Chapter 424 - 291: Twists and Turns

The status of a Balrog Flame Demon among Demons was akin to that of a Giant Elephant Warrior in the Ancient Beastman Empire, a Holy Knight among humans, or a Gablin Demon Shark Knight among the Sea Race. They were all warriors at the very pinnacle of the pyramid, the pride and champion of their respective Races.

Every single Balrog Flame Demon was an able subordinate of the Demon Lords, usually appointed as the commander of an entire Demon Army. Their very existence was a testament to a martial prowess that far surpassed their kin.

But this in no way meant they stood at the apex of all Races. Compared to Giant Dragons—the result of the Deities playing clear favorites during Creation—they were completely outmatched.

Compared to Giant Dragons, who could become Legendary just by eating and sleeping, Balrog Flame Demons, while not entirely without Legendary powerhouses among them, had precious few who reached that level.

Bartley was one such Legendary Flame Demon. However, upon arriving in this world where Elemental Power had not yet fully recovered, its strength had long since been suppressed to the Epic level.

If the reinforcement had been an adult Giant Dragon, then even armed with the Legendary Weapon "Digen’s Howl," it would have been no match.

"Hahaha, you little punk! My reinforcements are here! When they arrive, I’m gonna cut your head off and use it as a piss pot!" Mandela was half-kneeling on the ground, his knees having pulverized the stone beneath them. He held a crimson, broken greatsword, desperately holding back the Giant Sword several times his size that pressed down from above. The Demon Patterns on his shoulders seemed to come alive, shimmering with a bloody light as if ready to leap off his skin at any moment.

Even though he was at a disadvantage—no, he was being utterly crushed—it didn’t stop him from running his mouth.

Though he was also wondering where that dragon’s roar had come from, he immediately used it to try and unsettle the Balrog Flame Demon’s state of mind.

"Arrogant, ignorant ant! You show no respect in the face of a powerful foe. Before your reinforcements arrive, I will be the one to chop you into mincemeat to fertilize my Abyssal Garden!"

The Balrog Flame Demon laughed in fury. The massive Flame Sword in its hand seemed like a toy as it was raised high once more and brought down with immense force.

Seeing this, Mandela’s pupils contracted.

"Old man, isn’t your Magic ready yet? Any longer and I’m really going to be mincemeat!" he shouted, cursing at Bodoff, who was floating in the air in the distance.

The Mage from the Mage Tower, his loose Mage Robe fluttering, had his hair and beard standing on end. His eyes had turned completely white as he chanted a spell at an extremely high speed.

If one listened closely, it wouldn’t be hard to notice.

The chant contained Dragon Language, Ancient Elven Language, and even some Titan Language, sung with a unique rhythm that pulsed with the flavor of Power.

The mystical Spell formed into visible, ancient characters that floated up and down.

One could tell that this was, without a doubt, an incredibly powerful spell.

The Demons weren’t just standing around, either. They charged forward, heedless of death, wanting to interrupt the Casting, but the Blood Swordsmen were like a meat grinder, impossible to cross no matter how the demonic tide surged.

Meanwhile, the Griffin Knights patrolled the skies, intercepting the group of Felons.

Everyone knew that the true outcome of the battle depended on the Balrog Flame Demon on the main battlefield.

Mandela, relying on the power granted by his broken Blood Sword, could only barely hold his own against the Flame Demon before him.

He didn’t dare to face its attacks head-on at all.

"This Flame Demon is stronger than before. It’s because of that giant weapon it’s holding. We didn’t see that weapon last time." Fatir, her face pale, was recovering her Magic Power atop a Griffin.

If not for the various buff-type Holy Light Magic spells she had cast earlier, Mandela would have likely been cut in half at the very start of the fight.

"It’s possible that the Teleportation Gate has stabilized, and the Demon Lord on the other side used some kind of concealing magic to send it through."

Standing beside Fatir was an uncannily beautiful young man, none other than Mandela’s second-in-command, Xi Ang.

"I happen to know the name of this weapon from a biography—Digen’s Howl. Legend has it that a Red Dragon once invaded the Abyss and slaughtered many Demon Lords, only to be finally slain on the thirty-sixth layer by the Demigod Demon Prince, Miskar."

"Miskar forged the entire Keel into the main body and embedded the Dragon Crystal into the hilt, ultimately creating this Legendary Weapon. And that Red Dragon’s name was Digen."

"Filled with resentment, the flames on this Giant Sword are hot enough to melt Fine Steel and will never be extinguished."

"Oh? I didn’t expect Mr. Xi Ang to know such an obscure story."

Fatir gave the young man a surprised look, a deep suspicion in her eyes.

’Books about the Abyss have long been locked away in the depths of libraries, rarely sought out. Not to mention stories from within the Abyss itself. The only ones who would know such things are either gray-haired old scholars, or long-lived races like Elves or Giant Dragons who have witnessed history with their own eyes.’

’Logically speaking, I’ve read most of the books in the Church Court’s collection and even I don’t know about this. For an extremely young second-in-command to know is just too strange.’

"Hehe, it was just a coincidence. I happened to see it in a damaged biography." Despite being a man, his voice was melodious and pleasant, a truly incongruous combination.

"By the way, I wonder what Your Highness thinks of Mr. Levi?"

Xi Ang’s question came out of nowhere, as if he were merely curious about the famous hero of the hour.

"Is that important?" Fatir asked slowly after a moment of silence.

"Not important, just curious. I know a part of the Lion Hunter Knight’s story, so I can’t help but be curious how he went from a newly-appointed Baron of Exploration to where he is today," Xi Ang said, his smile never wavering.