LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 232.1
Chapter 232.1. Demon
Deep inside the demonic fortress. In the heart of the forest, for some reason, despite the bombing raids, the trees didn’t burn, and the landscape reflected an autumn scene with colorful leaves. Even though countless bombs were dropped, they exploded in midair, and magical mines in the sky prevented fighters from approaching carelessly.
Among the woods, a Western-style fort was built, and demons with purple skin patrolled the walls with spears in hand.
Upon closer inspection, walls were endlessly constructed around several caves, with a sturdy-looking fort at the center. It was a fortress meant to protect a dungeon.
In the fort’s depths, in a stone audience chamber devoid of furniture, a man about two meters tall sat with his eyes closed on a throne. The room was bleak, yet the man wore extravagant clothing adorned with gold and silver thread and gemstones, with intricate embroidery. Over his clothing, he wore an armor that glowed faintly blue, filled with mana that could be sensed without using mana detection.
His skin was purple, with a metallic sheen, and his body was muscular. Three twisted horns grew from his head, and sharp, long fangs peeked from his mouth. His body emitted an aura that surpassed the mana of his armor, and the weak of mind would go mad if exposed to it.
“Well… have the humans come to attack?”
He slowly opened his eyes, revealing golden reptilian pupils that gleamed. In the audience chamber, many demons were gathered, kneeling before the one on the throne. The demon at the front raised his head to respond.
“They are not a trivial force. Tanks, fighter planes, bombers. Many soldiers armed with automatic rifles, and high-level skill users are deployed as well, Demon Satan-sama.”
“Hmm… we can’t win this.”
Despite his appearance, the one speaking in a light tone was Satan, the Demon Lord. He was the king leading the assembled demons, the highest-ranked among the demons.
However, Satan accurately understood the disparity between their forces. Currently, their army consisted of about 500 higher demons and 5000 lower demons. Even with summoned demons, the number only rose to around 6000. The human forces numbered similarly, but modern weaponry was powerful. Demons couldn’t defeat the heavy firepower of tanks.
“This enemy may be beyond our ability to repel, Satan-sama.”
The advisor, the demon duke Astaroth, who at a glance appeared to be a frail old man, spoke optimistically, but Satan shook his head in denial.
“They didn’t know we existed, did they? They understand that demons are troublesome foes. That’s why they wouldn’t have mobilized such a large force. We lost the element of surprise when we attacked with doppelgängers, gazers, and lower demons. That was unexpected, wasn’t it?”
Astaroth fell silent, unable to refute Satan’s casual tone. It was true. The lower demons launched a surprise attack, and in the ensuing chaos, they sent in the remaining monsters to strike, but somehow, the lower demons were swiftly defeated. It was unbelievable.
“By using [Fate Interference], we ensured that our fortress would be left alone, and various reasons would prevent humanity from attacking us. I don’t understand.”
“That’s… indeed, I thought the same. We were supposed to gather strength for another 100 years before starting a war with humanity, so we used Astaroth’s [Fate Interference] to set up a barrier.”
One of the demon generals, Agares, who governed time, possessed the powerful skill [Fate Interference]. Although it could only block a single fate, it had been set to ‘prevent attacks on the demonic fortress.’ Yet humanity had attacked. It didn’t make sense.
“I apologize. But if I may offer an excuse, I don’t believe it was a human skill. Something else was at work. When my skill was broken, I heard something, so I suspect multiple unknown entities are involved.”
One of the kneeling demons interjected, apologizing, to which Satan nodded magnanimously and waved his hand dismissively.
“It can’t be helped. The unexpected happens. And now, those mysterious beings are approaching.”
Narrowing his eyes and waving his hand, the scene outside appeared in the audience chamber. The ongoing fierce mountain battle was revealed.
There, monsters engaged in guerrilla warfare with humanity, led by demons.
Ogres, orcs, and kobolds roared as they charged forward, while on the human side, a jet-black tiger emerged, using swords and spears for support. The tiger was clearly no ordinary beast, effortlessly slashing monsters apart with its claws and crushing their heads with its jaws.
A lower demon, attempting to launch a fireball to take down both the monsters and humans fighting, was struck in the head by a flying dagger that sliced through the air and threaded through the trees at high speed. It was likely a magical dagger, glowing red with heat. Following it, a drone, shaped like a missile with a gun barrel, fired bullets that killed other lower demons.
“W-What is this?”
The demons were abuzz with confusion as they watched the scene Satan showed them. The sight was strange, abnormal even. They could tell, being demons.
“Our barriers are being nullified! At this rate, lower demons are no better than monkeys. They can’t possibly withstand bullets!”
They realized that the barriers meant to protect them weren’t being generated. Without the barriers, it was fatal for the lower demons. While higher demons’ skin was harder than metal and could withstand bullets, lower demons had no such chance.
“That’s right. They’ve come equipped with devices that can neutralize our barriers. Isn’t that strange? If it were just one person, I’d understand it as an anti-demon skill, but… this is clearly the result of technology.”
Satan waved his hand again, showing a figure in bulky armor, resembling a medieval knight, floating daggers and drones around him, exterminating the demons.
It was clear that the mechanical equipment was nullifying the barriers of the lower demons. It was a threat, a terrifying sight, one they didn’t want to believe.
“Incredible… if this continues, the lower demons will be slaughtered. If the defense lines of the lower demons collapse, the enemy will soon reach this fortress.”