ăI was walking on top of the outer wall.\năI was not taking a leisurely stroll, but trying to grasp the situation, making full use of multiple magic spells.
ââŠHmm.â
ăThe cannon battery on the walls turned to face me.\năI sensed a rising magic power.\năThey must be preparing to attack.\năThey were in range of the fallout, but it seemed like they planned to fire the shells at me regardless.
âThatâs bold.â
ăI muttered, and immediately cast a spell.\năBlack ivy grew from the base of the cannons, and entwined itself around the weapons like tentacles.\năThe operators desperately tried to adjust the aim of the cannon barrels, which had been misaligned by the ivy , but they were a beat too late.
ăThe mis-aimed shells launched into the Imperial City.\năThey pierced the wooden clock tower, smashing it into a million pieces.\năThe adjacent buildings were also destroyed, sending up a huge cloud of dust.\năI wonder how many people had been caught up in the blast.
ăI grew the ivy further, and guided it in through the barrels.\năSoon, there were screams from inside.\năI tightened my hold on the operators who were inside the cannons.\năI let the miasma spread and transformed them into undead.\năNow there was no need for me to worry about being shot at.
ăThe cannon battery itself would be left undestroyed.\năThey were valuable weapons.\năI was planning on bringing it back later and analyzing its internal structure.\năIf they could be miniaturized and transported, it could be useful on a variety of battlefields.\năIt would greatly strengthen the war potential of the Demon Lordâs army.\năWe had archers and mages in our ranks, but the precision and destructive power of this cannon battery could not be overlooked.
ăI looked across the outer wall.\năThe scattered cannons were either covered with ivy, or otherwise damaged, and all of them were unusable.\năEvery single cannon in the vicinity had been neutralized.\năI had done it all by myself.\năNow there would be no more unnecessary interference.\năAlthough it would not be a big blow for me to be hit by a shell, that was no reason to allow myself to be hit.
This war is going well, isnât it?
ăThe Imperial City was in chaos.\năThe undead were already roaming everywhere, and people were running for their lives.\năThere were countless people being eaten alive.\năFires were breaking out all over the place.\năIt was pandemonium
ăI sealed the gates out of the city with magic.\năIn addition, I placed a barrier to prevent teleportation.\năIt was strong enough to not be easily broken, even if it was directly hit by large scale magic.\năWith this, no one would be able to escape from the imperial capital unless the barrier was subjected to a concentrated bombardment.
ăThe Empire is a country that has operated behind the scenes many times before.\năI think itâs about time they were inflicted with irreparable damage.\năIf they can learn their lesson from this tragedy, I hope they will quietly cooperate with other countries.\năThe Demon Lord alone was enough to forcibly exercise his iron hand.
ăI only had a few reasons to be in the Imperial Capital.\năJudging from the devastation of the city, I had been able to inflict a reasonable amount of damage.\năThat just left robbing all their weapons and documents, starting with the cannon batteries.\năI also want to find the countries and organizations that are connected to the Empire behind the scenes.
ăEspecially in case of the cannon batteries, it was hard to believe that the Empire had developed and manufactured them alone.\năThere must have been some other force involved.\năOtherwise, there was no way the Empire could have completed these weapons so suddenly.\năWe must know who it was, so that I could determine the future movements of the Demon Lordâs army.
ăThere are only a few places that research and manufacture secret weapons.\năIf I visit the important facilities, I was sure I could find what I was looking for.\năIt wouldnât take long if I used transfer magic.\năThere was also the option of interrogating an executive.\năI could also temporarily summon Luciana and rely on her charm.
ăI forgot to mention that I also had to kill people in the upper echelons of the country.\năThey didnât have to be totally wiped out, but it was obvious from the way the Empire had been conducting itself so far that the majority of them were pro-war.\năIn order to encourage them to cooperate with other countries, we must first eliminate those with an expansionist mindset.\năThere are moderates and centrists in these kinds of countries as well, and I want to create a situation where such individuals can take power.
ăAs I was thinking about the future of the empire, I suddenly felt bloodlust coming from behind me.\năIt was an intense and violent presence, almost like a demon that had lost its reason.
ăWithout looking back, I used my short-range transfer magic and moved forward.\năHowever, the bloodlust still followed me.
âŠWho is that?
ăWhile wondering that, I generated a miasma shield and held it up as I turned around.\năA roughly-made battle axe crashed into it.\năPurple lightning bounced off my shield, making a crackling sound.\năI could see the surface of the miasma shield wearing away, while the purple lightning grew in strength.
This forceâŠitâs pushing me back!
ăI didnât force myself to go against it, but instead levitated, and allowed myself to be pushed away.\năI made a force field in the air, landed on it, and looked at the owner of the battle axe.
ăStanding on the outer wall was a man so large that he resembled an ogre.\năHis brawny physique was wrapped in vermilion full-body armor.\năOccasional sparks of purple lightning ran across his body.
ăHis blue eyes, peeking through the gaps in his helmet, were filled with a ferocious, predatory light.\năHis strength was evident at a glance.\năThat large man pointed at me.
âYouâre that necromancer Demon Lord, arenât you?â
âSo what if I am?â
ăAs I spoke back, the large man slowly raised his battle axe.\năHis bloodlust grew sharp in a blink of an eye.\năThe purple lightning emitting from his axe grew larger, making his entire body glow.\năIt was no longer a level of power that a human being should display.
âItâs decided now⊠Iâll beat you to a pulp!â
ăThe next moment, the big manâs figure disappeared.\năNo, it was speeding through the air, leaving flickering afterimages as it approached me.\năIt was too fast for me to keep up.
Is this a combination of body enhancement and lightning magic?
ăThe reason why I couldnât evade his previous attack, even by using transfer magic, was probably because of this technique.\năIt seems that he chased after me as I shifted locations, at a speed that far surpassed a normal person.
ăI transformed my miasma shield into a spear, and parried the battle axe that he was swinging down at me.\năIf I had not gained combat experience and skills in the Valley of the Dead, I would have been cut down without being able to resist.\năThe impact broke the spear, which turned into black powder as it dispersed.\năAt the same time, I felt a strange numbness in my fingertips.\năIt seemed that lightning magic had been poured into my fingers when the spear met the axe.\năIt was a more troublesome attack than I thought.
âOhoâŠ!â
ăThe large man let out a voice of admiration.\năThe movement of his eyes showed that he was feeling intense joy.\năAfter I fought off his attack, I used transfer magic to put some distance between us.
ăThe big man didnât chase me.\năHe jumped into the air and returned to the top of the outer wall.
âHahaha! Thatâs a good move! Let us enjoy this to the fullest!â
ăThe big man laughed heartily.\năHe was not being sarcastic or snide, he was really enjoying the fight.\năAmong the people I knew, his way of thinking was closest to that of Henry.
I never thought Iâd meet him hereâŠ
ăI knew this man.\năAlthough I didnât remember what he looked like, I was pretty sure it was his fighting style and personality.\năThere are very few people who can wield a battle axe with that level of skill, while also controlling body enhancement and lightning magic.\năIt is beyond the realm of admiration or imitation.\năIn other words, he was no doubt the real deal.
ăAlthough I did not know him personally, his name was known throughout the world ten years ago.\năAt the time, I had heard of him as well.\năHowever, I never dreamed that we would end up fighting like this.
Is this also my fate as a Demon Lord�
ăI thought in self-ridicule.\năI canât help but feel that way about this encounter.
ăâThe man known as âDoldar the Thunderboltâ was a great pirate, who was once a candidate for the hero.\n<hr class="wp-block-separator has-text-color has-background has-black-background-color has-black-color is-style-wide">
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