A few hours later, the campsite was abuzz with activity as the Demon Knights and Human Knights mingled. Though many of the knights wondered what lingered under their helmets, the demon knights, a force of all females, were taller than most men, causing them to seem imposing.

    However, the moment they removed their helmets, the knights gasped.

    Frozen, as if a beam of light had spread through the camp, when all the beautiful women appeared, their long pointy ears twitching and their red eyes scanning the crowd.

    "Wow..."

    "Look at her."

    "Damn, she''s gorgeous."

    "Hey, look at that one!"

    "These foolish men, why are they so weak?" Fredricka, the captain of the demon knights with blonde hair, muttered, causing the men to grumble and hurt their pride.

    "Hah, who do you think you are? We might be human, but we won''t lose to a bunch of women!"

    "Yeah!"

    "Come on, let''s see what you got!"

    Fredricka smirked as she unsheathed her sword, ready to take on any challengers.

    "Come on then, you weaklings, I''ll show you the difference between us."

    As the two armies clashed in friendly competition, Alan and Asmodeus sat on a comfortable chair made with pillows, sipping wine while gazing at the demon empire''s beautiful night sky. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire

    "We finally came this far," Alan muttered.

    "Yeah... I never expected it to happen so fast."

    "How did you manage to get these knights to follow you, Alan?"

    "Heh, that''s a secret. But don''t worry, these guys won''t betray us."

    "Good, it seems you struggled."

    "The moment we stepped into the lands, all hell broke loose, as if they were waiting for humans to show."

    "I see."

    Asmodeus closed his eyes for a moment. The journey he faced seemed quite different from Alan''s struggle. He slowly opened his eyes, wondering if the monsters didn''t attack them because of their demonic aura.

    "How many did you lose?"

    He might not have paid attention to loss in the past, but after taking over the orc''s citadel and village. Asmodeus came to understand, even the smallest loss could spiral into an uncontrollable situation out of your hand.

    ''I should thank Serena for all my luck so far.''

    Alan''s eyes dimmed for a brief moment, before he sipped on the cheap ale with a bitter grin on his lips. "Four hundred, at least... if we count during my time at Grimholt, it''s over four thousand, and that''s a positive estimate."

    To Asmodeus the numbers didn''t register at first, because he knew of world wars where tens of millions died and thousands would die each day. His mind and emotions dulled further because of his race not viewing human life as important.

    Yet, he could still remember his time as a human.

    ''I see, Alan must have suffered.''

    "You''ve worked hard, the people of Grigor fought harder, brother-in-law."

    "Ryuji..."

    Alan paused for a moment, his cheeks red from the ale. The sound of his men merrily cheering helped his heart rest. However, he noticed what Asmodeus called him, and his eyes widened. The sudden peace faded.

    However, he didn''t expect the human knights to fight.

    Asmodeus brought the Demon knights for that reason—otherwise he could have flown to meet Alan much sooner. Because the citadel was too far to reach, he could only fight here, in the dead wastes. A place where humans struggled to survive.

    ''But, I can''t risk losing any more lives.''

    Asmodeus knew he had to win this battle without losing a single life. It wasn''t easy to gain the trust of humans, especially being the thing they likely feared since they were a child.

    "Rest easy, Alan."

    He patted his good friend''s shoulder, watching him collapse onto the wooden seat. Maybe meeting Asmodeus would allow the tired duke to get some rest.

    ''I should show him what his faith and trust is worth.''

    In the distance, dark creatures lingered, hidden in the cracks, crawling, sneaking, stalking. They were ready to attack at any moment, but they held back.

    They waited.

    Waited for the signal to go.

    That signal was obviously the moment the human knights became too drunk to fight.

    "Demon Knights! Wipe them out."

    Asmodeus laced the ale with a special potion, something created thanks to the help of Ciela, Sariel and Velvet. A special elixir that would not only put humans into a deep sleep but also reinvigorate them and restore their bodies, minds, and wounds in a ten-hour sleep window.

    "Yes, Your Majesty!"

    The beautiful women who drank and entertained the guests earlier now stood straight, clad in black armour like beasts from hell. They faced the small, distorted monsters. A mutated relative of the imp, a pathetic goblin class monster. But even the weakest monster could kill a human, oh so simply.

    However, these women were no mere humans.

    Each one was a powerful demon, capable of wielding magic and physical strength far beyond the realm of humanity. The blood of a demon king made them strong, and the blood of a demon emperor surpassed that strength further.

    The demons drew their swords and spears one by one, forming a pristine shield wall that covered the campsite. No matter where the enemy attacked, they prepared themselves well.

    "Archers, release your arrows!"

    Fredricka commanded, her voice echoing through the night.

    The archers responded swiftly, unleashing a barrage of arrows that whistled through the air. Darkness meant nothing to the demon knights, whose eyes glowed a faint gold during combat, allowing them to see perfectly in the pitch-black wasteland.

    The arrows found their marks, striking down dozens of the approaching monsters. But there were hundreds more, and they kept coming, undeterred by the loss of their brethren.

    Their attack was relentless, and they charged with reckless abandon.

    Asmodeus watched the battle unfold with a cold expression. He knew these monsters were nothing compared to the true threat lurking in the shadows.

    "Sariel keep Alan safe."

    He didn''t fight against the orcs, but this time an enemy lingered that could at least give him a pleasant warm-up after drinking the cheap ale.

    "Come, filthy creature."

    Asmodeus gripped the air before a massive black axe flickered and appeared in his grasp. The next moment, he struck towards the darkness.

    His axe sliced through the air, before a wet splatter sprayed across the ground.

    "Ahhhhhhh!"

    A hideous scream erupted from the shadows, revealing a grotesque figure that was twice the size of Asmodeus.

    "There you are, come. The lot of you fight me!"

    Dozens of red eyes shone in the darkness, fixated on Asmodeus.