The Demon King's First General
Chapter 94: My Favorite Enemy

Chapter 94: My Favorite Enemy

’It talks?’ Allesanah thought.

Even the mercenaries found themselves stupefied by the given scenario. The duke walked towards the center, preparing to interrupt the monster looking at them.

"To think that it knows how to speak, Alles! Change of plans," Jez said without averting his eyes from the strange monster.

’Though, who’s the demon it’s talking about?’ He asked in his mind.

"But I’m not done yet; let me try one more time," Alles yelled.

However, it was Royle who replied to her statement. "It already sensed us; you shouldn’t have kicked it in this direction," he said as he entered into a fighting stance.

Then the duke gave out his command.

"All units prepare to commence in battle. Mages and archers support us from behind! Warriors, please protect them," he instructed before nodding at Royle.

The next second, the two of them dashed towards the monster.

Mages chanted their best spells while archers gathered their energies at the tip of their arrows. Then, in a count of three, they all launched it at the creature. Even Goomer threw several daggers that exploded upon contact. However, none of them managed to injure the monster, and Royle clicked his tongue and spoke.

"Alles, switch your fighting style!" He yelled, then thrust his spear forward with the thought of piercing the monster’s chest.

Meanwhile, Jez leaped up, aiming a palm strike from above. However, both of their attacks were blocked by the long fingernails, and the monster spun around, pushing the two men away from him.

’What a strength!’ Jez thought, still having the luxury to admire the creature’s capabilities.

Then burning chains emerged from the monster’s position as soon as a magic circle appeared underneath its feet. It wrapped around its whole body, restraining its movements.

"Now! Jez! Royle!" Allesanah yelled while holding a red scepter in front of her.

Her hair and eyes had now returned to their original brown color.

Upon hearing their comrade’s shout, the duke pulled both of his hands sideward, and two giant palms made of energy appeared at the side of the monster. While Royle ran towards the creature and thrust his spear another time around, bluish energy coated the pointed edges of his weapon.

Then, as Jez put his hands together in front of his chest, the same thing happened to the giant palms; they moved towards the center, crashing the creature wrapped in chains with a spear piercing its head.

Jez’s attack created shockwaves that made an ear-piercing noise as they echoed inside the closed area.

Cheers from the backline of the mercenaries reverberated upon seeing the monster suffer great damage from the three Diamond-classes.

Even Rye and Goomer smiled, but their celebration came to a halt when the silver-haired demon spoke, instilling fear in their hearts once more.

"You’re mistaken; it’s not over yet. That creature is not that pathetic to fall with just that," he uttered, which caused the whole group to look at him.

They were about to speak and open up their thoughts when a huge explosion almost sent them flying away along with the dust that rose above the ground.

If it were not for Rye’s casting a protection spell in the last minute, maybe some of them would have lost consciousness by now. She went into panic and created the best shield she could muster. A barrier that could not be taken down even by the caster during a set period of time.

"Humans, protecting a demon?" It was soon followed by the same grumpy voice that sounded earlier.

"Fools," it added as it tore the burning chains apart from its body.

Even Royle was sent tumbling away after the sudden burst of energy from the monster.

"Shit!" He yelled, cussing.

Then a huge hand caught him above before putting him to safety. On the other side, Allesanah created a barrier to protect herself, but the next second, it was crushed into pieces upon receiving a direct hit from the monster’s long-grown nails.

It extended and pierced the shield, almost puncturing the woman. Alles gulped and froze in fear for her life as the black, slender matter grazed her cheek. It happened in an instant that she would have been good as dead if she failed to move her head sideward.

"Alles!" Rye screamed upon seeing that she had nearly lost a friend just now.

The next second, the monster swung its hand to the left, causing the extended nails to push the mage to the side. The force made her slam into a pillar before coughing up a lot of blood, and part of the giant post was destroyed. As the monster retracted its nail, the woman fell on her feet, and then her hand moved little by little at the back of her head, which was trembling. It was drenching wet and had a sticky sensation; she even felt that something was gushing out of a cut.

Afterward, it dripped down on her face, clouding her vision. The impact cracked the back of her head open.

’In just a single flick, I’m now one step away from death’s door,’ she thought as she focused her eyes towards the monster engaging in a fight against their leader.

Then she saw Rye’s face filled with tears, slamming her hand at the shield she created, trying to break free from it. Goomer was embracing her from behind while staring at Alles with a dejected look.

With her eyelids slowly closing, she did her best to hang for a moment. She tried moving her head despite the pain and searched for the man holding a spear.

"W-Where are you, Royle?" She said, her voice so weak that it looked like she was uttering it in silence.

A few seconds passed before someone kneeled and placed something at her side, but Alles didn’t have the energy to glance at who it was, though she still spoke.

"R-Roy... I-Is t-that you.?" She asked, but there was no reply.

Then Alles felt her body getting lifted, and the next moment, a rugged set of arms held her in an embrace.

’This scent,’ she thought.

Afterward, her breathing began to get rough.

"A-Alles," Royle whispered the woman’s name as she caressed her hair.

It was drenched in blood, which tainted his hand red.

"R-Royle, d-do you s-still re-remember..." Alles gathered her remaining strength and tried to speak but paused as she coughed.

"Ssshh, conserve your strength." The man noticed her difficulty in speaking, so he told her to stop, but Allesanah still continued.

"T-the first t-time we met," she said.

"Yes, it’s still vivid in my memory; you were crying back then," Royle answered, doing his best to stay calm.

"I-I d-did it; I haven’t cried since that day," she said, smiling.

"I-It l-looks like I’ll be going first... I’m getting sleepy, Royle," she added, raising her left hand to stroke the man’s back.

Royle couldn’t find the words to answer and just tightened his embrace while sniffing Allesanah’s hair, but all that he could smell was the metallic scent of blood.

"U-Until then... my fa-favorite e-enemy, I-I lov-" Allesanah spoke once more but didn’t have enough time to finish what she intended to say as her hand lost its grip at the man’s back and fell at her side.

The moment her heart stopped beating was the beginning of Royle’s tears falling.

Memories of the woman teasing him every minute flashed through his mind—her voice, her laughter, even how she called out his name.

Afterward, he placed Alles’ lifeless body down as gently as he could and picked up his spear lying beside her.

He wiped the traces of tears from his cheeks and walked towards the direction where the monster and Jez were clashing.

Meanwhile, Rye’s cry was reverberating inside the barrier, and seeing Allesanah’s last moment made her heart sink in agony.

’If not for this stupid shield, maybe... Maybe I was able to save her,’ she thought, then fell to her knees, blaming herself for failing to do a single thing to help her friend.

Then she realized that if it was that painful for her, how much more so for Royle?

Despite the two’s squabbling all the time, their whole party knew they deeply cared about each other, more than a friend would.

Rye looked at Royle, and as she saw his hair growing at an incredible speed, she covered her mouth.

"No, Royle! Don’t!" She yelled, but her voice couldn’t pass through the aureate-colored layer of transparent wall.

. . . . .

Zeno, who was watching the events unfold from the backline, felt a darting pain inside him as he witnessed Allesanah’s death.

’Thank you for reminding me of some unpleasant memories,’ he thought.

Then he stepped forward, and the mercenaries were confused upon seeing him move closer to the barrier.

"Hey! What are you doing here? Get back there," the warrior closest to Zeno asked before ordering him like someone who had a higher status.

Even Goomer looked at him, shaking his head.

"Listen to us; don’t make things more complicated," he imparted while helping the priestess stand up, but Zeno didn’t bat an eye at their words. He still raised his left hand and touched the barrier.

"Then should I just sit back there and let the rest of you get killed first?" He stated.

The mercenaries were confused as they analyzed the man’s words while Goomer smirked and replied; his tone was a bit sarcastic.

"And what can an Amethyst-class do at this point?" he asked.

"A lot! A variety of things that you wouldn’t be able to do even in your dreams," Zeno answered before giving a little push at the shield, making it shatter into pieces.

. . . . .