Chapter 334: Fighting the Demon Lord II

However, the majority of these demonized elves looked different.

Some were rotting, some were skeletal, while others were missing parts of their bodies.

However, what they all had in common was an eerie pink light enveloping their eyes.

Regis and the others quickly noticed this as well.

"These demonized elves are different..."

After all, the demonized elves that Killian and the others had encountered earlier were still living elves whose eyes had merely turned crimson.

Thus, this was their first time seeing this kind of demonized elf.

Elysia’s gaze remained locked on Merriam above as she spoke, "I’ll deal with her."

The ground beneath her feet cracked as her figure instantly shot into the sky.

Merriam, who had been floating leisurely just a second ago, widened her eyes as a fist suddenly appeared before her.

CRACK!

Her head spun twice as her neck instantly broke.

"You...!"

Merriam’s angry voice resounded throughout the area as her head rotated, snapping back into its original position.

Unfortunately, Elysia did not give her the chance to speak, as a barrage of fists rained down upon her.

"Damn..."

Below, Killian could not help but curse in amazement.

Regis was surprised as well, but he knew something the others did not.

She’s only using her physical body and raw strength... She’ll be at a disadvantage soon enough since she still can’t use any magic spells, aura arts, or holy miracles...

Thinking this, he immediately ordered, "Kill every demonized elf so we can assist the queen as soon as possible!"

"At once!"

Every member of the Sanguine Order responded in unison as the largest battle since their establishment began.

Regis then looked at Pandora and asked, "How is it?"

"Complicated..." she replied with a frown.

The moment the demonic barrier appeared, Pandora had already begun analyzing it.

Through her talent and the knowledge she had accumulated in the years since awakening mana, Pandora began deciphering the demonic barrier and the massive magic circle.

Her Perfect Copy, which allowed her to imitate any technique and comprehend its underlying principles—even evil craft, despite being unable to use it herself—enabled her to uncover some of the governing principles behind both.

Pandora focused for a few more moments, during which Regis waited patiently. She finally eased the tense expression on her face.

Looking at him, she said, "This demonic barrier was erected by the woman floating above, Merriam, not the woman inside. The only thing connected to the woman inside is the large magic circle encompassing the sacred land."

"Alright. What about these demonized elves?" Regis followed up.

Pandora tilted her head for a moment, as though she did not know how to explain.

She pondered for a moment before replying,

"It’s strange... These demonized elves also seem to be connected to Merriam."

"So that means we really have to eliminate every enemy before we can stop the woman inside from accomplishing whatever she’s planning..."

Regis fell silent for a brief moment before nodding.

"Alright. Let’s go help—"

A dainty hand suddenly grasped his sleeve, causing him to stop mid-sentence.

Pandora bit her lip, an inexplicable sense of unease welling up within her.

"Brother..."

Her ruby-red eyes met his.

"That woman... she’s dangerous."

"Who among our enemies isn’t dangerous?"

Regis ruffled her hair with a smile.

"I’ll keep that in mind. Everyone, stay on your guard. This battle is unlike anything we’ve faced before."

"Mhm!" Pandora nodded, her ruby-red eyes lighting up.

Every squad was now fighting at full strength.

Each operated independently while maintaining its assigned battle formation.

It was the most effective strategy they had devised during the limited time they had to prepare, allowing every squad to maximize its combat efficiency while maintaining seamless coordination with the others.

The Vanta Squad, consisting of Vanessa, Brutt, and Perto, fought the horde of enemies with the same coordination they had developed through countless battles.

Brutt and Perto stood at the front lines, their combined strength forming an unbreakable wall that prevented the demonized elves from advancing.

Meanwhile, Vanessa moved through the battlefield like a shadow.

Her fingers, transformed into black claws due to her gift of Hand of Dominion, flickered in and out of sight as she appeared among the enemies before vanishing moments later, leaving only fallen foes behind.

Their teamwork remained unchanged—the overwhelming defense of Brutt and Perto combined with Vanessa’s precise strikes allowed them to effortlessly handle the endless wave of enemies.

The Exemplar Squad, consisting of Zild, Dabi, Sora, and Hans, fought like a true knight order.

Their swords moved in perfect coordination, each strike flowing seamlessly into the next as they covered one another’s openings.

Whenever one member attacked, another was already prepared to defend, leaving no gaps for the demonized elves to exploit.

Their formation was a testament to their discipline, turning four individuals into a single unwavering blade.

The Gotun Squad took full advantage of their diverse roles.

Sera, with her sword and shield, and Kara, wielding her battle axe, held the front lines and absorbed the majority of the demonized elves’ attacks.

Morgana, the pugilist, used her powerful physique to cover any gaps in their formation, leaping across the battlefield as her punches and kicks struck the enemies with overwhelming force.

Rumi, the assassin, employed an in-and-out fighting style. Whenever her figure appeared on the battlefield, several enemies would be beheaded in an instant.

In the rear, Palma provided support with her arrows, reducing the pressure on the frontliners, while Lesfera cast magic spells that decimated groups of enemies at a time.

The Equilla Squad, despite currently having only three members and being the newest squad, did not fall behind the others.

In fact, due to their unique racial traits and abilities, there were moments when they even surpassed the other squads.

Raxon took the front line, relying on his immense strength and sturdy physique inherited from both his Dwarf and Giant ancestry.

Marzana acted as both a damage dealer and a secondary frontline fighter, reducing the pressure placed on Raxon.

Since the demonized elves relied mostly on brute force rather than techniques, she used her chaos energy to strengthen her weapons and overwhelm them with raw power.

Meanwhile, in the rear, Aeola supported the squad with her magic.

Her Nine Eyes allowed her to analyze the battlefield with unparalleled accuracy, while it also reduced her mana consumption, making her exceptionally suited for prolonged battles that resembled a war of attrition.