BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

  Fmes razed the buildings to the ground, winds and gales shed ever so violently, boulders sprouted off the ground as the earth lit, and explosi out in the air, blood and sweat shed as walls and ns crumbled down.

  What was once a bright and peaceful day was now a destructive battlefield, violent waves of mana sweeping through the deadly pins as several streaks bolted all over the pce, bdes swung and arrows fired relentlessly.

  A crimson figure brandished her spear and torrents of scorg fmes roared across the Court, tearing down the walls and leaving pools of va in the charted ground. It tie, burning ant life in the viity.

  "Is that the best you could do, General?! You ought to do better!" ［Haksen］

  "Hahaha! Running away?! Think again, you old hag!" ［Malia］

  "Tsk! You shameless traitors!" ［thia］

  She brandished her spear once more, however, it was futile. The moment she attacks ohe other takes their d attacks them from where they're still distracted, an alternating pattern which puts the General in a difficult situation.

  Well, it wasn't just a General. The Captain of the Royal Guards, the Lt. General, the King, and even the Royal Guards were having difficult times trying to fight the horde of demonic fiends rushing towards them like a devastating flood.

  And in the midst of such a difficult and bloody battle, three figures remaianding still. They observed the battle as it was, their eyes swimming towards all dires, a certain figure smiling ever so childishly as he ehe show before them.

  "My, looks like they're having a lot of fun. Don't you think so too?" ［Piper］

  "Answer my question first. Would you like to get beaten to a pulp, frozen to death, burnt to ashes, et cut up? How would you like to die?" ［Grey］

  "Ohh～. How scary～. It's the first time we're meeting, a you're already trying to threaten me. Aren't you too cold?" ［Piper］

  "I don't believe we're in good terms to have warm greetings." ［Grey］

  Those figures were her than Grey, Yuna, and their new friendー no, their new foe, Piper. He was a bold man who didn't even shiver in the face of death, simply enjoying the battlefield as it is, relishing in the st of death and symphony of cries.

  He looked at the battlefield a final time, before looking at Grey and Yuna properly. It was the first time he was meeting them. However, havi several people during the Civil War, he could already tell they weren't ordinary.

  "Ah... Right... You must be the ones Gael was talking about..." ［Piper］

  "Gael...? Who are you talking about?" ［Yuna］

  "Huhuhu. It's nothing, please don't mind me. He's just another piece of sh*t like usー No, actually, he's even worse than me, he's the worst piece of sh*t their is～... You see... He's the one who orchestrated this whole thing!" ［Piper］

  Nont as be, Piper exposed a secret without even blinking an eye, a soft smile blooming on his face. Whether such a man is to be caught or killed was none of his business. All he wao do was have fun.

  No... He is a crazy one even amongst the crazy criminals in the world. Whether it be a King or an Emperor, he would dare to point his spear towards them so long as he makes a bit of chaos, even killing the i if necessary.

  It was the reason why the General loathed him so much. He was a crazy bastard who her has morals or iy, simply doing as he pleases as if he rules the world. The General had already warhem about him, but he seems to be even crazier.

  "You sure talk... Are you sure you won't get in trouble for spilling such a secret so easily? We heard the Duke was a cruel man." ［Yuna］

  "The Duke...? An, right... I still have a tract with him, huh... Should I kill him right now? Would the tract be void then?" ［Piper］

  "You're crazy..." ［Yuna］

  "My～! I'll take that as a pliment, My Lady～!" ［Piper］

  However, it was also because of carefree and iure that Grey could finally put the pieces together. All he o know of was the mastermind's name, and he quickly started the search, his eyes gleaming brilliantly.

  He scoured the whole area, as far as his range could go and utilized "Multitask" to appraise every single person he could see, thousands, maybe even millions of bits of information flowing towards his brain in just a couple seds.

  It didn't take long befrey finished his search. However, he didn't find a sich. He didn't find a match, however, he spotted someone familiar, his neon green hair standing out like a sore thumb, seemingly calm as be.

  "Gael... Gael... Gaelister til Rofelier... By any ce, is that him?" ［Grey］

  "Ohh! It's been a long time since I heard that name! How nostalgic～! How did you know? Are you perhaps a psychic?" ［Piper］

  The man asked, but Grey didn't utter a single word in response. He simply set his sight towards the man whose name has beeioned. He was a man they had seen during the trial and also the very same man Yu ominous and sinister.

  Grey didn't know much about him, but ohing was for sure... He was "Evil". An evil so vile, even the criminals and bandits he had met before doesn't even pare. He looked like a gentleman, but he was simply a madman wearing a mask.

  There was no time to waste. As soon as Grey found him, he immediately turned his gaze away from Piper and turned around soon after. He took his first steps, gazing towards the target's dire with nothing but resolve in his heart.

  "Oh my, are you leaving already? Are you really leaving the young dy behind? It's painful to be abandoned, you know?" ［Piper］

  "Don't be mistaken. Yuna is more than enough to hahe likes of you." ［Grey］

  Rebutted Grey, his words as sharp as daggers as he gred at Piper. He had full trust in Yuna and soon leaped away from the battlefield, bolting without leaving even a blur behind and not a single sound in the wind.

  "My... How cold... Personally, I wouldn'tー" ［Piper］

  It wasn't just him, Yuna was also in a hurry, brandishing her daggers towards the enemy's neck before he could even finish his words. There was only a cold glint in her beautiful blue eyes, sharpened as beautifully as her daggers.

  Piper could barely react, using all his might to pull back his body and leaped away from danger. He mao dodge the attack just barely, unfortunately, it wasn't without any pain, a small scar streaking across his face.

  Blood trickled down his fad he halted as soon as he nded. He observed the wound on his cheeks and touched it just softly. His finger was dyed with the color of his blood, a dark expression painted over his once cheerful face.

  "That's my first warning. Draw your spear if you don't want to die." ［Yuna］

  "You know... I never had any good expressions with scars, My Lady. Especially ones on the face... This is quite upsetting..." ［Piper］

  "Your face, your arms, or your torso, I'll leave a hundred more scars if you don't start using your spear. This is not a threat, it's a promise." ［Yuna］

  "Huhu... Huhuhu... Huhuhu! What aertaining young dy! It's been a long time since I've met someone just as iing!" ［Piper］

  The boisterous and nont man is now o be seen, only an insane madman standing before Yuna. There was a dangerous smile on his face, looking like a predator which just spotted a new prey to py with.

  "Then... To repay the favor, I will also show you something iing." ［Piper］

  And like the others before him, he also pulled a Dark Moon's Pearl from his ste ring. It was even just as dark as the Duke's and just as ominous. It was the peal of ruin which could very well spill the end of the world.

  However, in front of su item, Yuna stood unfazed, feeliher threatened nor devastated. There was only one goal in her mind, and that is to crush the malevolent enemy before him and wipe out his existence from the world.

  "Hm? Aren't you going to stop me?" ［Piper］

  "Why should I? It's not like it will ge the oute anyway. You'll still be dying from my daggers, and that's final." ［Yuna］

  "Huhu... Huhuhu... You really are iing..." ［Piper］

  There was nan her eyes, only determination. No matter how powerful the Dark Moon's Pearl is, it isn't omnipotent, it still has its limits. The "walls" of the ranks are absolute and not even thousands of sacrifices will work.

  No, actually, it was still very much possible. However, even if it did, because it was a forceful increase, the body won't be able to hahe power and slowly crumble away with time until it turns to ashes, to be blown away in the wind.

  For the Duke and the enemies who had forcefully broken the walls towards being a Mid-Ranker, his status was quickly destabilizing, his mind was quickly colpsing. It will only be a matter of time before they are ed by their own powers.

  Well, none of it matters with Yuna anyway. No matter how things go, she will still be able to learn from an experience of battling demons and sharpen her daggers even further. Be it her daggers or her frost. She was willing to do anything to take him down.

  "Huhuhu! I'll make yret those words, My Lady!" ［Piper］

  However, her words are not what it seems to the enemy. He was quickly provoked, his eyes already bloodshot even before turning into a demon. There was no need for hesitation, swallowing the pill with madness burning in his eyes.

  A surge of pain and agony surged in his veins, running throughout his whole body. However, the man didn't let out a single scream, only a thundering explosion filling the air, the ground quaking all the same.

  ??Appraisal?? ［Grey］

  -----------------------------------

  [Demon]

  [Name]Piper

  [Race]Human

  [Sex]Male

  [Age]47

  [Status]Healthy, Stable

  [Mana Capacity]4,868 [Mana Quality]B

  [bat Power]8,491 [Threat Level]S

  [Attribute]Light    [Magic Proficy]High (62%)

  [Css]Lancer     [on Proficy]High (63%)

  [Physical Enha]84%

  [Ability]True Sight (4☆)

  -----------------------------------

  Grey shared his sight with Yuna, and surely enough, Piper had reached new heights, his power increased several folds until he reached the higher-ends of S-rank, even surpassing the General in all but a quistant.

  The new power c inside made even him asto the new heights he had reached. It felt as if all his efforts up until now to polish his skills were all but useless. For him to gain such superb power, it was all too exg.

  He was delighted... No, he was drunk with power. The moment he ched his fist, the winds started to roar. It was as if he had reached the apex, everything seeming no different than insignifit particles of dust before his eyes.

  'Haah... How disappointing...' ［Yuna］

  However, the same couldn't be said for Yuna. She had already expected it, however, it was still disappointing. At the very least, she would still be able to learn how to deal with demons. It was something to look forward to.

  "Then... Shall we also get started?" ［Piper］

  BOOOOOOOMMMMMMM

  Time was of the essence, a fierce csh rog the field as Piper's spear ected with Yuna's daggers. The ground was viciously ripped apart from the sheer force of the shockwaves alone and debris were bsted all throughout the pce.

  BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM

  After the first, several more explosions followed, shockwaves ringing all over the field, craters and ravines formed with each csh, golden beams of light and cold showers of frozen icicles streaking all over the pce as if there was no tomorrow.

  The day of judgement has e, two destructive forces g with one another until only one es out on top. One was a crazy and hysterical madman while the other was a cold and resolute young dy. A duel to be etched in history!

  ...

  BOOM BOOM BOOM WHOOSH CRASH

  Explosi out time and time again, pilrs of fmes r all throughout the field, g with cruel, jowling winds. Tornadoes of fme formed oer ahe ground charred and scorched as scars were painted everywhere.

  The General dodged the strikes of Haksen, bending her body downwards to dodge the heavy maces and leaping away soon after to create some distance. A pilr of fme soon rushing out as she terattacked.

  However, in that short amount of time she creates a gap in her defense, a volley of deadly arrows rushing towards her, ing from behind and from above. It was a downpour she couldn't help but avoid, renderitacks weak.

  "Agh! That hurts, General. Couldn't you be mentle?" ［Haksen］

  It has been a few minutes sihe General engaged in battle against Haksen and Malia, ae still being more powerful than them, she has still yet to domihe battle. Other than the fact that they have an absurd amount of mana...

  "Just kidding～!" ［Haksen］

  ... They also have inhuman regeive abilities as the Duke had demonstrated a few moments before. Even the wound the General had just made with all her might was healed in an instant, leaving not a sirace.

  "You monstrous motherf*ckers..." ［thia］

  Demons... People whose souls have been soiled by corruption. While their most definiures are their sinister bck scleras and crimson red irises, they are also known to possess a myriad of other traits they gained after transformation.

  Their senses are enhaheir reception of pain will be heir emotions will beore cruel, their magic will only utilize corruption, and most of all, they will gain regeive capacities boasting might not even Transdents possess.

  As long as they have mana or their bodies are destroyed in a single instant, they would tio stand back up. Be it their heads decapitated or their bodies cut in half. They will tio survive as long as they have mana.

  "Monstrous, huh... What I say, we're a good match for one another." ［Haksen］

  "It stings, doesn't it, General?" ［Malia］

  What's even more irritatiheir abilities. Haksen's "Bck Wind" acts like a curse and weakens all nearby enemies whilst Malia's "cealment" allows her to hide the presence of her arrows and herself, preventing her from esg.

  They were already annoying as it is previously, but now with their physical attributes greatly enhanced, it was even more so. The General couldn't catch a break unless she wanted her head rolling on the cold ground.

  "Just admit it already, General. We are now strohan you. No matter how hard you try to prevail, you will be dying by our hands." ［Haksen］

  "Resistance is futile. 't you see just how great and mighty the powers of demons are? If only you had chosen wisely, you might have survived after this." ［Malia］

  "So, Generalー No, thia... How does it feel being looked down upon by those you once sidered as dirt beh your feet?" ［Haksen］

  If it wasn't for sunoying facts, not just the two of them, even if there was one more, the General would still have higher ces of winning. However, the odds aren't in her favor, sinister and sful eyes directed at her.

  They are all tant, drunk in the power they have selfishly acquired, speaking of such words as if they have rightfully earned such powers. There was a limit to hant one be, and the two are already past it.

  "Haha... Hahaha... Hahahaha!" ［thia］

  It was so absurd, the General couldn't help but ugh out loud as she listeo their useless yapping. Just a few days ago, they were shying away from her presence, and now, they dared to lecture her. It was all too surreal.

  "How ridiculous... If you think I thought of you two as dirt, yravely mistaken... How two are worth less than that." ［thia］

  "Hant..." ［Malia］

  "You're the st people I want to hear that from." ［thia］

  "It's not too te yet, General. If you kneel and beg right now, we just might give you a swift death. We'll make sure ro make it painless." ［Haksen］

  Halsen proposed it as an offer, however, the General had never heard of something as ridiculous as it was. Just to satisfy their egos, they have trampled on the lives of the i aroyed the hopes of many. It was unfivable.

  "Over my dead body... F*ck off." ［thia］

  She was adamant as the mountains, her will not wavering even a single moment. Her eyes gleamed bright like the sun in the sky, making sure to get her point across, her voice as cold and prickly as ice as it rang iheir ears.

  Ahe point across, she did. As soon as Haksen and Malia heard such words, their emotions immediately ran rampant, flooding their hearts with hostility as they gred at the General, their eyes turning even redder than before.

  "We've offered you kindness a, you ridiculed us... Haha... Hahaha... Hahaha! That's very much like you, thia!" ［Haksen］

  "Haha... Have you gone insane already?" ［thia］

  "I'll make your death a painful one." ［Haksen］

  A threatening voice rang in the air, a loud cacophony of explosions and shockwaves following soon after. Two figures streaked across the battlefields, fmes and gales painting the ruined fields red and white.

  As an S-rahe General was quite fast, however, using the powers of the wind, Haksen easily caught up with her. He brandished his heavy maces, powerful bursts of wind rushing forth towards the General, scarring the ground all the while.

  ??Pierg Torrent!?? ［thia］

  The General brandished her spear in response, several thrusts unched in rapid succession, breaking away the walls of violent gust and sending a deadly torrent towards the enemy, scars appearing throughout Haksen's body.

  ??Triple Storm!?? ［Malia］

  However, Haksen wasn't the only enemy. As soon as she left herself defenseless, Malia's arrows had already appeared before her, rushing at breakneck speed, not even giving her a ce to defend herself from the impact.

  BOOOOOMMMMMMMMM FWOOSH WHOOSH WHOOSH

  The arrows ected and a rge explosi out in the air, rge pilrs of dust, t towards the sky and several pieces of debris scattered all throughout the fields. It was a devastating sario, clouds of dust veiling the fields.

  BOOM BOOM CRACKLE BANG BANG BANG

  And just as su explosi out in the air, several shockwaves also cruised the nearby nds, bolts and arcs of lightning painting the battlefield blue, g with fmes of red and shadows of bck, fierce as be.

  The King was now engaged in the fight with two demoe knights onder Duke Schemer, now turned into B-rank demons. He easily defeated the Duke, but the two before him are in a pletely different league, equaling his power.

  " you really afford to look away now, Your Majesty?!"

  "Ughh!!" ［Philip］

  It was only for a short while, but the enemy didn't waste any opportunities. As soon as the King took at g the General out of worry, the enemy's massive hammer struck him from the sides, barely defending it with his sword.

  However, it didn't just end there. As soon as he was flung away by the hammer, the other one appeared behind him and struck him with his fist, cracks eg in the air as some of his ribs cracked, a chock of pain c through his body.

  BANG BANG CRASH THUD

  The King was bsted away, tumbling on the ground until his back crashed against the broken walls of the Court. It hurts like hell, a metallic taste caressing his tongue as blood trickled down his mouth, his body already screaming in pain.

  However, there was no time to lie down. He firmly plunged his sword towards the ground and stood up with his feet prongly soon after, his a eyes still unwavering from the challenge before him.

  "You should have stayed down, Your Majesty,"

  "How stubborn you are. Just give up already."

  "Giving up, huh... I apologize, but such words are not in my vocabury," ［Philip］

  It hurts. It hurts like hell, it felt like it was better to die. However, the King still didn't back down, f his already battered and ragged body ro stand up and hold the sword as he always did, his grip still firm as be.

  He has already experienced tless battles and has lived in war for over 2 decades. Such pain was nothio him. Rather, his blood boiled in exhiration as he he fine border of life ah.

  After all, he hasn't earhe niame of "Blood Hound" for nothing. A smile soon bloomed on his face... If the enemies are crazy...

  "e at me, you bastards." ［Philip］

  ... So was he...

  CHAPTER 428 END