I cleaved every berserk Demon Race that seemed to be targeting Beatrice in two, killing them all.
Though the Holy Sword was stained with their blood, thanks to its built-in restoration function, it soon returned to its original state.
“How do we get out now?”
“We’ll have to figure something out.”
The area soaked in Demon blood was gradually transforming into an environment favorable to them.
The longer a person stayed in that place, the heavier their body felt, and breathing became difficult, while the Demons regained vitality.
In other words, if the target had died from the Supplies placed here, it was a victory with minimal losses. And even if the target survived, the exit had been sealed off, preventing any escape. The Main Force could come later to confirm and finish the job.
What this meant was clear.
‘They knew we were coming. Otherwise, they must have predicted this would happen and prepared in advance.’
But even with preparation, the key was that those bastards had to have known our location to launch an ambush.
So where did our position leak from?
‘This is maddening.’
Both Muffin and I are sensitive to surveillance.
Muffin had lived as a fugitive before, and I had accumulated plenty of experience in long wars.
Yet neither of us sensed any surveillance, let alone the hint of a tail. That could only mean one thing.
“Muffin, did you catch on?”
“…Sort of. There’s probably an ambush waiting outside, right?”
“Exactly. It’s clear now the entire village is in cahoots.”
“Ugh, I knew it. Damn it.”
“But still, credit where it’s due. You’re really quick-witted.”
But staying still wouldn’t change anything.
“There’s no other choice. We break through head-on.”
I gripped the Holy Sword and decided to force my way through the blocked entrance.
My heart was fragile like glass, but my body was steel.
The faces of comrades crushed by Demons flickered before me, stoking a trembling rage within my body.
‘Ah, enough.’
I shouted silently at the voices screaming in my head to kill the Demon Lord, then swung the Holy Sword with all my might.
KWAANG!
The sealed entrance shattered spectacularly.
“Special Task Force? Decapitate the Demon Lord? What the hell is all this?”
I climbed to the surface and looked at Beatrice behind Muffin, who was still confused.
“We’ll talk details later. Focus. Don’t get killed by a blind attack.”
“Oh? Aren’t you protecting me?”
“At least defend yourself. With Demons as the enemy, you never know what could happen or where.”
I turned to Muffin.
“If it gets dangerous, shout for help.”
Muffin gripped the axe at his waist and replied.
“…Will do.”
At that moment, the image of the Desolator I’d seen in my past life overlapped in my mind.
“Hmm.”
“Why do you look like that?”
“Nothing. Don’t worry about it. It’s my problem.”
“…?”
I averted my gaze, fearing I might swing the Holy Sword unconsciously.
A chill ran down my spine without me realizing it.
‘Even though I know it’s not real, it still happens.’
When we killed the Desolator, neither Ryuk nor I felt joy.
We couldn’t.
Seventy percent of the troops supporting me and the Great Sage fell gloriously in a single battle against the Desolator.
Their method—relentlessly targeting the weak rather than the strong—was specialized not for battle, but for winning wars.
Even knowing that and preparing for it, this was the result.
“Huff.”
I needed to calm my mind, but the rage from that time surged wildly.
I needed an outlet, so I focused on the Demons encircling us, launching their assault.
‘Low-tier Demons.’
The Demons were ranked.
Since Demons originated from humans, ranking was inevitable.
It was the same as how commoners and nobles were divided in reality.
But Demons weren’t just sorted by rank—their physical abilities increased exponentially in proportion to their rank.
‘Even low-tier Demons are tough to face unless you’re a seasoned Knight.’
But that didn’t matter.
No one here was less than a skilled Knight.
The firmly gripped Holy Sword sliced Demons apart like the wind.
There was no resistance in the frenzy of Demons rushing in from all sides.
They were originally human, yet showed no sign of emotion.
‘They’re being controlled.’
But it wasn’t strange.
Demons who failed to reach the top inevitably became expendable.
The only difference from human soldiers was whether they received proper respect or not.
‘They probably sent these as a test of our strength.’
A cautious move.
But the fact that the Demons attacking here targeted Beatrice was clear.
Every Demon’s gaze fixed on her, not me.
“This feels like being disrespected. I don’t like it.”
“Agreed.”
As I beheaded a Demon, Muffin smashed another’s skull with his axe, casually wiping the blood from his face.
The image of the Desolator tried to overlap again, so I punched him.
“Why all of a sudden?”
“Psychic attack.”
Muffin’s expression turned serious.
“Damn. Of all the ways to attack, psychic? We’re screwed, huh?”
A harsh clang echoed.
Muffin struggled to block a low-tier Demon’s iron club with his axe.
Demons rushed toward me and some moved to approach Beatrice, so I swung the Holy Sword wide, cutting them all down at once.
“I’ll win.”
Muffin smirked and asked.
“If I fought?”
“Then I’d lose.”
“Knew it.”
Muffin stepped beside Beatrice, gripping his axe.
“Miss Beatrice, do you know how to fight while coordinating attacks?”
Beatrice roughly withdrew the dagger from a Demon’s jaw that had lunged at her.
“No.”
“Then lead the charge. I’ll support you.”
“Oh, so you’re not protecting me?”
“The Captain said you should at least defend yourself. If you have complaints, take it up with him.”
Beatrice looked at me.
“How do you manage your subordinates like this?”
I smiled as I sliced another Demon and answered.
“I’m your superior.”
“…Damn it, seriously.”
Beatrice’s weaponless, mechanical eyes glared at the Demons emerging from the shadows to attack.
“…!”
Her shock lasted only a moment before the dagger she swung pierced a Demon’s temple.
Grabbing the attacker’s collar, she twisted the dagger deeper, widening the hole.
“If it weren’t for learning emotions, I would’ve quit everything.”
“Good thing. We won’t have to chase after you again if you try to run.”
Meanwhile, more Demons kept pouring in.
Where the hell were they coming from? The numbers seemed endless.
But I didn’t care.
Dancing with endless enemies was nothing new to me.
Having done it countless times, there was no reason to find it difficult now.
Still, we couldn’t just block every attack silently.
Taking advantage of a brief lull, I gestured to Beatrice.
She approached, brushing black blood off her clothes.
“What now?”
“I need to find out where Jair Saint-Germain is.”
“You think he called these Demons?”
“I’m not sure about that, but there’s definitely some connection. Anyway, it’s obvious they’re targeting you.”
“So what? Find him and then what?”
“He’s consorting with Demons. We kill him.”
“Are you sure that’s okay? You came here as the Captain of the Special Task Force from the Kingdom of Lumin. Even if he’s a Baronette, this could escalate into an international incident.”
I twitched my mouth and answered.
“As long as we don’t get caught.”
“…Hmm.”
Beatrice smiled, licking the corner of her mouth.
“I like that.”
At that moment, a Demon lunging at us collapsed, an axe embedded in its skull.
I looked back—Muffin had thrown his axe between me and Beatrice.
I tossed the Holy Sword backward and pierced the head of the Demon trying to ambush Muffin.
Both Muffin and I were weaponless now.
Suddenly, Demons jumped from the shadows and grabbed my arms and legs.
Not just me, but Muffin too.
Beatrice was fighting off other Demons, so no help was coming soon.
I was about to recall the Holy Sword when our eyes met.
‘Really?’
‘What does it matter if we use different weapons?’
We both reached for the weapons we’d just thrown aside.
Muffin grabbed the Holy Sword, and I took up the Desolator’s axe.
The Desolator’s axe was easy to handle, allowing me to swiftly cut away whatever clung to me.
At the same time, Beatrice stamped a Demon’s head holding her down, weakening its grip.
Seizing the moment, she kicked the jaw of another Demon in front of her.
With one free hand, she plunged her dagger into yet another Demon’s jaw and punched through its skull.
Despite her delicate appearance, her response was fierce.
I glanced at Muffin, who had sliced through every Demon clutching him with his enhanced body strengthened by the Holy Sword’s power.
‘Maybe the sword doesn’t reject me because it thinks I’ll raise you as my subordinate.’
Looking around, the Demons that had surrounded us had vanished.
They must have deemed further reinforcements pointless.
Muffin came close, and I casually tossed him the axe.
He threw the Holy Sword to me at the same time.
Catching our weapons simultaneously, I looked at Beatrice.
She was fiddling with the body of a Demon she’d killed, mutilating it.
“Hey, stop gutting the body and guide us out.”
“…Tch.”
Beatrice wiped the black blood off her hands.
“Kyaa!”
If that had been red blood, I probably would have been disgusted, so I instinctively smacked the back of her head.
“Why’d you hit me?!”
“You did what I told you not to, so as Captain, I’m punishing you.”
“Wait, do I need permission for that too?”
“Yes. You’re part of the Special Task Force now, and my subordinate.”
“As long as we don’t get caught, it should be fine, right?”
“I saw you. And I’ll be watching. So you will get caught anyway.”
Beatrice asked seriously.
“…Can I do it when you’re not looking?”
“Want to get sentenced to death under the Royal Law? Or would you prefer I execute you right here?”
“…”
When words failed, a beating was always the answer.