749. Change Teams
“Nice try, Vargon. Whoops, that was close, but not close enough, Jaylus! Are you even trying to kill me, Porso?”
Manos laughed, dodging the array of attacks that came his way as he continued to ascend up the falling rubble, all the while being chased by the leaders of the legions. And they weren’t weak attacks either. Each was a Skill sent out his way by a Primeval Demon. Powerful strikes or blasts of magic that could have actually hurt him if they landed.
But that was only if they landed.
“[Ray Of Fire].”
“[Blood Rain].”
“[Quaking Hammerblow]!”
Their attacks ripped apart the rubble, but he barely paid them any mind. He just darted from falling rock to falling rock as their attacks mostly missed him. And those that actually were on target, he deflected, swinging his waraxe like it was a mere stick, keeping the Primeval Demons back.
A Level 175 [Jinn] drew too close, separating from the others. She must have thought that she saw an opening. But she was mistaken. Manos just chuckled as he casually swung his weapon around his back, slicing the [Jinn] in half with a [Deathstrike].
It was a simple but effective Skill. It was draining for him to use, however there was not much of a cooldown, and it was extremely powerful. That was why he abused it. Not only did it allow him to move with relative ease and extreme speed when targeting a vital point of his target’s body, his attacks were also empowered to the point that they could cleave through most defenses.And while Manos had his own Grand Skills he could use right this instant, he opted to preserve them for now.
Because he knew that at the rate things were going, he was going to need them for later.
So he just held off the Primeval Demons attacking him, constantly moving so that they could never pin him down. While he was certainly stronger than any of them individually, with their combined strength, even he could be overpowered and killed. Especially if they unleash multiple Grand Skills at him in succession.
Of course, with his own Grand Skills, he could take down more of them than he killed so far. Nearly a dozen of them already lay dead amongst the rubble far beneath him, at the bottom of the collapsing mountain. But there was a reason why Manos wanted to keep as many of them alive for now.
Because—
Manos’s eyes flickered, darting to the sky. He watched as the leader of the Tenth Legion— Naro— swung out at Chordus, taking her by surprise. He sliced off her other arm before she could even react, and her blood-curdling scream echoed through the battlefield, causing the other leaders of the legions to pause for a moment.
That’s right, Manos thought as a smirk slipped onto his face. He continued to avoid the numerous attacks sent his way by his assailants, all the while keeping an eye on the sky. Once the tides start turning, those who care only about their own survival will realize that the only way to win is by joining us.
And this was what Manos had planned all along.
Tersh was dead. The Enemy killed him like he was nothing. And Chordus was being pushed to her very limits. Even though she was a master of flame creation, she was being overwhelmed— at her very own game.
She couldn't believe what was happening. It was ridiculous. First, Manos had betrayed her. He had gone against the will of the Demon King. Even though he was supposed to be Regnorex’s Executioner— chosen to be the leader of the Deathsquad Hunters.
As the one who was responsible for hunting down defectors, Manos was supposed to be one of the most loyal servants under the Demon King. So what could have possibly compelled him to side with the Enemy and the Traitor?
It was incomprehensible. However, Chordus hadn’t wanted to dwell on the surreality of her situation.
After all, if that was what she opted to do, she would still be wondering just how the fuck was Jofis killed.
So Chordus didn’t question anything. She just reacted appropriately, not even taking a moment to let her emotions get the better of her. Despite Tersh’s death and the Executioner’s betrayal, as long as she defeated the Enemy here, that was all that mattered.
Or so Chordus thought… until Naro betrayed her too.
It had taken her by surprise. But perhaps, she shouldn’t have been too surprised, since she knew that [Hellprince] had never liked her. However, she at least thought that he was loyal to Regnorex’s cause. After all, the Demon King had given them all refuge.
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Right?
But when Chordus had asked Naro to aid Tersh, he had refused, simply floating next to her with his wings of ice. And when Tersh perished, that was when he struck.
Naro created a blade of ice and swung for Chordus’s head. However, thanks to her [Instinctive Defense] Skill, she raised her arm to block the attack, just like when Manos struck her. Unfortunately, that resulted in the delimbing of her only remaining arm as she flew back.
“Naro— how could you?”
Chordus exclaimed as she stared at the [Hellprince]. He just shrugged as his wings of ice carried him forward, and he closed the distance between himself and the [Hellprincess].
“I never liked you, so this is just a good opportunity to kill you.”
He smirked as he swung for her neck once again. Chordus cursed as she ducked under his swing.
“You bastard!”
Opening her mouth, she unleashed a plume of flames that sent him flying back. However, right as she managed to put some distance between herself and the [Hellprince], the Enemy suddenly appeared beside her.
“I got you!”
The Enemy exclaimed as she struck out with a distorted claw glowing with an iridescent light. Fortunately, Chordus’s [Instinctive Defense] activated once again, and she used her flaming wings to block the attack.
However, the Enemy’s attack sheared through her wings. Even though they were made of flames, they were snuffed out. And now…
The [Hellprincess] tumbled to the ground as she stared up at the grinning Enemy.
“Thanks for the distraction— I’m assuming you’re on our side now?”
The Enemy called out to Naro, who just nodded in response as he flew back to her.
“Indeed, I am. Although, I have to say, I was never on Chordus’s side.”
“Well, let’s just deal with her then—”
The two of them spoke casually as Chordus continued to fall to the ground, her body engulfed in pain. Both of her arms were gone. Her wings had been snuffed out. Most of her allies were either dead, distracted, or in the process of switching sides.
And now, faced with two powerful Primeval Demons, after being betrayed twice, she was going to perish.
Unless… she thought as she stared at the Enemy’s shadowed over gaze. I can surrender. I can join this rebellion— I can… I can…
But Chordus hesitated as the thought crossed her mind. The idea of joining Manos and Naro in aiding the Enemy was more alluring than ever right now. And yet, she thought of the Demon King. She thought of what Regnorex had offered her.
All she had known in her life was death. From the moment she was born, she only saw her kin who were born from the same lifeblood as her perish in the fangs of wild Demons. It was something that had terrified her. That had haunted her. That she had desperately sought solace from.
And Regnorex had offered it to her.
He had given her his salvation.
Not only that, now he was offering it to all of Demonkind. A gift that required sacrifice.
Something that was so close to being achieved.
Chordus was not going to falter now. So she made her decision. No matter what it took, she would defeat the Enemy here.
She would kill the traitors.
She would use her Grand Skills, even if it meant it would kill her.
And as her two opponents flew down towards her to finish her off, she closed her eyes, whispering to herself softly.
“[Crystallization: The Queen Of Diamonds].”
All at once, her body was encased in a giant diamond. Both her assailants bounced off the protective shell-like sphere that covered her as her vision went black. For a moment, she felt nothing. She didn’t feel numb, she just did not feel anything.
And then her vision returned to her. Her senses came back to her.
It was her one-time use Grand Skill.
A Grand Skill that had been granted to her with the caveat that she could never use it again. Because once she activated it, she would die.
But it didn’t matter.
Because Chordus would give her everything for her King.
I stared down at the giant crystal that encased Chordus as she fell towards the ground. I blinked a few times, seeing how easily it deflected my attack. I turned to the Primeval Demon flying next to me— the [Hellprince] who had changed sides— and I frowned.
“What is that thing?”
“Why are you asking me that question? How am I supposed to know?”
The [Hellprince] replied with a scoff. I pointed accusingly at him.
“Um, aren’t you her friend?”
“We weren’t friends— that’s why I betrayed her. Besides, I’ve never seen Chordus do this before.”
“Then what… is it?”
“I don’t know, but—”
The [Hellprince] grinned as he began to create a giant lance of ice. I watched him hold it up above his head.
“Let’s break it and find out!”
With a maniacal laugh, he hurled the ice lance down at the sphere of diamond. The attack struck the crystalline surface with enough force to propel the diamond sphere down into the earth and cause a tremor.
A giant crater opened up beneath the fallen diamond sphere as the ice lance shattered into thousands of pieces. However, the diamond sphere’s surface remained uncracked. I blinked a few times.
“That did nothing—”
I started. And then, the surface of the diamond sphere began to crack.
The [Hellprince grinned as he faced me.
“Hah! You were saying?”
But I just furrowed my brows as I watched the sphere of diamond shatter. And emerging from its cracked crystalline surface was… a giant made of diamond. A crown set upon its head, and a giant sword in its hands. A beating crimson heart beat inside of its transparent chest as it looked up towards both the [Hellprince] and I.
And I just stared.
“...what happened to her?”
[Queen Of Diamonds - Lvl. 200]
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