I waited until dawn to act. Demons are weaker during the day.

How would I safely deliver the princess and negotiate a truce with the demons with only me? Simple. If I am not enough, I can now make one more me. I've teleported with Ranna to the anchor near Ft. Gehenna and now I am going to clone myself. And since I can't clone Beowulf, it means a giant naked colossus troll. Daaaaamn.

I've prepared a giant loincloth beforehand. And a harness with a basket at the back for us. I made sure we were pretty visible.

"Now, Atlas, go forward." I've named my Colossus clone 'Atlas'. Deal with it.

We slowly approach the demon fort and stop outside arrow range. They take off with a couple wyverns and circle us twice before returning. Then the gate opened and four riders came forward. They have their weapons ready but are not charging. They stopped at around forty feet away from Atlas. And the walls are lining up with archers.

The one that seems to be the leader shouts, "Identify yourselves!" In the demon language.

"From where I came from, it is rude to ask for someone else's name before telling yours," I shout back in the human language.

The demons become confused. They are mumbling something about a human being there. It is funny.

The commander still shouts in the demon language, "What are you? There is no way a human could be in this place!"

It is fun teasing them, but I'm not here to pick a fight. I'll talk in their own language. "Hey, who or what I am doesn't matter. I'm here to talk, not to fight."

Again they argue between themselves.

I have my own demon society expert at hand. "Ranna, who is that guy in the middle?"

"He is Kolgra'ruth, one of the captains here at Ft. Gehenna."

"I want to return you safely home in exchange for a truce with the demon race. How should I proceed?"

"There is no such thing as a truce with the human realm. The demons will fight to the last one to eradicate the humans."

Aww, freaking awesome! I hate to admit but maybe Zahariel is right. And what is this 'to eradicate the humans' crap? You've been at it for seventy-five hundred years and still didn't accomplish it. Maybe the humans have some kind of secret weapon other than mana starvation...

"Ranna, would they make a truce with a really powerful monster?"

"Yes, this is possible. We have truces with the dragons of the mountains. We pay them tribute with rare meats and foods and they give us wyvern pups." So this is the source of their wyverns. I thought they bred them.

"I'm a strong monster, how should I proceed to make a truce with the demons?"

"You could prove your strength by demolishing this fort."

"Anything less radical?"

"Demons rule by strength. We would only make a truce with someone we regard as equals."

"And wiping out your little expeditionary force was not enough, I guess."

"No. I think demolishing this fort is the least you should do to be recognized."

"And how will Princess Jel'rannalath think if I demolished this fort?"

"I would recognize even more your strength."

The guys down there are even angrier, "How dare you ignore me and just talk to your female there!"

"Have more respect for Princess Jel'rannalath. I'm going to punish you for your impudence."

Fine. I'll demolish this freaking fort. I cast invisibility on both Ranna and I and fly away with her. "Atlas, break that gate. Keep attacking structures and ignoring demons as long as you can."

Away from Atlas. I'm going to the middle of their fort. "Ranna, focus on your stealth the max you can." We land on the roof of the tallest building at the center, I cast a stealth barrier, set a twilight totem and wait.

Ten minutes later, Atlas is defeated. He broke an entire section of the wall. Fine. One minute later, Atlas II is up. "Demolish every building standing up except this one I am on."

Atlas II didn't last five minutes. Without the bonus of my titles and only a lower grade version of my skills, the wyverns made short work of him. He still brought down a barracks.

Next one. I waited for two minutes for the wyvern patrols to spread out and Atlas III went out to break more buildings. It worked. He broke three stone buildings. before the wyverns came.

They are suspicious of this place. Set an anchor here. Delete the one from the ambush site. I feel we are going to have to fight soon. "Ranna, I'm inviting you to my party."

Xel'rannalath has joined your party. Xel'rannalath's job changed to Sniper

Title Four Realms (S) awarded.

Those that join a party containing Humans, Monsters, Angels, and Demons.

Exp sharing penalties reduced by 20% for each of the four (minus the first) present at the party.

Skill Party / Job Management level 8.

Party chat options unlocked.

Party chat is enabled.

Oh, monkeys bite me.

Cloude: I figured out how to use this thing. It is similar to talking to Beowulf while possessed.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Petal: Hello! How is everyone!  ♪♪

Marcy: Beowulf, why did you invite that succubus bitch to the party? What are you doing there?

Helen: Calm down, Marcy. I am sure he has a good reason. You are fighting for your life right now, RIGHT?

Zahariel: To think the day would come I would be in the same party as a demon...

Alvus: How do I do this, is it like talking to someone in your head?

Alvus: Oh, it worked.

Kochurearc: Reporting everything is in order, great Leader. We hunted some owlbears today!

Shraaizar: Ssstop blabbering. I'm trying to work here!

Caramel: I'm trying to lay some eggs here, stop talking!

Mittens: Hey, Grendel, bring some tasty demons for me!

Mercy: My, my! What a lovely bunch.

And the troll created the spam. And he saw it was not good. Coming next: Flame wars!

Grendel: Hey folks, please keep silence over the chat. Only for very important messages. And yes, we are fighting demons at their fort right now. Or at least trying to.

Helen: 😘

How the heck did Helen send an...

Groaawwrrrr!

Shit. A wyvern landed right next to me. It is sniffing our location. Goddamned [Dragon Bait] title.

"Ranna, hold my hand." five seconds chant... "Teleport."

I just pop back to the anchor where it all began. Freaking curse title...

I am a complete idiot.

I put a hand over my chest. "Cursebreaker!"

Title Dragon Bait (curse) revoked.

Can I remove Bug Bait too?

"Cursebreaker!"

Skill Cursebreaker level 7. Curse Removal Failed. Unable to lift the Bug Bait Curse.

Set my jobs to wizard and magician.

"Cursebreaker!"

Curse Removal Failed. Unable to lift the Bug Bait Curse.

Whoever cursed me with this bug bait curse has over a thousand magic stat. It was probably Beelzebub himself.

I should return to my hiding spot on the building. Summon three huge Earth elemental. "Glide behind the ground after my clone. Attack only structures." Magic Puppet, Atlas IV, go! "Break more walls."

Grab Ranna and Teleport.

Back at my perch. There is a wyvern there, but he pays us no mind. It takes off to sting Atlas IV. It is really easy when they don't fight back, right?

Ten minutes later and they have destroyed all three elementals and Atlas IV.

I should set my jobs back or I'll lose a lot of Exp. Also, I should set twilight totems and stealth barriers at several points of this rooftop.

Magic Puppet, Atlas V. "Break more buildings, don't fight back." Can I try to add more diversity?

"Summon Air Elemental."

I'll send the air elementals to harass the wyverns. Without the assistance of the wyverns, Atlas V was able to break six buildings and last twenty minutes before dying. Poison doesn't work on air elementals, it seems. Going around this rooftop, there seem to be only the wyvern stables and another low building besides this one standing. Of the six segments of the hexagonal wall, only one remains standing.

Scouting around, I can see tired faces on the demon troops. Half the wyverns also landed. I'm low on MP from all these summonses. But if I rest they rest.

Time to reap my spoils. Another batch of air elementals with orders to harass flying wyverns, one guardian spirit to help me protect Ranna, and Atlas VI to fight demons. Ranna and I are also fighting now. I gave her a quiver of poisoned arrows.

"Everyone, attack your targets. Ranna, you should always stay within four feet of me." In bodyguard range.

I'm low on MP and won't be able to toss lava bombs around or call the pyroclastic flow. I'll use the horn spear against the foot troops.

Atlas and the air elementals are fighting outside and we climb down some stairs into the central building. It is some sort of keep.

"There is no end to these giant trolls?"

"They are probably some sort of summoning. They vanish when destroyed."

Behind closed double doors, a conference seems to be held. The demon leaders are here, I'm sure of it. "Kill the furthest away first, Ranna!"

"Yes, Beowulf!"

I kick the door, it breaks like paper. I think [Siege Monster] works even in human-size. Inside, seven demons with fancy armors just like that company Captain.

I'll open with an anti-demon spell. "Sacred Ground!" The floor of the whole room and the corridor glow with a white light. The demons flinch before the surge of holy power.

Behind me, Ranna snipes two commanders at the back. The guardian spirit is behind her, guarding the corridor.

"Intruders!" They draw their weapons, but too late. We got the surprise.

"Colossal Might! Circle Slash!" Three of them fall down. A fourth was able to parry the spear. And the might series is back on. It is not the absurd hundred sixty something times of the emperor, but any damage boost is welcome.

The commander that reacted fast enough to parry the horn spear charges at me. I forgot the living shield... I dodge and he looks at the person behind me.

"Princess Xel'rannalath! You are alive! Why do you attack us!"

"Because you are weak! Die!" He was so surprised to see his princess against him that he was unable to react to the arrow that entered his left eye.

There is only one left alive. "You are not the princess! Die, Impostor! {Deathgrip}!"

A phantasmal hand appears in front of Ranna's chest and claws into her chest right above the heart. She faints with a sharp scream. There is no damage transferred through the sacrifice aura. It is either a 'doom' type of magic where it causes instant death bypassing the HP or the aura is being blocked by it.

It is of the dark element, this is probably a curse spell.

"Cursebreaker."

Curse Deathgrip was lifted. Curse Enthrallment was lifted.

The guardian spirit runs over us to attack the caster, but the guy blocks the attack with a short scepter. There is a dark red gem with black veins atop the scepter.

"Power Javelin!" The horn spear pierces the stomach of the demon commander and pins him to the wall. The guardian spirit attacks and finishes him.

I lift the succubus from the ground, "Ranna, talk to me, are you feeling well?" She is cold. There goes my last spell. {Full Heal}!

There is a weakening debuff on her.

Shit. The sacred ground affects her too. Dismiss. "Ranna, talk to me!"

She wakes up and awkwardly gets off of my arms, "Beowulf? Why are you so worried about me?"

"You are my companion for the moment. Why wouldn't I worry about you? Are you feeling well?"

"Yes. But I am no longer under your control. I could stab you right now, aren't you worried?" Fuck. I was so concerned with someone kill stealing me that I forgot to check the message. Create Thrall is considered a curse then. Good to know.

"Oh. Feel free to do so. I'll let you even get the wyvern venom arrows."

I've been periodically erasing Ranna's memories. She remembers nothing of the time she was imprisoned. Her last memory was fighting me.

"There is no need. I am completely powerless against you."

I silently cast thought whisperer on her.

"Pretty much. Say, will you cooperate with me willingly or will I have to make brain stew again with you?" I reach a hand for her.

"And I will die if I refuse, right?" Her thoughts: "This before me is no man. It is the most terrible monster to ever walk the land. But it is my fate as foreseen."

"As long as I think you have value to me, you live. Because you are a very tasty Exp bag I've been nurturing so far. Maybe it is time to harvest."

She cackles like a mad demon. "I can't believe this! This power, this confidence, this look of scorn as if I was just a bug under his feet!" I should mention that I really hate reading people's minds. I sometimes don't believe my own thoughts.

She kneels before me, "I pledge my life and my soul to Lord Beowulf!"

I am no sadist, but I am a callous monster. I won't keep this twisted succubus near me. She either returns home or becomes Exp.

I go around the room tossing everything including corpses and furniture in the item box and rest for a few minutes. Atlas has died and combat outside has ended because the System awarded Exp after a few minutes.

Xel'rannalath has gained 6 + 8 levels (4-Racial: 34 > 40, 4-Sniper 24 > 32). Grendel has gained 10 + 11 + 11 levels (4-Racial: 15 > 25, 3-Warrior 19 > 30, 3-Scout 19 > 30). + 225 SP

It seems these guys were the commanders of this place. Too bad for them.

I need to find a really long pike.