Chapter 932: The Eve of War!

"Mhm! Darling, give me those crystals."

Velvet extended her hand, and Asmodeus passed her the remaining crystals he’d collected from the formation. She immediately began examining them, comparing the mana signatures inside each one with the coordinates they’d recovered.

"Hm... This one!"

A golden crystal floated above her palm.

"There’s another formation near the southern border. It’s much larger than this one, and according to these records, they’ve been sending supplies there for months."

"How large?"

"I don’t know, but the amount of mana required to operate it is enormous."

Asmodeus rubbed his chin.

’Months...’

That meant the Empire had been preparing these facilities long before the latest incidents in Baltimore.

He glanced towards the Valkyries securing the chamber.

"Contact Serena. Tell her we’ve discovered another facility and that I’m going to investigate."

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

"Also, have her send additional troops here. I don’t want anyone touching this formation until Velvet finishes examining the enchantments."

The Valkyrie saluted.

Asmodeus turned back towards his wife.

"Can you activate it?"

"Of course!"

Velvet smiled confidently before kneeling beside the formation.

"Though I need to replace the original destination with the one inside this crystal."

"How long?"

"Just a moment."

Asmodeus nodded and waited.

Several golden inscriptions began glowing beneath Velvet’s hands. However, instead of allowing the strange divine energy to flow through the formation, she carefully suppressed it with her own mana.

Soon, the original golden light changed to a mixture of red and blue.

HUMMM!

The enormous formation began vibrating.

"...There!"

Velvet stood.

"I’ve changed the destination. It should take us directly to the larger facility."

"Excellent."

Asmodeus stepped beside her.

"Then let’s go."

***

Meanwhile, beneath an Imperial military outpost near the southern border of Lumeria.

Hundreds of soldiers crowded around an enormous underground chamber, where several mages worked desperately to prepare a teleportation formation.

Unlike the smaller facilities scattered across the continent, this one possessed twelve enormous crystals, each containing a tremendous amount of mana.

The formation occupied almost the entire floor.

"Commander!"

An Imperial knight hurried towards a tall man wearing golden armour.

"We’ve received another report. The northern facility has fallen!"

The commander clenched his jaw.

"Again?!"

"Yes, sir! The last message mentioned Valkyries attacking the underground passages."

"Those fucking monsters..."

He struck the table beside him.

They’d spent months constructing these facilities, transporting soldiers and supplies through the network while the Lumerians remained completely unaware.

Yet everything had begun falling apart within a few hours.

"How many men are ready?"

"Eight hundred, Commander. Another two hundred are stationed aboveground."

"Then prepare them for immediate departure."

"...Departure?"

"We’re abandoning the facility."

The knight appeared shocked.

"But, Commander! What about the formation?"

"Do you want us to remain here until the Demon Emperor arrives?!"

"..."

"Destroy the crystals after we’ve evacuated!"

"Understood!"

However, before the knight could leave, a strange vibration travelled through the chamber.

HUMMM!

The enormous formation suddenly brightened.

The commander turned.

"...What?"

Several mages immediately approached the glowing crystals.

"Sir! Someone is activating the northern connection!"

"What?!"

The commander’s expression changed.

"Impossible! That facility was supposed to be destroyed!"

One of the mages examined the inscriptions.

"Something is wrong... The mana signature doesn’t match our records!"

"Then shut it down!"

"We’re trying!"

Golden light erupted from the formation, illuminating the enormous chamber. Several soldiers stumbled backwards as the golden inscriptions gradually began turning red, then blue, until they merged into a deep violet.

The commander stood still, staring at the light, his right hand trembling slightly as he closed his eyes.

Sweat dripped down his forehead.

The reports concerning Queen Velvet had described her unusual control over fire and ice, as well as her draconic transformation.

’Don’t tell me...’

BOOOOM!

The formation exploded with light as two figures appeared in the centre. A beautiful purple-haired woman, her black scales covering both arms and shoulders and a tall man covered in black armour, with enormous blood-red wings spread behind him.

".....Ah...."

The commander gasped, trying to grasp his weapon tightly, while ignoring his body screaming for him to escape.

Asmodeus glanced around.

"Hoh..."

His golden eyes examined the hundreds of soldiers surrounding them.

"Looks like we’ve found the right place."

The commander immediately drew his sword, and with a valiant cry, he rushed forward at his enemy.

"DEMON EMPEROR!"

"Hm?"

Asmodeus turned towards him, tilting his head at the man running towards him.

"Ah, you’re the commander?"

"KILL THEM!"

Hundreds of soldiers raised their weapons, breaking their fear thanks to the commander’s actions. Fireballs, spears of ice and countless magical projectiles rushed towards the formation.

However, before the attacks could reach their targets, Asmodeus extended his hand.

A tremendous amount of dark mana erupted from his body.

BOOOOOOM!

The magical attacks shattered.

Several soldiers were thrown backwards, crashing against their companions as the pressure spread through the chamber.

Yet Asmodeus didn’t bother pursuing them.

"Velvet, secure the formation."

"Mhm!"

Asmodeus didn’t bother exchanging another word with the Imperial commander. Instead, he spread his enormous wings, releasing enough demonic pressure to bring the entire chamber to its knees.

BOOOOOM!

Hundreds of soldiers collapsed simultaneously, their weapons falling from their hands as the overwhelming mana crushed their resistance. Even the commander, who’d been preparing another attack, found himself buried beneath the shattered remains of his armour.

"Hmph... What a waste of time."

Asmodeus glanced towards Velvet, who’d already reached the centre of the formation.

"Darling! The mainland connection is still open!"

"Oh?"

"If we hurry, we can reach the other side before they realise what’s happened!"

Asmodeus smiled.

"Then what are we waiting for?"

This wasn’t a difficult task anymore, thanks to their previous experiences.

Velvet and Asmodeus soon executed the commander and repurposed the teleportation device before hopping to the next. Two days later, they managed to finish their extensive offensive on the Empire’s hidden bases around the continent.

With most of the empire’s resistance collapsing from the moment Asmodeus and Velvet cracked the crystals and their methods of use. He now had a period of time to prepare himself before facing the enemy directly.

It wouldn’t be long until the Emperor of Man decided to move.

Asmodeus needed to strike first.

However, he wasn’t foolish enough to believe that destroying the Emperor’s spies meant they’d defeated his army. They’d merely eliminated the enemy’s advantage on the continent, forcing Albrecht to abandon the preparations he’d spent months arranging.

’Now the bastard has to choose...’

Either withdraw and accept his losses, or confront the Demon Empire openly.

Asmodeus doubted he’d choose the former.

"Haa... What a troublesome bastard."

He glanced towards the distant ocean before turning away from the balcony.

There was one more matter he wanted to settle before leaving Lumeria.

***

Later that evening.

Asmdoeus sat outside Valena’s room, carrying a small fragment of the golden crystals he’d managed to fuse together into a palm-sized sphere which resembled a heart. When he reached her door, he took a break before knocking twice.

"Valena?"

"A-Asmodeus?"

A few hurried footsteps followed before the door opened, revealing the beautiful young woman in her nightgown.

"What’s wrong? Did something happen?"

"Can’t I come for no reason?"

"...No!" She snorted, but still slowly unlatched the door and let him in.

Asmodeus entered, pushing past her while noticing the container holding her mother’s preserved heart resting on the shelf. Valena followed his gaze and rushed towards it, standing in front of it as if to block his sight.

"...Have you discovered something?"

"Well, it’s nothing major... but it might be the key to why that bastard was able to hurt your mother and cause so much damage."

Her deep red eyes narrowed into thin slits as she folded her arms. "Hmm, I see..."

Asmodeus placed the golden fragment on the table.

"I’m going to the Human Empire soon, Valena."

"...!"

"And before you ask, yes. I intend to find out what happened to your mother."

Valena stared at him, her fingers slowly tightening around the fabric of her dress.

"Then..." She swallowed, her voice lacking the same power it did a moment earlier. "You’re taking me with you, right?"

Asmodeus shook his head and raised both arms, shrugging. "Of course, if I didn’t take you after coming here just to tell you this, wouldn’t I be a cruel bastard?!" He gently stroked her hair before looking towards the container once more.

’Your mother... the Emperor’s curse, and those damned gods.’

"Hehe... yeah, and I would never forgive you."

Thankfully, they’d managed to defeat most of the troops from the Mainland, now all he needed to do was prepare to attack the Empire. At first he thought a war might’ve been the best option, but now... he was more in favour of a blitzkrieg.

"Yeah..."

Valena leaned against his chest, no longer ashamed of her actions as she hooked her arms around his back while pressing her nose against his flesh. "I’m glad I met you, Asmodeus..."

He couldn’t help but smile, slowly curling her crimson hair around his fingertip while considering the dangerous future ahead of them.

"Me too, Valena."

He’d promised Valena that he would find her mother and declared war upon the Emperor. It was the time for reckoning.

’Well then, Albrecht...’

His golden eyes closed, gently leaning against Valena’s head.

’It’s about time we settle our score, once and for all.’