LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 124
– 1 –
“Red Thunder”
Kwarun – !!!
The power was unleashed the moment it was freed.
With an appearance and speed fitting its name, “Red Thunder.”
– Crack!!
In the form of a wolf made of red lightning.
“Cough…!”
It wasn’t just Tarchella, who failed to use the overlapping force for defense instead of attacking, to stop Xue’s explosive charge.
“Stop – !!”
Not even Quirisia, the Dungeon Lord who was desperate to intervene and block that attack.
“Enough.”
Just a single word.
As soon as that low, soft voice was heard, the frenzied and savage charge stopped gnawing at its prey with its own teeth.
“Hmph – !”
To be precise, it twisted its trajectory.
The charge she executed could not simply be halted on a whim.
Crack!
“Cough!”
Two of Tarchella’s arms were broken, and the red projectile soared past her head toward the ground behind her.
Boom – !!!
The area struck by Xue’s hand exploded, creating crater formations resembling a spider’s lair.
“Haah………”
A deep, long sigh escaped.
With that sigh, Xue stood up, brushing her hair which had lost its red hue and returned to its original white.
Watching this scene, Libertus spoke towards the other Dungeon Lords.
“Another victory and defeat has been decided.”
Her voice remained low.
However, strangely, that voice resonated throughout the space and reached everyone’s ears.
‘Something is wrong.’
‘They’re underestimating us…!’
The voice sounded eerily calm, yet among the listeners, some felt it resembled the tone of a dissatisfied predator or hunter.
“…Hah.”
In reality, it wasn’t far from the truth.
‘They seem to be more cautious than I expected. I didn’t think the strongest would all show up in the champion duel.’
Libertus’s eyes scanned over the Dungeon Lords’ ranks and locked onto a few who hadn’t stepped forward.
Even without being able to read their information panels, she precisely identified those of equal strength by sheer spirit.
Her magical and mana capabilities were increasing day by day.
She had been growing quickly from the start, but with the “Mana Overadaptation” gained from Sonia, her growth was even more pronounced.
“You all think so lightly of me.”
“You…!”
Grinding teeth echoed from Zarkra, who had taken the most severe damage from her.
Regardless, this time, he didn’t step up and get angrier.
Though Libertus’s eyes narrowed, she didn’t add any further words.
She knew well the reason for her restrained patience.
‘Even with the support of senior Dungeon Lords, there are limits. So they must think my power won’t be terribly different.’
It was true that they were ahead of the other Dungeon Lords who had reached similar levels.
However, that level wasn’t overwhelmingly superior.
‘After all, the reason the Grand Dukes are raising them isn’t merely for their own growth.’
The highest-ranking demons from the surface were selecting survivors of the Dungeon Lords that grew on the continent to raise, all for their own sake.
To cause chaos in the human world to further expand their territory, to firmly establish themselves as the Demon Lord’s successor.
In such a situation, it’s natural that the Dungeon Lords, like Marquises and Counts under their command, won’t raise anyone to the point of becoming competition for themselves.
Thus.
‘Even if it’s uncertain from whom I am receiving “support,” they probably thought that reducing my strongest forces even slightly would be beneficial.’
Rationally, there’s a limit to the elite-level powers held by a High-level Dungeon Lord.
That was also the reason they were conserving their strength.
‘They must think they can overcome it later even if they lose now.’
And she too thought that the possibility of that happening wasn’t zero.
‘Although there’s a difference in specs, the enemy’s power is still elite-level.’
Evangeline and Xue are overwhelmingly strong right now, but that gap will narrow as they continue.
And when that happens, this war will be a failure.
Even if they had already brought Quirisia, one out of the three, into their ranks, if Libertus showed signs of defeat, she would simply retreat to ensure her own survival.
After all, she did advise “Surrender if you think you might lose” in that sense.
“Come on, make your entrance. Next is…”
However, that would not happen.
Because.
“Eve.”
She had a “hero.”
“Yes, Master.”
“Step forward.”
“I shall obey.”
From under the black hood, bleached white hair spilled out, and a smile emerged from the shadows.
Her gaze wasn’t as fierce as Xue’s, but it simmered with contained heat and light.
– 2 –
Evangeline’s victory was predetermined.
They wanted to conserve strength, and she wasn’t the kind to lose easily in those circumstances.
‘If I were to face all five, I might have been a bit tired, but…’
Xue had taken care of the previous two, and the next two, who appeared afterward, were subdued by that Xue’s performance.
As a result.
After checking to see if Xue was uninjured and gently petting her to make her rest,
“I’m back, Master.”
She truly had come back “safely.”
Thanks to her slicing through the third Melzeros’s minion and cleanly decapitating the fourth warrior of Quirisia’s faction.
The next warrior from Quirisia’s ranks didn’t get the fortune of Tarchella.
“I’m sorry. They were too weak.”
“Why would that be your fault?”
Even Libertus could not stop the speed, and neither did Evangeline expect that the opponent would be unable to block it.
“You’ve worked hard. Come here. I want to receive your greeting.”
“If it is your request, I will gladly oblige.”
Though she said that, she revealed an even more joyful expression and came closer to kiss my hand.
As always, pressing her lips down with a sticky touch.
“You really did well.”
“Thank you, Master.”
I looked at her kissing the area between my knuckles and wrist.
‘So neat.’
I had already suspected it from seeing her clean and sharp sword strikes during the duel.
She bore no wounds, and not even a tear in her clothing could be seen.
Unlike when she had dueled Xue, it was as if she hadn’t fought at all.
Or.
‘As if she knew exactly what would please me most.’
It’s a mysterious feeling.
Though it has only been about five months since she and I met, her heart and values seemed perfectly “optimized” to fit me.
That realization brought me considerable mental pleasure.
And it made me want to cherish her even more.
“Come on, the last champion should step forward. The next opponent is…”
This decision of mine also carried a significant share of that sentiment.
“It’s me.”
– 3 –
Ultimately, in contrast to the two Dungeon Lords who believed they would win, the atmosphere among the three factions was stagnant.
How could it be otherwise?
The most definite way to set the mood before a full-scale war is the duels between champions, and they had been enduring consecutive defeats in those duels.
“What are they doing?”
“Could it be…?”
Amidst this, when Evangeline returned to Libertus’s ranks, the petite woman in a black parasol stepped forward, causing a stir among everyone.
Since the wins and losses of the skirmish were already determined, it seemed she was going to suggest moving to a mass battle.
Clack, clack.
The sound was adorably small, like little boots, yet the expressions of some of the monsters hearing it changed drastically.
Monsters that had reached elite-level or had at least human-like intelligence.
Excluding a few among them with deep loyalty, the rest were filled with fear.
‘Am I going to die like this…’
‘Should I run…?’
Most of the lower-tier monsters lacked intelligence and were fine, but those were not.
They knew well how it would end if the fight started.
‘I don’t want to die in a place like this…!’
‘To die for greed instead of honor…!’
And the futility of their impending deaths while knowing that if their master lost the war, the future awaiting them was just as grim.
Although they were summons and served the Dungeon Lord, their loyalty was clear, but they were not strong enough to overcome their instinct in the face of life-threatening danger.
“The last champion should step forward.”
Thus, when she opened her mouth, expressing a will for mercy or mockery, they were shocked.
“Next, I will face off against you.”
Upon hearing the next words, they were horrified.
“What does that mean?”
“Is she insane…?”
What was the reason for all this fighting?
In the end, it was to hunt Dungeon Lords or eliminate them from competition.
Moreover, the Dungeon Lord herself, in terms of their level, was nearly the strongest force there.
If they were to deal a fatal blow to the Dungeon Lord here or retire her entirely, it would be nearly equivalent to ending the war instantly.
‘If our side’s specialist wins…’
‘We could end things without fighting!’
Realizing that, hopeful gazes turned toward their Lord.
As long as they accepted this exception, no one among them would get hurt, and it could all wrap up peacefully.
“Wait a moment. What do you mean you’re stepping forward?”
“That’s right. So don’t make me say it again.”
Although Libertus spoke as if it were obvious, of course, the process to get her to this point was not so simple.
[No way!!]
[Denied. Absolutely not.]
[If you get hurt, I’ll bite my own tongue…!]
[Master, that…]
There had been numerous objections from Evangeline, Xue, Lan, Sonia, and many other monsters and people.
[Listen to me first.]
However, she forced that decision through.
Because she believed it was the best course of action.
Firstly, the upcoming small-scale collective battle would completely exclude the presence of the Dungeon Lord, giving ample time for recovery.
Secondly, it would allow time for the core forces of the dungeon, Xue and Evangeline, to recover.
Thirdly.
[Just as much as you don’t want me to get hurt, I don’t want any of you to get hurt even a little after that. So I must fight directly to ease that ugly feeling.]
There was a confession that made the summons unable to turn it down, a heartwarming declaration.
“Alright… Don’t regret it!”
– What’s her game…
“What game?! All I need to do is kill that girl right here! It just happens to be my turn! I’ll change the champion!”
Of course, the opposing Dungeon Lords had no reason to oppose this.
No matter how powerful a Dungeon Lord may be, combat skills are proportional to experience rather than raw mana amounts.
And Libertus’s span of life in this world was still less than six months.
‘What is she really thinking?’
Libertus gave a slight smile to Quirisia and Melzeros, who were watching from a complicated expression.
She closed the parasol and grabbed her staff.
“Stop…!!!”
“Kraaaaaah – !!!!”
And a little while later, screams and gasps rang out incessantly in the arena.
Due to the lengthy scene of “punishment.”