If this were a shitty isekai anime, I'd be very happy to add the third princess to my harem. But it is not and purple-gray is not my favorite woman color. I like shades of melanin, thank you. I'm going to pay Ranna's father to take her off of me if it comes to that.

And the sounds of steps coming from the corridor reminds me we are in the middle of a raid.

"Stealth Barrier!" We hide behind the now empty conference hall door. It is completely empty besides the blood.

Four demon soldiers enter the room, "This is where we heard the woman's scream!"

"Damn, where are the commanders?"

"Galgrid, look there! There is blood!"

They enter the room to investigate and I ready the horn spear.

"Circle Slash!" The four of them gain a deep gash going all the way across their backs at once.

Jel'rannalath has gained 1 + 2 levels (4-Racial: 40 > 41, 4-Sniper 32 > 34). Grendel has gained 3 + 3 + 3 levels (4-Racial: 25 > 28, 3-Warrior 30 > 33, 3-Scout  30 > 33). + 64 SP

To the item box with them.

We should go outside. I am sure there is a lot of fun to be had outside. The setup is the same, and the moment the succubus turns on me I'm going to kick-murder her. I'm returning to the roof. There is no reason to go to the ground when I can just drop thousand-degrees signature-spell lava bombs on their heads. The one I used on Cloude's party back in Mirfield is like a firecracker now.

Sneaking outside, there are no wyverns on the air. It means they are all at the stables. I reach for the edge of the roof and there are the beasts. All cozy and resting leashed in their stables. The whole area is in a state of alertness, but the wyverns have been flying and fighting for almost two hours now. They are exhausted.

I have mana for two big air elementals and one lava bomb. But wait. The lava bomb won't have enough range to get all the stables. At most six of them. I need a bigger AOE.

I'll cut on the size of the elementals and use pyroclastic flow. There will be less explosive damage but should throw the wyvern riders in disarray. It will have to do. "Ranna, use normal arrows. Snipe any wyvern that takes off. I'm going to use a bow too."

I summon the two elementals and order them to attack the wyverns that get out of the smoke cloud. I really don't think they will die from one single spell, but most of them will be wounded.

Preparations ready, here it goes. "Pyroclastic Flow!"

The heavy volcanic smoke appears over the stables and flows out and down. Wyvern shrieks and demon shouts can be heard as the demi-dragons try to escape their confinement to get some fresh air. Wood breaks and the shouts become coughs. The first batch of wyverns fly out of the cloud, their scales surely have seen better days.

Appraise shows they lost sixty percent of their HP. Time to snipe. Ranna hits one in the eyes, it tumbles and crashes down in the smoke-filled stables. I pierce a wing, but no biggie. Only one of the elementals hit their targets but this one has both wings broken and also returns to the boiler. The wyverns that survived are fleeing. Ranna hits a wing joint forcing it to fall and tumble over the wall rubble. I miss but the two elementals send the remaining scorpion-tailed beasts to meet the ground. Bows are not my thing.

Another group of four is coming out. I've recovered some MP, and since my bow skills are crap it is a better strategy. "Static Field!" Three are paralyzed and fall down, the other is killed by the combined efforts of Ranna and the elementals.

Some demons come out of the smoke-filled stables, but we were spotted. I send the guardian spirit to guard the stairs leading to the roof and go hide with Ranna. I need to meditate. I'll put a sentry, snail, and twilight totems here. The snail is a bit further out in the direction they will come.

"The thrill of the hunt. These weak demons must be eliminated. You are doing a great service for the demon race, Beowulf. For too long have we rested upon the achievements of our ancestors. You will show them what real power is and usher the demon race into a new age of glory!"

What is this demon woman talking about? The cult of Beowulf has been officially launched. The high priestess is a succubus. NOT!

"Shut up. I'm trying to recover MP."

Some demons engaged the guardian spirit at the roof access. The elementals are fighting two wyverns that managed to get out. The wyverns are down. The Guardian, defeated. The pyroclastic smoke dissipates. They are searching the roof now. Entered the range of the snail totem.

"Hey, there is something here. I feel some magic effect." I can only hear the voices.

"Yeah, me too. It is over there, behind that chimney."

"Watch out. It can be a trap. Our enemy is a magician or a summoner and probably the other is an archer."

"They said it is a human. Isn't it impossible for humans to come here?" Indeed. The mana is thick as butter here. I think it even helps me recover MP faster.

I think it is time for Atlas VII. "Kill as many demons as you can."

"I heard something. Silence!" And Atlas VII appears. "Frag it is that giant troll again! Run!"

But now he means business. With a hand sweep, he misses one, knocks down two demons and tosses the fourth off of the building and into the rubble below.

I run out of hiding and stab the demon that is standing up in the stomach. "It is the human!"

Ranna comes out too and shoots the two demons sitting on the roof. Both are hit with the wyvern venom arrows. "Princess, why?" They cry before dying.

Atlas VII jumps down to finish the demon he knocked away. The demon cavalry has assembled to attack him and is galloping to intercept. There are other soldiers coming up from inside the main building.

They are coming as a tight group. Perfect. "Lava Bomb!"

Pyroclasm Magic level 4.

Two of the demons use their horses as a shield and escape the brunt of the blast. The others are not so fortunate. Ranna snipes one of them, and only the captain remains.

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He swings his sword at Atlas' knee while wary of us on the roof.

These demon captains are surely strong. Huge gashes open on Atlas with every swing. He regenerates most of it, but still. He is also maneuvering to keep Atlas between us.

I'll let them play and deal with the other demons coming up from inside. "Ranna, come with me."

"Yes, Beowulf!"

Five coming up the stairs. I'll use the static field trap again. They come, I cast, they paralyze and die.

The building seems empty. Time to go outside and finish that captain.

We head to the door to move out. I got a reaction on presence detection but too late. An assassin jumps down from the roof and strikes at Ranna's back.

"Die, Traitor!" The stab was right over the heart. Sacrifice aura worked this time and I took almost a thousand HP of damage.

"Stupor!" The spell knocks the assassin out. Ranna's state is critical. "Full Heal!" Her status read 'Massive Internal Damage' and her HP is draining like water through a bucket without a bottom. "Healing Pulse!" "Minor Restoration!" "Full Heal!"

She is reacting. The status went from 'Massive' to 'Severe'.

"Why are you doing this for me? Just finish me off, I am an Exp bag!" She mumbles while coughing blood.

"Do you want to die? {Full Heal}!"

She is scared. She shakes her head to answer no my question.

"Then don't resist me. Possession!"

I should have forced the possession from the start, but I just panicked. Anyway, the troll regeneration fixes Ranna's wounds really fast. In a few minutes, her body is as good as new, even though her clothes are all blood-soaked.

As soon as I could move I stabbed the assassin with a wyvern arrow. He twitched and collapsed.

Marcy: I hope you have a good reason to be possessing that succubus bitch!

Jel'rannalath: He is mending this damaged Exp bag, human woman. Just that.

Marcy's message distracts me and I'm surprised when we hear a thundering sound and part of the main building behind us collapses. Outside, we can see the captain gloating over a vanishing severed giant leg.

I am pretty sure I can't fight him with Ranna's stats. And those three full heals ate my MP.

Crap, he saw us. "Princess! So good seeing you in good health! Now, can you please tell me why you betrayed us? Know what, nevermind. Just die!"

He comes at us with overwhelming bloodlust. The speed he covers the distance between Atlas and us is astonishing. I'm forced to trigger [Full Defense] to avoid being bisected.

I need to start casting teleport.

He is stronger and faster than the expedition captain. I have skills, but there is one thing that the System doesn't teach is to get the best out of them. This guy had centuries of practice. And he can use the same dismemberment move the other captain did.

"You have improved these few days, princess! I can tell your reactions are sharper. What is the matter? Say something!"

"Teleport!"

Bad. Bad. This was bad. Not only I almost lost someone under my watch, but I also found a fighter I can't just overpower. If this guy was a human adventurer, he would be rank S twice.

"It seems you've found someone stronger, Beowulf!" Ranna taunts me in her head.

"Yes. That guy is stronger. What are you going to do? Ditch me to side with him?"

"Only after he kills you." She thinks with a slightly tongue-in-cheek tone.

 I set my usual totem setup and sit against a rock to rest. A few minutes past and the System awards the Exp.

Jel'rannalath has gained 11 + 13 levels (4-Racial: 41 > 52, 4-Sniper 34 > 47). Grendel has gained 14 + 14 + 14 levels (4-Racial: 25 > 39, 3-Warrior 33 > 47, 3-Scout  33 > 47). + 298 SP

Wyvern Exp is so tasty.

Ranna taunts me. "You must defeat that captain and take out the remaining buildings and wall, or the complete demolition of the fort won't be acknowledged, you know?"

"Alright. I'm doing it."

Invisibility and dragon wings. I want to store the bodies of the wyverns before anything else. I won't pass those A-rank stones even though I won't eat them anymore. The few surviving demons are being ordered around to secure some key supplies and to stop the fires.

My invisible looting hasn't gone unnoticed. "Hey, where did the wyverns go?"

I have no time to be picking low soldiers. I need to finish the buildings and nail the commander. Sneaking around, I found the commander resting in the front part of the main building. Perfect, I'll assassinate him.

Ranna warns me, "It is no good if you don't kill him as yourself! It doesn't count if you do it from my body."

"Okay, I got it." I cast bewitch on Ranna. I still don't trust her.

The commander is sitting on a chair reading reports without his armor. I just need to sneak closely and touch his skin. [Possession]!

Caught off-guard, the commander is easily dominated. Crap, I won't be able to hold him for too long. I wanted to use his body to murder all the demons around, but it won't do.

"Leave me alone and do not disturb me. I need some peace of mind to think on how to stop those giant trolls from attacking us!" I order his aide.

"Yes, sir!" And he leaves.

I have to hurry and check his status. Where is that dismemberment skill? Here. It is an advanced sword technique. A step below Kareena's {Heart-Seeker Blade}.

I rise and take his sword from the table. And now I need to do an awkward backhand swing to sever his own body.

"{Severing Slash}!"

At the neck, of course.

Your host has died. Triggering forced ejection. Exhaustion timers doubled.

Jel'rannalath has gained 1 + 1 levels (4-Racial: 52 > 53, 4-Sniper 47 > 48). Grendel has gained 2 + 2 + 2 levels (4-Racial: 39 > 41, 3-Warrior 47 > 49, 3-Scout  47 > 49). + 42 SP

 I pop out of his body and blood sprays all over the place. My next goal is to learn lifestyle magic from Helen. I need something to clean all this blood that somehow ends up on me.

Ranna is standing next to the chair, covered in blood, entranced, and waiting for orders.

Helen: Beowulf, is everything alright? Your HP bar took a sharp dive and then it was full again with the exhaustion debuffs!

Beowulf: Yes, I'm fine. I just had to finish off a pesky commander. It was an inside job.

It takes about half an hour for me to fully recover from the exhaustion and to fill my MP and ST. Hopefully, no demon disobeyed their boss and came to check on him. I've stored him in the item box. The charm I placed on Ranna ended, but she just cleaned the blood off of herself and sat on a clean chair to wait for my recovery.

Invisibility on both of us and we reach a hole at the back of the building caused by the collapsed Atlas VII. It is time for Atlas VIII. "Break every single construction that is standing up. Don't mind attackers."

The demons flee in disarray from the colossus troll. There seems to be no one in charge right now and they look really tired. Atlas goes for the only building intact and just smashes it with his fists and feet. Then the fort wall. Then some other building walls that insisted on standing up and finally the main building.

Dusk was slowly claiming the sky and Atlas VIII was playing soccer with rubble. The demons organized themselves under some sergeant or lieutenant, gathered whatever they could salvage and left as a caravan going south-east. Probably the demon settlement of Dragonclaw or the capital Abbadon.

Ranna and I are watching the sunset on the debris that once was a wall tower. I'm making some art piece in the meanwhile.

"Is it destroyed enough for you, princess?"

"I guess it is. How long will that guy stay here crushing rocks?"

"Say, do you recognize all these guys?"

"Yes. I knew all of them. They were the commanders of former Fort Gehenna. This was the expedition company captain."

The art piece I did was to get a really long pike and stab the heads of the commanders and captains I collected from ear to ear, side by side on it. A little bit of fire magic to cauterize the stumps and it is done. Back to the item box.

"Good. Now I'll deal the final blow to this place."

It is an hour-long ritual. Earthkeeper level 10. I'll move the earthpulse veins away to wipe out the mana flow from this place. It won't last forever but it will be enough.

Ranna begins to cough and wheeze when the ritual nears its end. "Atlas, get Ranna and move half a mile away from me to the west. Don't let her escape." I'll put a tracking beacon on her.

My clone picks up the succubus and goes west. I can still see him from here, it will be fine. The ritual ends, and the place now feels like a human road. It is the same level of magic power as my prison.

Night falls and I finish casting Create Thrall on Ranna again. I'll leave her in Willow Hill and go to Mirfield meet everyone.

The envoy has not left yet.

Tomorrow will be a busy day. Time to meet the king of the demons.