“You’re really strong! Hey, do you mind if we tag along with you? It’ll make our lives easier in this desolate place.” Ivara shamelessly asked with an optimistic expression and twirled one of her hair strands. In the past, their settlement was destroyed and were forced to be on the run, she had a bleak perspective on her life and was awfully close to giving up.
Now that they have found a powerful individual with no affiliations she started to have confidence in her future. Just when Pallidus was about to speak he was cut off by a violent explosion.
The sounds of cries and swords clashing against each other can be heard from a distance. Pallidus frowned as the sounds started getting stronger, the sinners were getting ready for another battle until a hand stopped them.
“Stay behind me.” Pallidus materialized a black spear that exerted an aura that made the sinners feel a chill. Pallidus spread out his energy towards the battle to observe the scene. He soared towards the battle with the trio attempting to catch up with him.
“Damn, he’s too fast, how much energy does this guy have?” Tigris said with a shocked expression.
In the direction of where the skirmish was taking place was two massive groups clashing against each other with an array of weapons and spells.
“No more running, Sinners… Your existence in this realm is over!” a demon growled.
This demon resembled a scrawny bipedal creature with long claws and an abnormally shaped head burrowed into the ground.
He appeared behind a man that was covered in bandages that could be misinterpreted for a mummy. Right as when the demon would pierce the man’s back, a black spear cleaved off his arm. Out of nowhere a pale man with black rags appeared, this was Pallidus. With no effort, he finished off the demon in an instant.
The bandaged man grunted as a way of thanks with a steady expression on his face however he was indeed scared inside ‘I didn’t even feel his presence’.
Pallidus silently nodded before continuing to cut down another group of demons that had the strength of class 2s. This did not leave unnoticed by the demon king as he saw their numbers dwindling fast despite the fact that they outmatched the sinners 3 to 1.
He was bewildered at the same time enraged and looked at another company of demons being decimated by a single man. The leader flapped his wings and flew towards him while taking out his large sword that can be considered as a modified claymore.
He was a tall, muscular creature wearing white robes that give off a military semblance. The demon had a sheath meant for the large sword at his side and horns protruding out of his head.
Due to Pallidus’ level being far higher than the demon’s, he could see the stats of the creature in front of him. However, if the demon had possessed any hidden skills or blessings he will not be able to see them.
Name: Realis
Age: 110 years
Level: 390 (Class 3)
HP: 95000/95000
Claymore: Increases all stats by 30%, Requires at least 40 points in STR in order to use.
“You are strong and quick if it weren’t for your opposition I would’ve considered recruiting you. However since you are so bold to resist me, Realis, the commander of lord Cyrus you shall fall here where your remains are desecrated forever!” the demon king bellowed at the still man who snorted at him, this small gesture irritated him.
“Lord Cyrus? Lord of what? All I see is a vast emptiness of desert. There is nothing here to rule.” Pallidus retorted causing the demon king to glare at him.
“You’re just an insignificant being unworthy of the lord’s ambition” the demon swung his blade downwards to Pallidus.
The pale humanoid noticed that the demon most likely possessed the strength of a 4th class due to the force being greater than the beast he recently killed. He dropped his bloodied spear which dispersed into particles and brought out his shattered sword which caused others nearby look at him as if he was senseless.
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‘A broken sword against my weapon? You’re only going to meet your death faster’ the demon king thought the man before him was foolish and little did he know he was far off the mark.
A resounding clang, with sand spewing out everywhere from the clash, could be heard that silenced the battlefield.
“There’s no way he could fight against that demon.”
“Sigh. Another strong sinner lost in our ranks.”
“Do you think he’s still alive?” Ivara asked with worry evident in her voice.
“He should be capable of withstanding the strike since he’s at the peak of class 3. However, I do not know if he will be seriously injured or not.”
As the dust settled, a figure could be caught standing unharmed with his shattered sword at his side. The strike didn’t kill him and was even parried much to Realis’ shock. This was the first time a sinner had lived a single one of his blows.
Pallidus had a bored look on his face as he expected this to happen. Before Realis could regain his composure, Pallidus moved at an incredible speed and sliced off his head which went tumbling across the desert.
The battlefield went silent, the two groups along with the trio of sinners that was with him stared at him. They all had a mix of emotions; fear, awe, respect, and admiration.
<< Demon King Realis has been slaughtered! >>
[Morale of demon army goes down by 50%]
[Morale of Sinners goes up by 50%]
[Rewards: Realis’ Claymore, Map Fragment]
“The leader has fallen! Retreat! We must Retr-ACK!” a demon shouted and was slammed to the ground by the strike of a hammer from a sinner.
“Do not let them leave! Kill them all!” a scrawny sinner yelled and proceeded to chase after the demons seeking to flee the battlefield.
The sinners let out a battle cry and charged through the group of demons. Normally the demons’ overall strength would let them be able to crush the sinners. However due to Pallidus’ presence and the fact that their leader fell made them lose reason and were overwhelmed by fear.
Most of the demon army was annihilated with a few escapees most likely going to report to Cyrus. The sinners cheered as they had finally retaliated once against the demons.
“My name is Elreon and I’m the leader of this group. On the behalf of my companions, you have our thanks for freeing us. Were it not for you we may have lost many people and perhaps all of us would’ve fallen to the demon army.” A middle-aged man had walked to Pallidus with a look full of gratitude.
“It is no problem. I was only in the area and was helping out those that can’t fight back.” Pallidus was cutting open Realis’ chest to find a core only to end up disappointed. Seeing this, Elreon decided to offer him a couple of cores from other beasts they’ve hunted over the years due to him helping them.
Pallidus accepted the gift and stored them in his inventory. Tigris and his group arrived with looks of relief that their savior was unharmed.
“Holy shit man! You’re one hell of a warrior! To slice down a class 3 casually, how much strength is needed to do that?” Tigris exclaimed with a look of respect. He was not the only one wondering as the other sinners nearby were curious about how he obtained his strength.
Pallidus did not know how to answer to this question as he really had no idea due to the loss of memories. Fortunately for him, Ivara mistook his silence for him being uncomfortable and decided to intervene.
“It's fine if you don’t want to talk about it as everyone has their own secrets. Anyways enough of that, you didn’t answer my question back then! Can we tag along with you?”
“If that’s the case then I would also like to request your assistance until we have established a durable settlement,” Elreon added considering his group’s safety would be guaranteed.
“I do not mind but in compensation of my protection, I would have to ask you guys some questions concerning this place as I am sorely lacking information” Pallidus was really out in the dark regarding the situation in the regions which can be rather inconvenient.
“That is no problem, we have plenty of travelers in our group who are knowledgeable including me. But first, let’s leave this area before more demons appear. I fear they have heard the sounds of our clashes.” Elreon suggested which everyone nodded in agreement.
------
… a ruler of a poor region that could not challenge his rule yet with his strength he cannot challenge those major territories. It was quite a pity but over time he will gain strength and become a threat to them.
“M-my king,” a one-armed man with the head of a goat kneeling spoken with hesitation “Commander Realis and his group have been wiped out.”
“...And why aren’t you?”
Empty sockets coldly observed the inferior demon in front of him. Cyrus was not content and was annoyed. He recently developed into a peak 4th class demon, the highest stage in the local area no one should be his equal and everybody should know his fury. The eradication of one of his battalions in charge of capturing sinners was a failure extended to him.
“I-I..There was a chaos everywhere. I was fortunate to be n-not close to the fight.”
“So you ran and deserted from the battle?” Cyrus’ voice sounded calm but carried a coldness with it.
Cyrus stood up from his throne and gazed across his armies. His crimson robe that looked like it was dyed in the blood of his foes. Small plots of pitch black fur could be seen on his shoulders and wrist areas. Every part of his robe swayed with every step he made towards the goat demon.
The demon paled as he felt his gaze upon him and knew he was finished.
“Let this be a lesson and a message to all of you,” Cyrus said as he slowly moved his palm towards the trembling demon. “To bring such shame and disgrace upon my rule is a sin worthy of death.”
A bright blast could be seen and the demon was obliterated before he could utter a word. He turned towards one of his subordinates that looked like a praying mantis with an ugly brown color scheme.
“Who killed Realis and his army?” Cyrus asked with curiosity surfacing within him. He knew that Realis was at least near the peak of the 3rd class and with his claymore, he should be able to contend against 4th classes.
The mantis demon stroked his chin for a moment on how to answer him. As he was in charge of logistics, he had an abundance of information circulating through him and identified the previous location of the decimated army.
“It is a whisper in these lands,” the demon paused before continuing “But there is a rumor floating around that the sinner from the Plains of Deprivation has exited out of his domain.”
The praying mantis demon gained the full attention of Cyrus.
“...The Sinner of Obstruction, the fallen god of the shattered realm.”