"Keep firing!!"

"Blast them with everything you've got!!"

"Don't let those Abyss Demons get any closer!!"

"Blow them all to pieces!!"

On the walls of Garos Fortress,

facing the ever-approaching pressure of death, Krimde had become increasingly hysterical.

Upon hearing his orders, the assembled mages hesitated.

They exchanged uneasy glances.

But in the end, they still chose to obey.

The output of their military-grade magic intensified.

Countless fireballs continuously rained toward the black ocean spreading across the plains before the fortress.

Watching this unfold,

the female adjutant felt growing unease.

Gritting her teeth, she finally rushed to Krimde's side.

"Commander Krimde! Shouldn't we prioritize covering the Asumos Church knights and helping them enter the fortress?!"

"No matter what, we signed a temporary agreement with the Snow Night Empire!"

"Bombarding our allies like this is completely inappropriate! If word of this spreads later, it could cause serious diplomatic—"

"Who gives a damn whether it's appropriate?!"

Krimde's brows twisted violently.

Without hesitation, he grabbed the adjutant by her collar and dragged her in front of him.

"The Abyss Demons are already here!"

"The highest priority is stopping them!"

"As for those Asumos Church knights? Why should I care about them?!"

"They're nothing but a bunch of frauds hiding behind the Goddess's name and swindling people!"

"If they die, they die!"

"Who cares whether we killed them or not?!"

"When the time comes, we'll simply tell everyone they died to the Abyss Demons!"

"No one will blame us!"

"B-But..."

"But what?!"

"Just follow my orders!"

"And besides, who knows whether those knights have already been infected after being chased by so many Abyss Demons?!"

"Maybe they're already beyond saving!"

"Just treat them like Abyss Demons too!"

"So stop talking!"

"If you keep arguing, I'll throw you off the wall and feed you to the monsters myself!"

Terrifying killing intent filled Krimde's eyes.

The female adjutant was instantly frightened into silence.

Seeing that she had nothing more to say, Krimde turned back toward the mage corps standing atop the elevated platforms.

He resumed his endless stream of shouting.

"Faster!"

"You useless idiots!"

"Increase the output!"

"We absolutely cannot let— Hm?!"

Before he could finish speaking,

his pupils suddenly contracted.

A black beam of light abruptly entered his field of vision.

?!

Eh?!

What's that?!

The next moment—

BOOOOOM!!!!

A world-shaking explosion erupted.

Dust exploded into the air.

Black Shadow of Silence Power surged outward in every direction.

The entire platform—

along with the eight archmages standing atop it—

was swallowed instantly by black energy.

Under the horrified gazes of Krimde and the surrounding soldiers,

the enormous crimson magic array and the entire platform collapsed in an instant.

The eight powerful mages were immediately corroded by the black energy.

Accompanied by agonized screams,

they rapidly dissolved into pools of blood.

The shockwave spread outward.

Several nearby soldiers were instantly blown apart.

Although Krimde managed to raise his arm and defend himself in time,

he was still hurled dozens of meters through the air by the terrifying force.

"W-What..."

"What happened?!"

When Krimde finally climbed back to his feet and looked toward the platform,

he found a hellish landscape.

Everything was covered in black, viscous, corrosive liquid.

One soldier, whose body had already been mostly dissolved, his lower half reduced to exposed white bones, was desperately crawling toward Krimde.

Miserable, incomprehensible screams poured from his mouth.

Seeing such a scene,

Krimde's spine turned ice-cold.

His entire body trembled uncontrollably.

However,

when he looked around,

the fortress commander's eyes widened even further.

His face twisted into a grotesque expression of horror.

It wasn't just the platform before him.

All six platforms that had been casting military-grade magic had been struck by black beams.

Every single one had been completely destroyed.

Along with nearly half of Garos Fortress's high-ranking mages.

"H-How..."

"How..."

"How is this possible?!"

At that moment,

Krimde stood frozen.

His mind had practically stopped functioning.

He stared blankly at the devastation around him.

"T-The Abyss Demons..."

"They actually..."

"They actually attacked my mage corps?!"

Weren't Abyss Demons supposed to be mindless creatures?

Why?

Why had they instantly focused their attacks on the mages?

Krimde was utterly bewildered.

And while the commander stood there in shock,

a silver figure suddenly entered his vision.

Looking at the silver-haired girl who had leapt directly onto the fortress wall from outside,

along with the surviving Asumos Church knights behind her,

Krimde's expression changed dramatically.

He shakily raised a finger toward them.

"Y-You..."

"How are you..."

Krimde hated the Asumos Church.

He truly hated them.

That hatred was one of the reasons he had issued the bombardment order.

But he also understood how terrifying the Asumos Church could be.

If these people survived and reported today's events back to the Church,

his future would be completely ruined.

Damn it.

Why weren't these people dead?!

No.

This won't do.

They absolutely cannot be allowed inside the fortress!

Already half-insane and shaken beyond reason,

Krimde fixed the group with a vicious, suspicious glare.

"No!"

"You cannot come in!"

"You must have been infected by the Abyss Demons!"

"If you enter, you'll kill us all!"

Hearing Krimde's increasingly deranged accusations,

Mengxi narrowed her pale violet eyes.

Her icy gaze swept over the clown who had violated their agreement.

She desperately wanted to cut down the fool who had nearly gotten her killed.

But considering that they were still inside Garos Fortress—

still within Krimde's territory—

she forcibly suppressed her anger.

Using the calmest tone she could manage, she spoke:

"Mr. Krimde, please rest assured. We have not been infected. Our aura—"

However,

before she could finish,

Krimde abruptly cut her off.

"Who knows if you're lying?!"

"If you're really not infected and haven't been injured by Abyss Demons, then take off your armor and clothes and prove it!"

"If you can't prove it, then get the hell out!"

I refuse to believe it.

After being chased by Abyss Demons for that long,

there's no way they escaped without a single injury.

Even wounds caused by fireballs would do.

As long as there's an injury,

I'll insist it came from the Abyss Demons.

Then I can throw them all out 'legitimately.'

My own soldiers are easy enough to silence.

As long as these people die,

no one will ever learn the truth.

At that thought,

a sinister smile spread across Krimde's face.

Seeing that expression,

Mengxi bit her lip.

She had already guessed what he was thinking.

"Krimde..."

"You bastard..."

Meanwhile,

Mengxi wasn't the only one who understood his intentions.

The pink-haired girl in her arms had figured it out as well.

An intense dissatisfaction quietly emerged within her heart.

Looks like...

humanity really had been enjoying peace for too long.

People like this could actually become fortress commanders now?

As Krimde continued speaking in his increasingly aggressive tone,

a faint crimson light flashed within the pink-haired girl's beautiful sapphire eyes.

Far away,

within the Abyss Demon horde,

a certain little cutie possessing eight eyes suddenly raised its head.

Naturally,

Krimde noticed none of this.

At this moment, he had already drawn the saber hanging at his waist.

Preparing to forcibly drive Mengxi and the others back outside the fortress,

he declared:

"My apologies, everyone. Since you're unable to prove your innocence, then I can only—"

Eh???

Before Krimde could finish,

black light suddenly exploded from the distant Abyss Demon horde.

A black laser filled with murderous intent screamed across the battlefield.

Caught completely off guard,

it struck Krimde squarely in the head.

"Eh?"

That was the only sound he managed to make.

Then,

under the horrified gaze of every soldier in Garos Fortress,

his words abruptly stopped.

His head and upper body were consumed by black energy.

Before everyone's eyes,

they rapidly dissolved into nauseating black sludge.

Yumo: Hmph~~