CHAPTER 560: SLAUGHTER AND PLANNING!

’I want to rip him apart!’

Anger exploded inside Asmodeus. He gripped the air and took a long sigh while gazing around himself. More than fifty maids remained with their daggers and blades, all with black eyes and movement that looked ridiculous.

’It’s not a curse, it’s possession.’

He could sense a strong, thick, and dense mana that felt like it could crush his soul, and it was all around him. The idea that it might be a curse was close... this felt similar to the necromancer’s power, but much stronger.

’He’s using them as a shield...’

"Thank god I didn’t bring anyone with me..." Grasping his axe, Asmodeus pointed to the maids. "Come on then! Let’s fight!"

The maids moved forward, their movements slow and jerky as if they were puppets on strings, before suddenly lunging at him like wild beasts, slicing at his face and chest with sharp daggers.

’They’re so weak!’

Even without wearing armour, he felt little danger.

His axe sliced the air and knocked aside the blades aimed at his shoulder and chest with ease. A kick to the abdomen of a maid sent her flying through the room and into a wall, knocking her unconscious.

Asmodeus wanted to try saving their lives... but his strength was too strong... a single slash tore two women in half. Although he felt a twinge of guilt about hurting them, he knew he had no choice but to incapacitate them quickly or risk getting overwhelmed. His body moved swiftly, dodging and blocking the attacks from the maids as he continued his assault.

’Can I save them?’

These women were just maids... he grasped the air, bloody hands appearing in mass, grabbing the women and dragging them down to the ground, as if to disable them. The women struggled, clawing and stabbing at the bloody hand apparitions with all their might.

"Damn it..."

They were unafraid of pain, and although he tried to keep them restrained, once they freed one arm, they attacked with their sharp blades relentlessly. He couldn’t hold back... and instantly his choice of attack changed from stun to kill.

Asmodeus dodged another attack, this time from behind him, as a blade narrowly missed his back.

’Not good enough.’

His strength and speed were far superior to those of the infected, but their numbers made fighting them a daunting task.

He grabbed a woman’s face, crushing the bones in her cheeks with a crunch before tossing her into another woman like a bowling ball, sending them flying backwards. His axe swung, slicing through flesh and bone as blood splattered against the walls and floor, causing him to wince at the carnage he wrought.

’Just what the hell was he trying to do?’

It didn’t make any sense; Mephisto must have been planning to attack at some point because his control over the maids seemed to increase the longer he stayed in Alan’s body. ’Unless he is limited to the amount he can infect?’

That thought clicked. Asmodeus didn’t know why, but suddenly he wondered if there was a limit to the number of people he could infect and possess with his power, now that he wasn’t a god.

Like a crimson tide, the room became drowned in red.

Asmodeus stood at the centre of the carnage, covered in blood and gore. The stench of death hung heavy in the air, and the sound of his heavy breathing was the only thing that broke the silence.

"Damn it..." He flicked his axe, before it vanished into space, "I’ll have to clean up, don’t blame me..." His hand glowed dark red with magic power. "It’s your fault for sending these people in as cannon fodder..."

The bloody hands that lingered appeared, grabbing the corpses and pulling them down through the stone floor until it was as clean as possible... well, with a few blood splats here and there.

"Mephisto’s plan has failed, at least in part."

Asmodeus sat back on the throne, looking at the room. Sweat dripped down his cheek due to the heat and constant danger of the possession that lunged at him like a hidden beast waiting for him to lower his guard and possess him.

"No, maybe he just wanted to test me, or tease me... or test if I could be possessed!?"

That was enough...

Asmodeus had finished here. "Let’s head back..."

***

When he came back from the throne, he found Simon, Paul, Ygrenne and Vinea all armed and waiting for him in the main hallway leading to her annexe.

"Darling, are you okay?"

"Ryuji, you look like hell..."

Asmodeus couldn’t help but shrug; his clothes looked horrible, covered in blood.

"Sorry, I had to kill a large number of maids infected with the curse."

Simon and Paul nodded, but they all turned to Ygrenne, who looked pale and horrified... she knew the people he killed and was probably close to them.

"Did Mephisto do it?"

"Yes... Ah, but I think I’ve figured out the source of the so-called curse. It’s his power, the power of possession, but because he’s no longer a deity... It’s taken a different form."

Asmodeus sat down on a chair with Vinea at his side, his hands glowing as they began to clean his garments with magic.

"That explains a lot, like why the madness can be controlled and why it’s moving around like a parasite," Paul responded, scratching his chin as his eyes brightened with interest.

"I don’t think we should take our time... because his power is growing and right now his limit seems to be a few hundred."

Vinea, Simon and Paul looked at him in shock. "What if it reaches thousands? What then? We’ve just seen a small portion of this city’s population, and even then, there are tens of thousands. If something like that happens..." He trailed off and shrugged, but he could feel a twinge of pain in his heart at the thought.

"Yeah... but we need the help of Sariel and Riel before we can think of that." Asmodeus leaned back, closing his eyes, while Vinea massaged his shoulders. "We need to bring them here; if possible, I want to speak to Serena as well."

"Wouldn’t it take too long to get there and back? His army and goals might be finished by then."

Asmodeus opened his eyes, and Paul suddenly fell silent.

"You’re right... But I trust my wives... there’s no way they would let me come here alone, not Serena, or Erika..."

"Do you really believe they will come?" Simon tilted his head, confused. He tapped his chin before chuckling. "My wives would never do that for me, you lucky bastard."

"I think they’re more worried I’ll find ANOTHER woman while I am here..." Asmodeus chuckled back.

"Alright, let’s focus and make some plans..." Paul clapped his hands, bringing the conversation to a close. "We now know what’s going to happen," he said, then moved a table between everyone and continued. "But the enemy also knows we are here. Right now, we don’t know where Mephisto is hiding, so we should focus on gathering a force."

He tossed several parchments on the table, each one was a profile.

"Hey... he’s familiar."

"Of course, we drank with him earlier today."

It was the scruffy male from earlier in the day, and the slim one came next. "I believe we should contact Brando too."

"Can a merchant fight?"

"No, but he can bring supplies."

Ygrenne and Vinea examined the potential allies, while Simon and Paul arranged their current finances and options, including the magic tools that could aid them in fighting and the mana potions.

"Vinea and Ygrenne, can you fight?"

"Yes!"

"I can, as long as you’re with me, darling."

Simon looked up with a frown and scratched his head. "Ryuji, are you planning something crazy again? Vinea’s body is strong, and she can fight for a long time... but don’t forget she’s pregnant and can be possessed."

"..."

Asmodeus bit his lip; the fact that Mephisto could make Vinea a possessed marionette worried him.

He didn’t have a plan... not yet, at least. He needed more information about the city and had to determine if there was any way to save the citizens under Mephisto’s control.

"The biggest thing is to contact the demon kingdom and learn more about Mephisto from Serena... I believe we can buy communication scrolls, right?"

’I need Sariel and Riel...’

Simon and Paul looked at each other, but that’s when Ygrenne cut in. "I believe the guild should have some scrolls to achieve that, but it would cost quite a bit...Eh!?" Suddenly, a sack of gold coins landed on her lap, the weight enough to cause the chair to buckle as she looked at Asmodeus. "Your Majesty?"

"Take it, if you can get scrolls, any that can help buy them."

The sound of the clinking coins echoed throughout the room, filling the atmosphere with a sense of excitement.

Ygrenne was shocked, Simon and Paul looked at each other, wondering just how Asmodeus had such wealth before laughing and shaking their heads.

"Alright, then you two go get the magic tools."

Another sack...

It was that moment that the three realised that Asmodeus was subtly asking them to leave the room. The three knights couldn’t help but smirk wryly and stand from their seats.

"I’ll meet with Brando and purchase some items and inquire with him," Paul added, before he slipped out the door.

"Take care, love birds."

"Farewell, your Majesties."

Now only Lumina, Vinea and Asmodeus remained.