Chapter 742 Siege
Lucy didn't kill any humans at this point to avoid being detected by various Arcane Spells that could sense bloodlust.
She continued with the original body's daily job.
She worked at a quaint bookstore, a repository of knowledge and stories that humans treasured. It was a perfect place for her to learn about humans.
With each customer that entered, she practiced the art of human interaction, her smile a well-crafted facade, her words were like a melody of mundane pleasantries.
'Mhmm… I'm getting better and better at this… Infiltrating that castle shouldn't be that difficult once I'm confident enough…' Lucy mused as she considered testing herself by slaying a few nobles or even Arcanists who held high positions in various Organizations.
Once she killed them without being noticed, that would be the time to aim for the Shadow Immortal in his castle.
For now, she had to continue adapting to the Human Realm…
By night, she explored the city's underbelly, the dark alleys, and forgotten corners where Demons' influence crept like a malignant fog.
Apparently, even with the barrier placed in the city and the Metal Golems patrolling the place, evil energy coming from the Demons was still slowly entering the city.
From time to time, she would also observe the skirmishes between demons and golems, analyzing their tactics, their strengths, and their weaknesses. There were also some Arcanists assisting these Metal Golems, but they were only 3rd Class, with some 2nd Class Arcanists acting as leaders.
There weren't even 1st Class Arcanists in sight.
'Mhmm… If I'm going to infiltrate the castle, should I take the body of one of the maids there instead?' Lucy mused as he expected the castle to be filled with servants.
With this in consideration, she decided to work harder.
Lucy's days were a careful balance of observation and assimilation.
She frequented cafes and parks, her ears tuned to the whispers and rumors of the city's inhabitants. She learned of their fears, their hopes, and the heroes they revered—the Illustrious Liquidators, Untainted Sentinels, and the mysterious Immortal, together with his mysterious followers.
The influence of these people in this area was the highest because they sent their people here.
As weeks turned into months, Lucy's presence in the city became as natural as the rising sun. Her neighbors knew her as the kind woman from the bookstore, always ready with a recommendation, always with a gentle word.
None suspected the serpent that lay beneath the skin was a Demon Saint who watched and waited for the perfect moment to strike…
But even as she played her part, Lucy's mind was a tempest of plans and possibilities… She knew she would find an opportunity… Until then, she would be the shadow within the city, a silent observer of the mysterious woman who could control the Metal Golems…
***
A few months ago, as all the remaining Demon Saints were sent to the Human Realm, three Demon Saints came out of the same Rift…
However, two of them immediately dashed away, afraid that the Rift was being monitored…
Only one of them remained as he slowly felt the Will of the Human Realm pressuring him before dissipating immediately.
"Mhmm… It's perfect… This Realm will soon belong to us…" The Demon Saint muttered. He was Malrath, the Rank 3 Demon Saint in the Demon Rankings.
His stature was towering while also emitting a faint red mist around his body… It was a testament to the power he wielded, Blood Magic…
"So, what should I do for now…" He muttered softly before he decided to meet with other Demon Saints who had been here for a while now. With their help, Malrath gained all the information he needed and decided to make his move.
Unlike Lysara, who chose subterfuge and guile, a boring and time-consuming approach to kill the Shadow Immortal, Malrath embraced the path of war, his eyes set on the bastions of light—the Order of the Untainted Sentinels.
He didn't directly attack the Shadow Immortal's nest since he needed an army that would die for him! He had to clear the powerful organizations around to let the Demons rampage the land!
***
The central part of Milton Kingdom, a land of verdant fields and ancient forests, had long been under the protection of the Holy Arts Factions and the Church of the Fortune Goddess.
Their sanctuaries and temples were beacons of hope, and their elite warriors, the Untainted Sentinels and the Holy Knights, were the shields against darkness.
With the ability to channel Divinity, even in minuscule amounts, they were a formidable force that had kept the Demon Horde at bay, especially the Untainted Sentinels, who could even summon Angels!
"Order of the Untainted Sentinels… They're too much of a problem… Although we've killed many of them. There seemed to be no end to them." Malrath muttered, recalling how some Demon Saints had already killed dozens of Sentinels.
However, these Sentinels would just continue coming with stronger reinforcements!
"Hmph… Let's see how strong they are."
Malrath's decision to confront this Order was not born of impulse but of a strategic desire to expand the dominion of the Abyss Realm.
The Milton Kingdom was a prize worth claiming, and he knew that to control it, he must first break the will of its main protectors.
He called for a demon army, a legion of twisted creatures and fallen souls.
They rallied to Malrath's call with confidence as they were together with the 2nd Rank Demon Saint!
Their march towards the Kingdom was a tide of malice, but the Holy Knights, Exorcists, Priests, and the Untainted Sentinels stood ready.
***
Meanwhile, this massive movement of the demon army didn't go unnoticed by Vale or his Avatar.
"So their target is Holy Arts Faction this time… Good, let's see what you got…" Vale's Avatar muttered as he had zero plans of helping this time.
He knew that the Holy Arts Faction and the Church of the Fortune Goddess were strong. They even attacked the Dark Arts Faction while barely suffering casualties on their side. He would simply watch this battle to see the secrets of the Holy Arts Faction and the strength of the Demon Saints.
Needless to say, the opposing power, the ensuing battle, was a spectacle of light and darkness.
Vale saw Malrath lead the charge while his form wreathed in abyssal flames.
Each step he took left the ground scorched, his laughter a thunderous echo that instilled fear in the hearts of mortals.
Vale couldn't recognize many Arcanists on the human side.
As a matter of fact, he only recognized two people, they were Clare and Teresa, who had previously marked him with their Divine Sense. They weren't on the front lines, but they were in the rear group who were carefully observing the Rank 2 Demon Saint.
"An elite force that will face the Demon Saint? But there's only 10 of them… Can they even win with that?" Vale softly muttered as he continued watching the battle between the demons and the Arcanists.
The Holy Knights met the demon horde with lances of pure light, the Exorcists with chains of sacred seals, and the Priests with prayers that wove barriers of force.
But it was the Untainted Sentinels who had first taken action against the Demon Saint at the back lines. They weren't Clare and Teresa's group, and it appears as if they were simply expendables as they charged recklessly…
Nonetheless, Vale watched everything carefully.
Their mastery of the Holy Arts, combined with the divine essence they borrowed, created a storm of otherworldly fury.
"They're not summoning their Angels like before?" Vale mused as he recalled the power of these Untainted Sentinels.
While Evanescent Vessels summon mystical beings aligned to darkness to possess their bodies, the Untainted Sentinels could summon Angels to fight for them, even for a brief moment.
However, instead of doing that, they conjured blades of pure energy, shields that could withstand the darkest magics, and spears that sought the hearts of demons.
It was a different approach from what Vale had expected…
'Mhmm… Are they testing the Demon Saint…' Vale mused.
Malrath reveled in the challenge.
He swung his massive sword, cleaving through the light, his malevolent magic clashing with the divine and arcane spells!
Boom!
With that, the struggling Demons were freed as they charged with renewed vigor!
The Demon horde followed their Saint's lead, their numbers seemingly endless.
Yet, for every demon that fell, a Holy Knight stood firm, an Exorcist bound another, a Priest healed the wounded, and a few Untainted Sentinel would clear a path for them!
It was a very long battle!
As the day turned to night and back to day, the battle was still going on!
It appears as if the Malrath called for all low-ranking Demons to gather here from the nearest Rift!
The fields of the Milton Kingdom were torn apart, the forests burned, and the rivers ran red.
However, for some reason, the Arcanists of this Kingdom weren't defeated!
Their tenacity was as unbreakable as their faith, and their power, though borrowed from the divine, was wielded with a conviction that matched Malrath's own.
"So it was like that…" Vale muttered as he realized how the Kingdom's Arcanists were able to withstand this demon siege.
"Arcana… Three of them at that…"
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