before finally rising to his feet.

However, the golden energy within her chest had completely vanished, leaving nothing behind that could identify the person responsible. He did manage to discover something a little useful in the end, though.

’That little fragment...’

He opened his palm.

A tiny golden light floated above his fingers, surrounded by several layers of dark mana. Unlike the mark hidden within the woman’s heart, this fragment hadn’t disappeared when its original curse was destroyed.

Though half destroyed and lacking power, it still carried the traces from the Human Emperor and whatever existence helped him. More importantly, he could still feel the connection leading towards its owner.

"Hm..."

"Darling?"

Velvet approached, her eyes shifting between the dead woman and the strange light hovering above his hand.

"Are you alright?"

"Me? Of course."

Asmodeus closed his fingers around the fragment before turning towards his wife.

"But I should be asking you that. How’s your arm?"

Velvet glanced down at the damaged sleeve and the black scales covering part of her forearm. The golden markings were gone, though several bruises remained where the enchanted chains had crushed her flesh.

"Much better, thanks to you."

"Mhm."

He reached for her arm and gently stroked the scales with his thumb.

"Those bastards were using something similar to the magic that affected Valena’s mother."

"Really? Ah... she’s a dragon too, right?"

"Yeah, though the energy was a little different from the traces on her mother’s heart... It’s definitely the same person and existence helping him."

"Then you believe the Emperor has been experimenting on dragons?"

"I believe that bastard is going to be an issue far worse than we imagined."

Asmodeus released her arm and looked towards the iron doors.

The passage beyond them remained intact despite the damage caused during their battle. Several golden inscriptions continued glowing along the walls, though without the crystals used by the Eyes, the enormous formation had become inactive.

’They intended to transport Velvet somewhere else...’

He wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.

"Come with me."

"Darling, shouldn’t we return to Lumeria first?"

"Later."

Asmodeus approached the enormous doors and placed his palm against the nearest inscription.

A strange pressure travelled through his fingers.

The formation attempted to absorb his mana, but he immediately suppressed its reaction before examining the energy remaining within the walls.

’Hm?’

Something seemed different.

The magic wasn’t simply gathering mana for teleportation, but through the strange crystals it managed to store information, coordinates and even the Mana signatures of whoever entered their net.

Even fragments of the energy belonging to those who used the formation.

"Velvet."

"Mhm?"

"Come here and look at this."

The witch approached, her purple eyes narrowing as she examined the golden symbols.

"Ah...!"

"You see it too?"

"These aren’t ordinary teleportation coordinates."

Velvet reached towards the wall, gathering a small amount of blue mana around her fingertip.

Several inscriptions brightened.

"They’re linked to another formation. No... several formations."

"Yes, but the issue is that these formations are all across the globe, from Grigor to the elven forests and as far as the mainland."

He’d expected the Eyes to destroy anything that could reveal their destination, but apparently their confidence in these strange enchantments had become a weakness.

’How convenient.’

Velvet continued examining the markings.

"Darling, if we activate this..."

"We might reach wherever they intended to take you."

"...Or trigger another trap."

"Hahaha! Are you worried?"

"Of course I am!"

Velvet frowned before grabbing his arm.

"You’re strong enough to survive almost anything, but that doesn’t mean I want to watch you walk into every dangerous formation you discover!"

Then he smiled and stroked her hair.

"Alright. We won’t activate it."

"...Really?"

"Mhm."

However, before she could relax, Asmodeus pressed his fingers against the wall again.

Crack!

Several golden inscriptions shattered beneath his touch.

"Darling?!"

"I’m taking the information instead."

He drew the remaining mana out of the formation, separating the different currents until several small golden lights floated above his palm.

Each represented a different destination.

Some were faint.

Others had almost disappeared.

But one remained particularly bright.

’Hoh...’

It led towards the southern ocean.

Asmodeus narrowed his eyes.

’Interesting.’

Velvet gripped his arm tightly, almost tearing his flesh with her sharp nails, glaring at him with a slightly upturned glance. "Y-You said you wouldn’t!"

"Calm down... I don’t always need to do something reckless, it would be best for Serena and Alice to look at it and prepare to raid all the locations recorded in this crystal and steal the access and control of those traps for ourselves."

He was about to examine it further when the divine fragment within his other hand suddenly began trembling.

"...?"

The small light grew brighter, causing a strange sensation to seep into his flesh, as if someone on the other end was touching him.

’Oho?!’

The grin on Asmodeus’s lips grew wider as he tapped the crystal back.

"So you finally noticed me... little cat."

***

Far beyond the southern coast, inside a quiet chamber illuminated by several magical lamps.

A woman wearing a white cat mask sat before a large wooden desk.

Several reports lay scattered across its surface, while a small crystal floated above her right hand. She hadn’t moved for the last few minutes. All her attention remained fixed upon the golden light trapped within the crystal.

Crack!

All of a sudden, a small fracture appeared, shooting across its surface.

"..."

The woman slowly lowered her hand, clamping the trembling crystal in her fist, before it cracked even further with a crackle. Not long after that, the golden light completely faded, leaving a crushed orange crystal in her palm.

Cat remained silent for several seconds before placing the damaged crystal on the desk.

"Fox is dead."

Despite her calm words, the woman’s faintly visible lips curled into a broad grin.

Opposite her stood a man near the door wearing a dark hooded cloak.

He immediately lowered his head.

"Should we send someone to recover the remains?"

"No."

"My lady?"

"There’s nothing left to recover."

She leaned back in her chair and sucked on the tip of her pipe.

The woman had expected difficulties once the Demon Emperor discovered the operation, but she hadn’t imagined that her subordinates would fail so completely. With a slow huff, smoke flowed from her lips as she tapped her pipe on the stone ashtray.

’This is bad.’

To think that three eyes of the emperor would perish, after knowing this was their last chance and that the emperor wouldn’t allow anything other than success.

He already rejected her once.

’Damn it all...! You useless wretches!’

However, despite her inner anger, she continued watching the remaining crystal that showed a small image of a man... irritatingly handsome and fierce... the opposite of her calm, divine and refreshing Emperor.

"He’s like an untamable beast..." she slowly whispered before licking her pink lips. She averted her eyes for a moment before sighing. ’What a troublesome man...’

She then reached for a different crystal, which remained perfectly clear.

Within its surface floated several small golden lights, representing the agents still operating across the continent.

Most were moving according to their original instructions. But the three lights assigned to Velvet’s capture had vanished. There was no possibility of misunderstanding what happened when she could see that man grinning back at her.

"Cancel the remaining operations near Lumeria."

The cloaked man raised his head.

"All of them?"

"Yes."

"But His Majesty..."

"I will explain it to him."

Cat’s voice became colder.

"We have already confirmed the woman’s draconic blood. There’s no reason to sacrifice more people attempting the same thing."

"Understood."

The man bowed and prepared to leave, but suddenly the female cat raised her hand, shouting, "Wait!"

"...My lady?"

A dark light suddenly spread from the golden crystal on her desk, its eerie light growing along with powerful vibrations.

’What is this?’

The black energy slowly twisted around the remaining golden threads. Then, almost as though someone had deliberately waited for her to touch it, she felt something on the other side, and then a single golden eye appeared within the crystal.

"...?!"

She immediately jumped up, tossing the crystal away while panting.

BOOM!

The crystal exploded.

Fragments scattered across the desk, tearing several holes through the surrounding documents.

Yet the strange black energy didn’t disappear.

Instead, it gathered above the broken crystal and formed a small sphere.

A familiar voice emerged from within.

"Found you."

Her body froze, unable to fully swallow the situation before muttering a name, his name. "...Demon Emperor Asmodeus?"

"Hahaha! So you recognise my voice."

The cloaked man immediately drew his weapon, but she raised her hand, ordering him to remain still.

"How did you establish this connection?"

"Why would I tell you?"

"..."

"Actually, forget that. You’re the one wearing the cat mask, aren’t you?"

Cat’s expression darkened beneath her mask.

"Y-Yes I am."

"Good, good. I’ve been meaning to speak with you like this."

’Why does this man seem so pleased?!’

His voice sounded bright and cheerful, nothing like the husband of woman who was almost kidnapped and used for a sacrifice. She’d expected him to come searching for revenge eventually.

However, hearing his voice through a crystal connected to the Emperor’s divine marks was something entirely different.

’Did he actually interfere with His Majesty’s blessing?’

That shouldn’t have been possible.

’How can this foul demon interfere with the genuine power of a goddess?!’

Yet Asmodeus wasn’t ordinary.

"Your wife has been recovered, I assume?"

"Mhm. She’s standing right beside me."

"Then I suppose congratulations are in order."

"Hah!"

His laughter echoed through the chamber.

"Don’t joke with me, I am coming for you. You sent people to kidnap my wife, interfere with my empire... so don’t be so shocked when I retaliate. Okay? So listen carefully, little cat."

"..."

"I don’t know why your Emperor needs dragon blood, nor do I particularly care what happens to his cursed body."

For the first time, Cat’s composure wavered.

’He knows about the curse?!’

Asmodeus continued, unaware of her current state. "But if that bastard wants something from my family, he can come and ask me personally, and then I will rip him into pieces and crush the pathetic human empire that dared to stand against me and my dear wives."

Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the desk, hair standing on end as she tried to ignore the demon’s threats.

"Be careful what you say about His Majesty."

"Oh?"

Asmodeus laughed back at her without any trace of caring.

"Then tell him yourself."

The surrounding air became heavier, as if he stood in the room, towering over her with an arrogant sneer.

Even the cloaked man near the entrance struggled to remain standing.

"Tell Albrecht that I’m coming for him."

The Cat-Masked woman stared at the golden eye, desperately trying to speak, to fight against the pressure. "...Are you declaring war?"

Asmodeus didn’t answer immediately, he remained silent.

’What’s going on...?!’

However, the moment she seemed to gain some sort of composure, small cracks spread through all the golden crystals in the room.

CRACK!

"Yes, of course I am declaring war, you dumb bitch."