Kuro no Maou

“nfufu, even though you people had the chance to kill me right now.”

Of course, even if the knights had decided to pursue her, she would not have just gotten herself killed easily.

It was only a matter of probability. The Pegasus Knights had no chance of winning while they were in the air, but if they had pursued her now, they might have had at least a chance to win.

“Those guys guessed correctly that the effect of magic had run out, but, their choice on how to deal with it ended up being a mistake.”

The Pegasus Knights had already looked away from where Lily had gone and had concentrated completely on the battle below.

Considering that the enemy’s only airborne fighter had run away, that decision wasn’t exactly wrong either.

But,

“How foolish. Do they think that I won’t return back to the frontlines? Or could it be that they simply don’t even want to consider that possibility?”

According to Lily’s words, it was as if the girls simply wanted to believe that the effect of magic on Lily had ended.

And, Lily’s telepathy proved that it was actually half-correct as well.

To the girl Lily, it was easy to read opponents outer thoughts, who had not specifically casted Mind Protect, even during battle.

Lily clearly understood what the girls were thinking and how they reached their current conclusion.

“They thought that either my magic or the divine protection had run out, but, it seems they never even considered that I have and could actually use both of them.”

The reason why Lily had used the flashy distraction to run away inside the forest was because the 30 min effect of the [Queen Beryl] had run out of time.

Since the [Queen Beryl] was not an artefact built specifically for the fairies only, her affinity with it was only normal.

That’s why, there was a limit of 30mins. Any further than that would place immense burden on Lily.

“fufu, let me show you the divine protection of the Fairy Queen—-“

But the [Divine Protection of the Fairy Queen] was different. It was a power for fairies made by the fairies. There was no burden on the body when using it. After all, she was only returning to her usual actual body only.

“منح جميع الطلاب تتخذ قوة الحياة الطبيعية من روح امتصاص الدم—[Life Drain]”

Lily began her chant and at the same time brought out a scroll from her light-type spatial magic and spread it as she threw it in the air.

It was the most effective and high priced scroll in the village made only from the skin of a rank 4 monster. On it, the magic circle drawn by Lily was that of [Life Drain].

The scroll that activated on being infused with magical energy became particles of light and drew a magic circle with Lily as the centre.

And the effect of the magic displayed itself as the life force of every single living thing in the surrounding began to be absorbed forcefully.

“Now then, surrender your pitiful lives to me.”

The absorption of life force, with Lily as the centre, attacked every living thing inside the forest like a giant tornado.

The green plants withered, the insects crawling on the ground stopped moving, birds in the air fell down.

By the time the herbivore animals in the surrounding realized what was occurring and tried to run away, their bodies had already stopped moving and lost their lives.

It was the same for the carnivorous hunting animals as well. The males became vigilant but soon fell down, and the females tried to protect their babies or eggs but lost their strength while embracing them.

Naturally, the children left also had no way to resist it either. The new born lives quickly lost the heat of their bodies. Even the small lives that had not even born and were still inside the eggs were absorbed as well.

It absorbed indiscriminately all and every life in the surroundings. That was the magic known as [Life Drain].

“un, this should help me last 20 mins at least.”

But for Lily, it was nothing more than a necessary step for preparation.

It was a necessary price to be paid, an offering, a sacrifice, to obtain the divine protection.

“O my pure, lovely and beautiful Queen—-“

The origin of magical energy was the world itself. But the origin of the divine protection was the Gods. Then it needed to be drawn not from this world but from the world of Gods.

And it was the soul that was connected to the World where the Gods were enthroned.

All the magical energy within the 100m area around Lily had been offered to the Gods through the [Gate] inside Lily’s soul.

And as Lily’s body was filled with the divine protection, she shouted.

With gratitude and respect in her voice, she shouted the name of the God that granted her the divine protection.

“[Fairy Queen Iris]”

Lily who had once again attained her true form with the help of the Divine protection, flew towards the skies once again leaving behind only a pure white withered forest of death.

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Till now, Kurono had never seen Divine Protection.

Strictly speaking, all of Kurono’s powers were the [Divine Protection of the Black Gods], and, all of Sariel’s powers were the [Divine Protection of the White God].

But these two were unique cases. Kurono who had received it through experiments and Apostle who receive it suddenly one day out of nowhere, were the exception among exceptions.

Then, just what kind of person would normally receive the Divine Protection. The most universal answer would be a [Strong Person].

On the Pandora continent, various types of Divine protection not related with battles also existed but they would never be noticed. The only thing that could be clearly shown was the strength in battle. In this world of powerful demons where the rule of survival of the fittest existed, it was an obvious fact.

Usually whenever someone unusually strong appears, it means that he must possess some sort of Divine Protection.

Its effect could be allowing the use of a special magic, increase in physical strength, replenishment of magical energy, increase in elemental affinity, change in body shape, etc etc. There were truly too many types of it. And each and every one of them provided an immense amount of power to the person.

Conversely speaking, as long as one wasn’t strong enough in the first place, he would never attain a divine protection.

That level would be around rank 3 as per adventurer levels. To be accurate, in the second half of rank 3, a power close enough to a rank 4.

Since Kurono had only done rank 1 quests after coming to the Pandora continent, it was normal that he had never been together with any strong adventurers that might possess DP.[T/N: I’m shortening Divine Protection to DP cause its irritating to write it all the time.]

But it was different now. The attack squad led by Kurono were all adventurers of rank 3 and above.

Leaving the rank 4 werewolf aside, there were also adventurers of strong races like Orc, Lizardmen, Golem as well as Humans and Elfs that possessed various martial art skills. They were of various types but all of them were warriors that possessed some sort of divine protection.

And so Kurono was able to see the overwhelming strength of DP users personally in this battle for the first time.

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“Oraaaaa!!”

Every time Vulcan’s giant sword [Fang sword – Evil Eater] was swung, lots of Crusaders were blown in the air.

All the soldiers that were hit instantly lost one or several of their limbs. Those who didn’t could be counted as very lucky, if you were to disregard the fact that they would still die sooner or later anyway.

“Come at me you fucking humans! I’m finally starting to get in the mood!”

Bearing the blood smeared sword on his shoulder, Vulcan, who smiled fearlessly towards the soldiers was the exact image of the fearsome demons told in the Republic.

But the soldiers will not fall back, they could not do so. After all, to kill, annihilate such creatures was their creed.

“Do not falter. Attack him together!!”

Under the order of the squad commander, the soldiers took formation with their spears and faced Vulcan.

“hehe, looks you guys ain’t scared yet. Nice, I should also become a little more serious now as well—”

Without yielding to the bloodlust and fighting spirit released by Vulcan, the soldiers attacked him with their spears.

The spears struck towards him. Even if it was a large sword, a spear would still have longer reach. In front of the wall of spears that provided no escape, Vulcan chanted the name of his God.

“The lone wind clad fang—-[Orphan Wolf – Wolfegand]”

The power of the DP spread throughout his body in an instant as he became even calmer while facing that wall of spears.

“[Air Slash]!!!”

The power of wind dwelt inside the single horizontal slash made by the large sword.

Since Vulcan possessed perfect control over his sword, it didn’t eat the magical energy of the wind created.

The martial art [Air Slash] that was released was a slash that became much longer and reached many meters further and completely mowed down anything in front of it.

The spears that were only a few centimetres away from his body were instantly blown away and the soldiers had their body split apart in two and died while still believing that their attack had connected.

Vulcan who had killed numerous soldiers in a single attack shifted his sights and had already decided his next prey.

The one who lay in the sights of the brutal wolf was the squad commander dressed in equipment better than other soldiers. That equipment was not just for show. He really was stronger than other soldiers and possessed lower level magic as well as martial arts.

Vulcan thought that if 5 of such soldiers of his level had attacked him at once, he might have taken at least one injury.

“O, G-God, grant me protection!—- الأسهم الجليد بيرس”

Maybe because he saw numerous of his subordinates die from a single blow, his face showed an expression of fear, but he still hadn’t completely lost his fighting spirit.

He didn’t just chant a prayer to his God but also an attack magic was activated.

(“You can’t kill me with just Ice-Sagita”)

Although Vulcan acknowledged that his opponent was brave enough to have not run away instantly, but that wasn’t enough to lessen the gap in their strengths.

(“Especially now that my DP is activated, I won’t even take any injuries.”)

The DP of [Orphan Wolf – Wolfegand], its power was wind.

Those who receive its DP have their body clad in wind, on attacking, the blade of wind will also apply force, the wind pressure would act as a defence to lessen the incoming damages and while running, strong winds will carry the body.

This effect that increases attack, defence, evasion, everything in a balance was extremely advantageous during such battles where one faced many opponents together.

Thus defending against or evading this [Ice Sagita] was easy. If he wanted, Vulcan could even just charge straight forward and cut him down instantly.

Vulcan finally decided his course of action and stepped forward with one of his legs that had become even lighter due to the wind, and agilely attacked like a strong gale.

“Ice Sagitgaaaaaaaahhh!!!”

“Huh?”

Vulcan stopped moving. Before his attack even reached, blood spewed from the squad commander’s neck and he fell down before he could even attack.

(“I didn’t even do anything though.....”)

Vulcan was in doubt but he soon got his answer when he looked closely.

“Tch, stealing my prey isn’t allowed Su-san.”

“fufufu, it’s first come first served.”

Without any hesitation, the rank 4 adventurer Susu replied with a smile.

Clad in a grey robe, she was a woman with no outstanding features. She was so mediocre that while walking through the streets, 9 out of 10 men would not even look back at her.

But holding the big dagger in a reverse grip that had cut through even chain mail, she was a rare existence that could calmly converse while smiling even with Vulcan who was releasing an immense amount of fighting spirit.

No, what was more fearsome was the fact that even Vulcan would not have realized that she was even there if he hadn’t concentrated properly.

She hadn’t used magic directly to conceal her presence. She was simply a master in concealing her own presence so much that she was like a pebble on the roadside that wouldn’t even enter someone’s thoughts.

Especially in such a scene of carnage where blood and blades flew around, it was almost impossible to meet her face to face like this.

“You’re pretty fired up this time.”(Vulcan)

“Well yeah. I need to show my coolness to my partner after all.”(susu)

“Hah, looks you’ve taken an interest in that brat. I didn’t think you’d have such a taste.”

After he said that, he realized that Susu had already disappeared from his view.

Before he could even think of where she had gone, a voice came from behind him.

“I won’t deny that I’m not interested in him but the way you put it is not good. You really lack delicacy.”

(“Damn I really couldn’t see her this time at all. Along with stealth, is her movement speed even above Wolfegand? Is she seriously using her DP, this slime woman?”)

He came to the conclusion that any more useless chatter would only bring unnecessary trouble and decided to apologise honestly.

“My bad. It’s good if you two get along.”

“Of course. Bye then. Let’s work hard for a little while longer.”

As he looked back, Susu had already disappeared.

Vulcan felt as if he had been talking to a phantom till now.

“To use [Shadow walker – Hanzoma]’s DP, she really isn’t a thief but an assassin.”

Well whatever. Which God’s skill they use is their own choice. There’s no need to speak uselessly about it was how Adventurers worked. Stopping his thoughts there, he turned towards the soldiers that were crossing the river and coming here.

“For now, I just need to have as much fun as I can!!”

Swearing that he won’t let his prey be stolen this time, Vulcan raised his large sword and joyfully rushed towards the enemy group.

Vulcan’s grey fur that were clad in the winds as he ran around like a storm killing his enemies was truly the true image of a person who had received the DP of the [Orphan Wolf – Wolfegand].