Initially wanted to release this and the next chapter tomorrow but what the heck. Screw schedules.
"HOLD FORTTTTT!" Charles roared valiantly, leading the charge alongside the rank 1 magisters and mortals, the rank 2 magisters acting as the vanguard, guarding the back from any sneak attacks.
"Lord Lionel, what do we do?" The situation was much grimmer than I had expected. The Haverpie Clan and Illianos Clan had joined with the Garlynx clan.
Beside me were the two senior elders of the Barshiek clan, both a rank higher than me at rank 4.
Unfortunately, two rank 4 magisters weren't exactly sufficient in dealing with two rank 5 magisters. The difference in ability was simply too great, a chasm too large to cross.
I gritted my teeth,"We should have reinforcement arriving soon. I think."
"Think?"
"A powerful ally I managed to convince to join."
"Who?"
"Artemis Blythe."
"Who?" The two elders' brows were furrowed, trying to think of which legendary character could take on two rank 5 demonic magisters.
"She's someone who singlehandedly took down a rank 3 magister in two moves. Before that, she fought fifty rounds without injury. Her methods are ruthlessly efficient. While she's not of the righteous faction, she's also not part of the demonic faction either. One thing she does have that we do not is the ability to fear-monger. We of righteous faction can't resort to such tactics but she can with terrifying effectiveness." Talking her up so much, I had my fingers tightly crossed that she lived up to my expectations.
"Then, what do we do in the meantime?"
Standing on the great walls of Juniper, spanning hundreds of metres, circling the entire city, I spoke thus,"We show these demonic faction bastards the Barshiek clan isn't simply just a doll to play around with. Authorise the rank 3 magisters to strike from the walls. Authorise the construct."
Without the rank 5s of our clan, we still had a number of failsafes, of which one was magical construct formed by fifty-one magisters.
The rank 3 magisters were another line of defence, laying down powerful blasts of destructive spells in unimaginable sync. As soon as one spell was done and cast, the next rank 3 would immediately strike, following which the next rank 3 would strike. This was a method which managed to hold off a rank 6 in the past with only five rank 4s.
As fifty magisters got into formation, the rank 3 magister, the fifty first in the middle, roared,"I SUMMON THEE: KARBIST, DRAGON OF THE VIOLET SKIES!"
A low, guttural roar shook the earth as a vortex opened up in the skies, a mass of purple descending from the caelum.
"KEEP FIGHTING! IT'S ONLY A RANK 4 CONSTRUCT! WE WILL DEAL WITH IT!" One of the two rank 5s, Blood Devil, yelled as he and the other rank 5, Lilith, shot forward with unimaginable might, knocking the dragon back a foot with their combined force before it even had the chance to react.
I tapped my foot worriedly. This was not good. These measures could only temporarily hold off rank 5s. Essentially, stalling for time. Right now, even if we wanted to, killing one would be impossible, let alone two.
Still, I had confidence in my judge of character. Artemis, while coy and smart, was most likely to be a person who kept to her words. I prayed to whatever god there was out there that my analysis of her was right.
"When is she arriving?" One of the elders had gotten agitated waiting,"It's no use depending on outsiders Julius! We must join the fight ourselves!"
"HAHAHA! WHAT SHITTY DRAGON IS THIS?" Blood Devil laughed uproariously,"MEN! DO YOU SEE THIS GREAT LORD BEATING DOWN THIS DRAGON? HAHAHA! EVEN THE FUCKING USELESS SON OF THAT LUCIFEROUS SWALLOW DOESN'T DARE FACE ME DIRECTLY!"
"No. If we join the fight, who knows, there might be another rank 5 in the shadows, waiting to strike at our weakest. We will wait until—"
"LOOK AT HIM! HE DARES NOT FIGHT WHILE HIS SOLDIERS DIE AT THIS LORD'S ARMY'S HAND—"
BOOOOOOOM—
In an instant, the figure of Blood Devil was abruptly shot into the earth with terrifying might, the sight of thousands upon thousands of floating bodies, each one with expressions of terror etched into their unmoving faces lining the walls.
As the dust settled, a female dressed in a light blue coat, rose quartz coloured hair and a bored expression stood at the side of Blood Devil, who was lying on the floor.
In the hands of the female were two arms prominently missing a body. If one were to take even a glance at Blood Devil, it was easy to tell where the arms were taken from.
A smile bloomed on my once grim face.
Artemis.
The battlefield stood still as Lilith, the remaining rank 5 retreated with alarm painted all over her face,"Why is an outsider helping—"
"Oi shut the fuck up for a moment," She interrupted with a single sentence, not giving a single shit of what the reputation of a rank 5 held,"Don't mention backstory. Don't mention revenge. Don't even mention that 'do you even know who I am?' line or I'll rip your fucking eyes out and make you wish you hadn't before I kill you."
With that silencing statement, she turned to me,"You're an idiot, you know?"
"..."
"I had to spend precious time killing these people because you never thought of the possibility of, oh, I don't know, enemies trying to attack you from behind? For someone who could tell I would keep my word, you aren't very bright."
"..." I kept silent at her insult. Now wasn't the time to be busting out demanding for respect.
"You...Who are you?" Blood Devil gasped out.
She sighed shaking her head, pressing her foot on his chest,"Don't even think about faking weakness,"
"What—"
CRUNCH! CRAACK! KRRRRK!
With a series of devastating blows to his chest, neck, spine, legs and manhood—It was clear that no one, not even a rank 5 would becoming back from that.
"It really kills the mood," Turning her gaze to the two armies,"Let's get this show on the road. The faster we finish, the faster I can leave. I won't be staying for the clean-up Julius. Where's the whore from just now—Ah. There you are. So are you going to stare at me indignantly for the next hour or are we actually going to fight?"
I gulped down my fear. I expected some degree of ruthlessness but this...This wasn't fear-mongering.
This was downright mind-shattering.