The Devil Does Not Need to Be Defeated

Chapter 633: Erei

“Boom!”

With a heaven-shaking roar, the death aura, transformed into countless screaming faces, surged out like a storm.

Wherever it passed, the atmosphere decayed, and the ground withered. Like poisonous gas corroding the world itself, it carried a terrifying aura, enveloping Shien and the others.

“Danger!”

Everyone, including Diere and Capeline, felt this and realized they couldn’t dodge in time, instinctively raising their arms to shield themselves.

This was futile. How could such a weak defense block the terrifying death aura?

Fortunately, Shien acted.

“[Bestowal: Dispel].”

Shien teleported in front of Diere and Capeline, shielding the entire Broken Blade Knight Order, and unleashed the dispelling magic towards the incoming death aura storm.

The storm froze, then exploded, not dissipating completely, but turning into chaotic black air currents that swept through the surroundings.

Wherever the currents touched, the ground withered and dissipated like dust.

The Broken Blade knights screamed, their scalps tingling, not daring to touch the death aura currents, and dodged frantically.

But the soldiers and knights outside the throne room, who weren’t allowed to enter due to Mara’s orders, suffered a terrible fate.

Caught off guard, they were directly hit by the death aura currents.

“What… what is this…!?”

“Aaaaaah…!”

“My body…!”

“Help…!”

Those who touched the death aura currents screamed as their bodies withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, turning into mummies and collapsing on the ground without even shedding a drop of blood. Their life force was drained by the death aura, further strengthening it.

“…” Diere gasped.

“Damn it!” Capeline was enraged upon seeing this gruesome scene.

Shien stared coldly at Mara, killing intent flickering in his eyes.

Seeing this, Mara, enveloped in death aura, smiled, a joyful smile.

“Don’t look at me like that,” she said playfully, “It only makes me more excited.”

She enjoyed seeing those connected to Heroes suffer, and the more Shien hated her, the more excited she became.

“It makes me want to kill you, to make you despair even more.”

Saying this, Mara waved her hand, and countless death auras transformed into a storm again. However, this time, it wasn’t just faces filled with pain, but various expressions: pain, wailing, despair, fear, all kinds of negative emotions.

Shien sensed that this death aura was far more powerful than the High Priest’s, not just in quantity, but also in quality.

“This is a magic I created based on [Astarte], an upgraded version. Its power and effects are far greater, and it has many variations, but it also requires a more terrifying amount of death energy.”

Mara’s playful laughter echoed through the hall.

“Fortunately, this Empire has always been plagued by disasters, and countless corpses and blood are buried beneath this land. As long as I use necromancy to extract the life force of this land, I can have as much death energy as I want. Only a fool like the High Priest would painstakingly extract it from individuals, accumulating death energy for thousands of years, yet still not matching the amount I’ve accumulated in the Empire in ten.”

Mara’s words made Shien’s gaze even colder.

“Who are you?” Shien forced out these words.

Necromancy.

Greater Spirit of Death.

And that Limit Level power.

All of these indicated Mara’s extraordinary origins.

Mara didn’t hide it.

“At this point, it’s no longer a secret,” she said casually, “It seems you already know about the existence of Greater Spirits, right?”

Mara naturally knew about the High Priest cultivating Limgir as a Greater Spirit.

And since that base was destroyed, the existence of the High Priest and Limgir being exposed was inevitable.

Moreover, Mara had placed a soul curse on the High Priest. She knew that if anything happened, a coward like the High Priest would definitely reveal everything.

That’s why she placed the curse beforehand. Once the High Priest mentioned her plans or her true existence to outsiders, the curse would activate, obliterating her soul.

But even so, some information leakage was unavoidable.

So, Mara no longer hid the matter of Greater Spirits.

“That young master you saw was just a Greater Spirit recently created by that High Priest.”

Mara looked directly at Shien and smiled sweetly.

“And I am the first Greater Spirit created by the High Priest, an ancient existence born a thousand years ago.”

The High Priest created a Greater Spirit a thousand years ago and called it a failure. That failure, although successfully reaching Limit Level, couldn’t overcome the final hurdle to Transcendence.

“I am that failure,” Mara readily admitted, but her tone was dismissive, “Of course, no matter how many Greater Spirits she creates, they will all ultimately be failures.”

Why was that?

Mara didn’t explain, simply saying,

“I think the reason she called me a failure wasn’t because I didn’t meet her requirements, but because I escaped her control.” Mara said, as if mocking the High Priest, “She thought I didn’t see through her plan, didn’t know that she wanted to take over my body after I surpassed the limits of life, so she kept me by her side, acting together for nearly a thousand years.”

This gave Mara a golden opportunity.

“She didn’t expect that not only did I guess her intentions, but I also had extremely high compatibility with necromancy. Any necromancy spell she used in front of me, I could easily memorize after seeing it once.”

“She didn’t expect me to suddenly rebel ten years ago, not only escaping her control but also controlling her in return, making her work for me.”

“The curse I placed on her wasn’t just on her soul, but also a magic that could dispel her undead body.”

“To avoid losing her undead body, that cowardly and death-fearing creature could only obediently obey me.”

Mara said all of this with a smile.

“Of course, she wouldn’t just sit and wait for death, nor was she willing to be controlled by a failure like me, so she desperately tried to create a second Greater Spirit, hoping to break free from my curse by taking over its body.”

Unfortunately, Mara knew all of this, but she let the High Priest continue. After all, the High Priest’s plan wouldn’t be completed anytime soon. Why not exploit her remaining value before then?

“I should also thank you, Earl Buztout, for helping me eliminate the trash that needed to be eliminated.”

Mara smiled happily. That beautiful smile, tainted by death aura, was chilling.

Shien’s expression didn’t change. Although the matter of the Greater Spirit surprised him, after hearing Mara’s story, he was more concerned about something else.

“Then why do you hate Heroes so much?”

Shien asked.

“—”

Mara’s smile instantly vanished.

The chilling feeling intensified.

Mara, amidst the storm of death aura, said softly,

“Do you know the country of ‘Erei’?”

This sudden question stunned Shien.

“Erei?”

Where was that?

Was there such a country?

Shien couldn’t remember.

Diere and Capeline, however, changed their expressions drastically upon hearing Mara’s words.

“You… are you from Erei?” Capeline asked in shock.

“You know about it?” Shien asked immediately.

It was Diere who answered.

“…That was a country from a thousand years ago,” she said in a deep voice.

“A thousand years ago, there was a small country called Erei in the Human Realm, but it was destroyed before the final battle between the God Race, the Human Race, and the Demon Race.”

Mara immediately continued,

“Yes, destroyed. That’s a good way to put it,” Mara said sarcastically, “Because it was truly destroyed in less than a day, by the Hero you praise so much.”

Hearing this, neither Diere nor Capeline refuted it.

This shocked Shien.

“Are you kidding?”

A Hero destroyed a country?

“Why?” Shien asked subconsciously.

Mara answered.

“Because Erei was located at the intersection of the battle lines between the God Race, the Human Race, and the Demon Race at that time,” Mara said coldly.

“If that place couldn’t be occupied, then the Demon Race could use a large magic power source within Erei to cast a large-scale ritual magic that would increase their power on the battlefield by at least twofold.”

Such a terrifying ritual magic naturally had to be stopped.

“So, the Hero, along with his companions, entered Erei and, in order to prevent the ritual magic, used the Holy Sword to directly sever the magic power source.”

“But the magic power source, already imbued with ritual magic, went berserk.”

“Countless citizens of Erei were swallowed by the magic storm, crying out for help, including me.”

“And the Hero?”

“He could have saved many people, even saved Erei from this disaster.”

“But he didn’t.”

“The Demon Race, enraged by the disruption of their ritual, launched an attack, starting the final battle.”

“To return and fight the demons, the great Hero abandoned the mess he created and left with his companions.”

“Erei was thus destroyed, not by the Demon Race, but by fellow humans, by the Hero.”

Mara’s voice was ice-cold.

“So tell me, shouldn’t I hate Heroes?”

Chapter 634: “Time to Settle the Score.”

Mara’s words silenced Diere and Capeline.

Even Shien frowned, surprised by this event from a thousand years ago.

However…

“Is that all?” Shien looked directly at Mara, “Just because Hero Mitra destroyed your country, you’re taking it out on all Heroes and those related to them?”

In Shien’s eyes, Mara’s actions were pure misplaced anger. He wouldn’t judge the right or wrong of the matter, as it was simply a matter of perspective.

From Mara’s standpoint, as a victim of Erei, she was undoubtedly justified. Although Hero Mitra abandoned Erei for the greater good of the world, sacrificing the few to save the many, he still harmed Erei. This was an undeniable fact.

However…

“That was the Hero’s decision. You can seek revenge on him, resent his country, his companions, even his descendants, but what does this have to do with the Empire?”

Shien pointed out the contradiction.

This matter could be blamed on the Mitra Kingdom. If Mara sought revenge on them, it would be understandable. After all, the Mitra Kingdom was founded by Hero Mitra.

But the Empire had no responsibility, and the other Hero descendants were also unrelated. Mara hated everything related to Heroes simply because of her hatred for one Hero. This was clearly misplaced anger.

However, Mara remained indifferent to Shien’s words.

No, not just indifferent.

She laughed, a manic laughter.

“You say this has nothing to do with the Empire?” Mara clutched her forehead, laughing and shouting, “It was the Ragna Empire that led the Demon Race into Erei! And you say it has nothing to do with the Empire…!?”

These words stunned Shien, who instinctively turned to Capeline.

Capeline’s face was grim, her eyes filled with a dark shadow. She didn’t refute Mara’s words.

Noticing Shien’s gaze, the princess smiled wryly.

“At that time, Erei was a vassal state of the Empire, and a prince, unwilling to accept his brother taking the throne, chose to side with the Demon Race. When the Demon Race was searching for a large magic power source suitable for their ritual magic, he offered them Erei, using his authority to secretly lead the Demon Race in, without the Erei King’s knowledge. I read about this in the secret records of the royal family.”

So, among those responsible for Erei’s destruction, there was indeed someone from the Empire.

Moreover, that person was a member of the Imperial Family, a traitor who betrayed humanity.

No one knew about this. Although the Imperial Family discovered it, to avoid being blamed by the God Race and incurring the hostility of other human nations, they secretly covered it up and executed the prince in secret.

But the prince’s descendants were spared, their identities concealed and raised as the then Emperor’s children.

After several generations, the prince’s descendants fully integrated into the royal family, some even ascending to the throne, becoming the previous Emperor’s predecessor.

In other words, the current Imperial Family, including Harvis and Capeline, were descendants of that Emperor, and also descendants of the prince who caused Erei’s destruction.

Therefore, whether from the Kingdom or the Empire, all Hero descendants were descendants of Mara’s enemies.

“Look, this is what Heroes are like,” Mara said sarcastically.

“The Hero who vanquished the Demon King was praised by the world and recorded in history, but no one remembers that he once destroyed an innocent country.”

“His companions all enjoyed honor, becoming nobles or famous figures in history.”

“Even among the Hero descendants of this Empire, no one remembers what kind of scoundrel they had, what great sin he committed.”

“Wandering the world for a thousand years, all I heard was praise, glorification, remembrance, and admiration for Heroes.”

“Truly, it makes me sick.”

Mara spread her arms, the storm of death aura swirling around her.

“From that moment on, I swore to make these hypocritical Heroes suffer.”

“I will make them suffer as much humiliation as they received glory.”

“You say this is misplaced anger?”

“Fine, I admit it.”

“But if Erei could be innocently dragged into such a disaster, why can’t I take my anger out on the descendants of those responsible?”

The death aura on Mara suddenly erupted.

“Today, I will solemnly announce to the world that I will destroy all Heroes, everything related to Heroes, as well as the Mitra Kingdom and the Ragna Empire!”

“I will have them destroyed, just like Erei!”

“This is only the first step!”

Mara extended a hand towards Shien again.

“And this first step will begin with you, the true Hero!”

Saying that, Mara finally unleashed her full power.

“[Grand Astarte]!”

This was the necromancy spell Mara created based on [Astarte], an upgraded version, the highest-level necromancy spell, the most destructive and threatening death aura attack.

A pitch-black storm erupted from her, shaking the entire throne room.

“Danger!”

“Run!”

Diere and Capeline immediately reacted, shouting at everyone present upon seeing the apocalyptic scene.

“[Bestowal: Dispel].”

Shien, however, didn’t retreat, but advanced, his magic power surging, carrying the “Dispel” property, and colliding with the incoming death aura storm.

But Mara’s combat experience was far greater than the High Priest’s, who only dreamed of immortality. Seeing Shien’s dispelling magic, she immediately split the death aura storm.

Instantly, the faces of pain, resentment, despair, and wailing within the storm dispersed, like vengeful spirits, avoiding the dispelling magic.

They formed an army, like dancing demons, filling the entire throne room.

Wherever the death aura spirits passed, everything decayed.

The pillars of the throne room decayed.

The walls of the throne room decayed.

The floor of the throne room decayed.

Even the majestic throne rapidly withered and decayed, turning into gravel and scattering.

The necromancy spell that stripped away all life force freely rampaged through the throne room.

“Ah!”

“Your Highness!”

“This is bad!”

The female knights of the Broken Blade Knight Order cried out.

They were entangled and surrounded by the death aura spirits.

Faces with expressions of pain, resentment, despair, and wailing flew around, sometimes passing by, sometimes charging towards the Broken Blade knights, putting them in grave danger.

“Quick! Create a magic barrier!”

Capeline, wielding her [Magic Sword] and cutting down an incoming vengeful spirit, shouted at her knights.

“Weng!”

The female knights reacted, quickly chanting defensive magic and creating transparent barriers, trying to block the incoming spirits.

But these spirits seemed to be able to drain even the life force of magic, slowly corroding the barriers.

“Use [Magic Sword] to attack!”

Capeline’s expression changed, and she immediately gave another order.

[Magic Sword] was a close-combat ultimate move said to be able to cut through anything, even magic that was immune to physical attacks. Using this move, they could cut down the incoming vengeful spirits.

The female knights reacted, and some immediately tried it.

However, Diere, also using [Magic Sword] to cut down the incoming spirits, discovered something.

“Can that death aura even corrode [Magic Sword]?”

Diere looked at her blades, the crimson light dimming, her face serious.

While [Magic Sword] cut through the vengeful spirits, the spirits were also corroding the magic power on the blades, increasing the consumption of magic power and gradually weakening the [Magic Sword].

Not only that.

Diere also discovered that wherever the vengeful spirits passed, life force would be drained, and lifeless beings would be possessed.

For example, those who died tragically outside the throne room, now just mummies, were slowly moving, standing up unsteadily, their eyes glowing with a ghastly green light as they let out faint howls.

“Turned into undead?”

Capeline also saw this, sweeping her [Magic Sword] and forcing back the incoming spirits, her expression incredibly grim.

The situation became extremely dangerous, putting everyone at risk.

“Heh heh.”

Mara chuckled pleasantly.

But soon, the Imperial Consort’s eyes flickered, and she waved her hand without hesitation, sending a claw attack towards the side.

“Swoosh!”

With a faint whooshing sound, a figure suddenly appeared like a ghost, their sword flashing as they slashed towards Mara.

“Clang—!”

Sword light and claw light clashed fiercely, the blade and claws colliding, creating sparks.

“I knew Earl Buztout would come straight for me,” Mara chuckled amidst the sparks.

Shien looked at the Imperial Consort and also smirked.

“I sympathize with your past,” he said.

“But that’s not a reason for you to harm me and those around me.”

That was the truth.

“Time to settle the score, Your Imperial Consort.”

Shien grinned.

Mara’s smile vanished, a ghastly green light flickering in her eyes.