Chapter 337: Fighting the Demon Lord V

"Carghk—!"

Merriam violently coughed up blood as her body convulsed.

Both hands desperately clutched at her neck, trying to keep her nearly severed head from fully detaching.

’W-What... m-monster—!?’

Trembling, her crimson eyes slowly lifted.

They met a pair of blood-red eyes silently looking down at her.

’I-I didn’t even see him... H-How!?’

Those blood-red eyes, devoid of mercy and filled only with cold killing intent, sent an uncontrollable shiver through her very soul.

Ignoring the terror gripping her heart, Merriam frantically circulated the demonic power within her body, desperately trying to regenerate the fatal wound.

"She survived."

Floating calmly beside Elysia, the Shard of Tinateria still held in his hand, Regis looked down at the cult leader lying on the verge of death.

Just moments earlier, he had intended to decapitate her in a single strike.

However, just before his dagger could completely sever her head, he felt an unnatural resistance.

It was as though something had stopped the blade, leaving Merriam’s neck connected by nothing more than a thin strand of skin.

Beside him, Elysia, Patti, and Killian could not hide the shock in their eyes.

"Let’s go. The others have already bypassed the demonic barrier. It only needs one final push."

Regis’s calm voice snapped them out of their daze.

Before they could respond, his figure had already shot toward the ground at blinding speed.

’N-No...!’

Merriam struggled violently, desperately clawing at the demonic barrier behind her.

Her crimson eyes were filled with terror as tears streamed down her face, pleadingly fixed upon the noblewoman within.

Sensing her gaze, Aziza slowly turned toward her.

’S-Save me... please!’

Merriam tried to scream.

"Ghk—!"

Only blood spurted from her mouth.

Unable to force out a single word, she could only cry out within her mind with every ounce of strength she had left.

Since her life itself was linked to the demonic barrier, Merriam could not pass through it unless Aziza deliberately allowed her to.

’It seems those reinforcements are stronger than I anticipated...’

The fanaticism on Aziza’s face gradually faded, replaced by a calculating expression as a cold glint flashed across her eyes.

’I never expected them to not only wipe out our troops and crack the demonic barrier... but to defeat Merriam as well.’

Countless thoughts flashed through her mind in an instant.

’If I let her in, they might exploit that opening to bypass the barrier and—’

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

She sensed someone.

A figure plummeting from the sky like a falling meteor.

Aziza’s pupils constricted.

The figure was heading straight for Merriam, who lay atop the demonic barrier.

BOOM—!!

A deafening explosion erupted as the figure crashed down.

Violent shockwaves swept across the battlefield, while raging blades of wind tore through the surroundings from the sheer force of the impact.

CRACK—

SHATTER—!!!

The demonic barrier fractured before finally shattering like fragile glass.

***

In a dark, endless void...

A pair of eyes slowly narrowed, a faint glimmer of intrigue passing through them.

"Hmm... how interesting."

A deep voice echoed throughout the boundless darkness.

"Despite all my preparations, I did not expect a single group of reinforcements to lay waste to my plans."

There was not the slightest trace of anger in its voice.

Only amusement.

"It seems my true body will not be able to descend there after all."

"A pity... My preparations have gone to waste."

Before the figure floated a portal that had only just begun to materialize.

It silently observed the incomplete gateway for a few moments before a smile slowly formed.

"Although my personal descent would have been the ideal outcome..."

"I suppose this will have to suffice."

The figure slowly raised a finger.

A stream of pitch-black demonic power gathered at its fingertip before shooting toward the incomplete portal.

"In any case... how this ends no longer matters."

The figure smiled.

"...for my goal has already been accomplished."

Its deep voice reverberated throughout the endless void.

"The World Tree that safeguarded this world for countless millennia..."

"...has finally begun to rot."

The figure slowly turned its gaze toward a distant direction, the smile on its face widening ever so slightly.

"The seal that has barred my path since time immemorial has begun to crumble."

"You can no longer stop my return."

There was no arrogance in its voice.

Only quiet certainty.

"Farewell, Yggdrasilia~."

***

Inside the Sanctuary of Life and Death...

Fragments of the shattered demonic barrier rained onto the ground before breaking apart into even finer pieces, dissolving into glitter-like mist.

The mist spread across the battlefield, lingering knee-high like a silent flood that blanketed the surroundings.

Amidst the drifting haze, Regis slowly walked toward the noblewoman.

Shock was plainly written across Aziza’s elegant face.

Smiling faintly, he greeted her,

"How are you doing, Demon Lord Aziza?"

’What...?’

His words deepened the disbelief in Aziza’s eyes.

For the first time since the battle began, she felt completely exposed.

’How...? I’ve changed my face every single time...’

Instinctively, she touched her cheek.

Her fair skin was still flawless.

Her elegant appearance had not changed in the slightest.

’No... I’m still in the middle of summoning Him... But there’s no time left...’

Secretly gritting her teeth, Aziza slowly raised her gaze toward the approaching group.

’It seems I have no choice...’

Despite the turmoil within her, Aziza’s face revealed only a hint of surprise—the restrained elegance expected of a noblewoman. Her dainty hand rose before her slightly parted lips as though she had merely witnessed something mildly unexpected.

In the next moment, she regained her composure and spoke with her melodious voice.

"Oh my... I didn’t expect my dear honored guests to arrive so soon~."

Beside Regis, Elysia suddenly felt a strange disturbance within her soul.

She immediately conversed with Wisteria through their spiritual connection.

’I’m feeling a little uncomfortable... I’ll leave my body to you if something happens.’

Wisteria’s voice, now devoid of its usual laziness, responded,

(Alright, leave it to me. But still, be careful... okay?)

Elysia instinctively turned to the young man standing beside her, a sense of reassurance welling up within her.

’Don’t worry... We have someone dependable in our midst—’

Before her telepathic thought could finish...

Her eyes abruptly widened.

’W-What...?’

Elysia clutched her chest as an indescribable pain surged through her body.

It felt as though her very heart had shattered.

Thud!

Unable to withstand the overwhelming pain, Elysia’s knees buckled beneath her as she collapsed to the ground.

(Ely!? Ely!? What’s happening!?)

Wisteria’s panicked cries echoed through their spiritual connection, yet Elysia no longer had the strength to respond.

’What happe—’

Before Regis and the others could even react, an irresistible force compelled them to look ahead.

Aziza’s crimson eyes glowed with an intoxicating radiance as she slowly—almost rhythmically—began removing her garments.

"Say..."

Her soft, alluring voice drifted into everyone’s ears, numbing their thoughts before they even realized it.

At that moment, every movement, every smile, and every glance embodied endless temptation itself.

She slowly spread her arms, a sweet smile blooming upon her lips as an irresistible charm enveloped the entire Sanctuary of Life and Death.

"...will you fight for me?"

"!!!"

’What is this!?’

Regis felt as though an earthquake had erupted within his mind, the disturbance reaching all the way to the depths of his soul.

Then, from the corner of his eye, he noticed something that made his pupils constrict.

Killian.

Pandora.

Aurelia.

Auryn.

Patti.

And everyone else...

Their eyes began glowing with an eerie pink light as their expressions turned completely blank.

BZZZT—!

Yellow lightning erupted around Killian’s body.

In the next instant, he vanished.

Regis’s instincts screamed.

Killian appeared before him and thrust his sword straight toward his throat.

"Wha—"

Regis barely managed to twist his body away in time, still unable to comprehend what had just happened.

He looked behind him.

Almost every one of his companions had the same vacant expression and the same unnatural glow in their eyes.

One after another, their energies began erupting as they prepared to attack.

’This...’

Regis felt his very soul tremble as he looked at the incredibly beautiful woman before him.

She appeared as though she was the embodiment of purity itself...

Yet at the same time, she radiated an endless temptation that threatened to consume the minds of all who looked upon her.

This was Aziza.

The Demon Lord of Lust.