I really did underestimate how annoying these demonized creatures are.
I shook my head, ignored everything else, found the perfect angle, and landed an Explosive Black Flame right on the Inferior Undead Patrol Soldier that had no magic resistance—knocking its buddy behind it flying too.
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At the same moment, Satahia’s attack arrived.
A flame spear streaked through the air like a bolt of crimson lightning and punched straight through the target.
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Four hundred and nineteen damage—combined with everything before it, that patrol soldier’s health bar instantly dropped below one-third.
A loud clatter echoed from the plaza entrance, the unmistakable sound of a whole crowd of skeletons shoving their way down the corridor.
Damn it, they’re already here?
I immediately started chanting Death’s Shadow.
But the area slow wasn’t for the two demonized patrols in front of me—I hurled it at the ones poking their heads around the entrance.
The first wave that had lost aggro and started wandering back immediately ate the debuff. Their movement speed plummeted, and they ended up clogging the doorway like a pile of bones, temporarily blocking everything behind them.
That bought us maybe ten seconds.
In the brief moment I raised my hand, both patrol soldiers’ attacks came crashing down.
Tattered blades slashed one after another—impossible to dodge.
Not that I planned to.
So this thing self-destructs?
No hesitation.
I Blinked backward, escaping the blast radius just as a series of creaks and groans erupted from the entrance.
Death’s Shadow wore off.
Countless undead poured into the plaza like a black flood.
I glanced at the remaining patrol soldier—still over half health.
With its magic resistance, there was no way Satahia and I could kill it fast enough.
If we stayed, we were screwed.
But walking away from prey already in my grasp?
Not happening.
“Satahia, fire wall.”
I gave the order, pulled two Inferior Fragmentation Bombs from my bag, and threw them both at the last patrol soldier.
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The instant the first damage number popped, I triggered Soul Counter—rebounding the second bomb’s damage onto the patrol soldier that had no magic resistance.
I chugged an Instant Recovery Potion to top off my health, then slammed a Dark Word: Pain into the low-health one while it was stunned.
The next second, roaring flames erupted from the ground, twisting into a massive flaming tornado that swallowed them whole—
Satahia’s Flame Tornado, fashionably late as always.
Under the scorching inferno, the patrol soldier without magic resistance let out a pitiful creak.
As its skeleton collapsed, a dark glow on its bones flared brighter than ever.
Inferior Fragmentation Bomb
Usage Level: Level 10
Effect: Deals 300 physical damage to all enemies in a 3×3 yard area. Ineffective against elite monsters and above. Cannot harm players.
Ten silver each from the hidden shop—well worth it.
Two physical explosions ripped the patrol soldier apart in an instant.
System: Overslevel kill — 200% bonus. You have gained 2000 experience points.
Golden light enveloped my body.
Killing that patrol soldier pushed me straight to level 13.
But now was definitely not the time to admire the glow.
While the fire wall held the undead horde at bay, I scooped up every piece of loot on the ground, stuffed it into my bag, and got the hell out.
“Your Majesty the Demon King’s heroic figure is just too cool~”
The moment we stepped onto the second floor, Satahia’s admiring voice rang out.
I thought about how I’d been half-dead tanking up front while she leisurely lobbed spells from the back and felt a wave of depression.
This Demon King gig is way too humiliating.
“Next time, you’re tanking,” I grumbled.
Satahia just giggled, then suddenly turned serious.
“By the way, Your Majesty… when we were killing those demonized creatures earlier, I felt their demonic power flow into me. It turned into my own strength.”
“So demonized creatures give the same absorption effect as pure demons?”
“Yes, though it’s a bit weaker than same-level pure demons.”
I fell silent for a moment.
Unlike me, who could level through quests and lair construction, Satahia and the others could only grow by devouring demonic creatures near the castle.
I’d already spent nearly a thousand energy just to get her to level 23.
Any further was capped by my own Demon King level, and the energy cost was getting painful.
Finding a new way to grow stronger was definitely good news.
…Or so I thought.
Then I heard the strange noise coming from the staircase.
Shit—I completely forgot undead keep their aggro.
“We can’t stay here. Blink outside!”
I immediately Blinked to an open spot on the platform.
Satahia followed without delay.
I’d only glanced down earlier and hadn’t noticed—
The number of monsters below had multiplied several times over.
“So many…?”
I frowned, scanning the sea of undead surrounding us, and suddenly realized.
Wait.
Were all these pulled by the clockwork puppets?
After finishing their set route, the puppets move randomly.
Clearly, my luck was dogshit today.
And what happened next proved it.
A nearby Inferior Undead Patrol Soldier spotted us and let out a piercing shriek.
Every skeleton in the area turned and charged straight at us.
I ended it with a quick Explosive Black Flame + Dark Word Imprint.
“Your singing is lethal, old man.”
It really was—lethal in the worst way possible.
I scanned the surroundings, locked onto the thinnest direction.
“Satahia, southeast—clear the path.”
“Understood.”
No nonsense.
She raised her staff, and a Meteor Fire Rain instantly wiped out everything in front of us.
Lines of experience notifications scrolled past like a waterfall—normally a beautiful sight for any player.
Right now, I couldn’t care less.
Death’s Shadow.
Same trick again.
Black shadows instantly covered the pursuing horde behind us, drastically slowing the front-runners.
But even slowing a chunk of them couldn’t stop the endless tide closing in from every side.
They were almost on us.
I could already hear the clanging of bones and blades.
Several spells slammed into me.
I chugged another Instant Recovery Potion.
My mind raced.