Chapter 629: 'Battlefield'

The battle between the God Realm and the Human-Demon United Forces continues to rage, and various battles are being fought on many floating islands.

On one of those islands, near the floating island where the non-combatants gathered within a barrier, a battle is also being fought.

[……Guhh.]

Lilim, one of the Ten Demons, falls to one knee under the attack of multiple low-ranking Gods…… For her, or rather, for some people, including her, this battle was very unfavorable right from the very start.

All of the Gods have been empowered by Shallow Vernal. In other words, they have all received "Shallow Vernal's Informal Blessing". Which means any kind of status ailments currently wouldn't have an effect on the Gods.

In other words, Lilim's powerful "Temptation" was also currently ineffective against the Gods. Thus, she was struggling against her opponents.

[Mother!?]

The one who flusteredly rushed over to her side…… was Lilim's only daughter, Chris. Yes, Chris is intelligent. The fact that her mother's true identity is that she's one of the Ten Demons……. was something she had realized long ago.

The time when she felt repulsed by her mother's existence was already a story of the past. For the current Chris, Lilim was her irreplaceable…… and important mother. That's why, with a shaken expression on her face unimaginable from how she usually acts, she tried rushing towards Lilim's side.

[Don't come here!]

[ ! ? ]

However, she was stopped by Lilim's sharp voice.

Chris also held a certain amount of fighting ability. However, it was at the level of self-defense at best, and it was impossible for her to keep up with a battle like this. With her strength, she wouldn't even be able to inflict a single scratch against a low-ranking God.

[……But…… still……]

[You're just going to become a burden! Go back inside the barrier!]

Lilim's words were right. Chris also knew that. But even so, thinking about her inability to do anything, she bit her lip.

Seeing such a Chris, a kind smile suddenly appeared on Lilim's lips as she stood up, turned her back to Chris and spoke.

[Stay within the barrier and watch…… Keep those eyes wide open and understand.]

[……Mother.]

[……Know that unlike the average succubi who can't do anything without their Temptations, your mother is far more powerful!]

With those words, Lilim kicked off the ground and headed towards the multiple low-ranking Gods. Brandished blades, piercing spears…… Fluidly dodging through them as she drew closer, she blew away the low-ranking Gods one after another with her clenched fists.

[Don't get negligent! You better not think that a single skill is enough for someone to become one of the Six Kings' executives…… With a position like ours, even if you don't want to have it, you're going to need pure combat power!]

Mothers are at their strongest when they're protecting their children. As if her previous struggles had been a lie, Lilim buried one low-ranking God after another. However, there were still too many of them for her to seal all of them.

The fallen low-ranking Gods were immediately revived and attacked again. Seeing their revival, Lilim clicked her tongue and prepared to intercept them…… but a huge spear suddenly protruded from the ground, skewering several low-ranking Gods.

[……What the, so you're also surprisingly good at muddy battles huh. It can't be helped, I'll lend you a hand.]

[Tsk…… Moloch. Your help isn't needed.]

The one who landed next to Lilim with a faint smile on her lips was a brown-skinned Demon…… Moloch, another member of the Ten Demons. Even as she throws insults on Moloch, Lilim still continues sealing one low-ranking God after another.

But of course, it didn't end there. In front of the two of them, a God clad in magic power that is clearly on a different level from the previous Gods appeared.

[……It looks like a high-ranking God has arrived.]

[Looks like it. However, I wonder if they were that composed to send a high-ranking God against us?]

[What do you mean?]

While looking at Lilim and Moloch who had raised their guards, the high-ranking God looked slightly dubious at Moloch's words.

[It's not that big of a deal. I'm just saying that there are other people out there that you high-ranking God should be going against.]

[……It's not a problem. There is a selection of high-ranking Gods fighting against War King and Dragon King. We've also assigned high-ranking Gods to fight against War King's Five Generals and the other members of the Six Kings' executives as well.]

[Fufufu, how could these Gods be so hard-headed? Don't say we didn't warn you when you get your ass kicked, okay?]

[……What?]

The high-ranking God couldn't quite understand what Moloch and Lilim were trying to say. Therefore, she didn't immediately start fighting them, but waited for both of them to continue.

[You and the rest are aware of the bad relationship between the Phantasmal King Corps and the War King's subordinates, right? You lot should also know that Agni-dono, the head of the War King's subordinates, and Pandora-sama, the Chief of us Ten Demons, do not get along well……]

[What about it?]

[Now, this is just what I'm saying. There's one thing that Agni-dono, who hates Pandora-sama with all her heart, has never complained about……]

Having said that much, the high-ranking God finally understood. Yes, the standard for Duke-rank may have been Ein, but even though they weren't given such a rank, it wouldn't be strange if there are Count-ranks with the strength of a Duke-rank……

Then, as if to affirm that idea, a huge chain wrapped around the neck of the high-ranking God.

[Wha!?]

[……Oh look, speak of the devil and she appears. Well, just prepare yourself. Being called "The Strongest Count-Rank" isn't something you can easily achieve, you know……]

The high-ranking God, whose neck was wrapped in chains was dragged away. At the other end of the chain, she saw Pandora fighting with a vicious expression on her face as she took on multiple high-ranking Gods.

Pandora…… Not only is she the Chief of Phantasmal King's executives, she is the only one among Phantasmal King's subordinates who is allowed to serve as "Phantasmal King's representative".

Although she has a troubling personality, she is trusted by Alice, the Phantasmal King, and is one of her strongest subordinates.

Pandora is Alice's hands, her feet, her eyes, and her ears. Pandora's entire existence is dedicated to Alice…… and right now, she is doing her best to eliminate Alice's obstacles, crushing all enemies.

The Pandora of today isn't tormenting her opponents. She had become a mad Demon that buried her enemies quickly and without any mercy.

On another floating island, another member of the Ten Demons, Pandemonium…… Illness was fighting against several Gods. Just like Lilim, her power to control plague and diseases are currently ineffective against the Gods.

Even if that's so, such resistance holds no meaning. Illness does indeed have the power to manipulate diseases, and that was what she's known for.

However, she has "never relied on that power". She only uses it when it is more efficient to do so.

Rather than making use of such a power, she is a master of martial arts and can fight well even against Gods with enhanced magic power and physical abilities. On top of that, she had one more "trump card".

As the high-ranking Gods began to show themselves in the battle, Illness quietly turned her gaze towards them…… "and her eyes focused".

Her eyes, which usually seem to be staring into the void…… the moment they focused, the view in Illness' eyes becomes incredibly clear.

As her eyes could clearly see even the small scratches and stains on the blades that were being brandished at her at super speed, she fluidly handled all of her opponents' strikes.

Yes, the reason why Illness' eyes usually weren't focused…… was because she was born with "too good of an eyesight". With her eyes providing a wide viewing angle, she could clearly see both near and far. In addition, her dynamic eyesight was so great that even a strike from a high-ranking God seemed to be really slow.

Possessing eyes that could no longer be at a level where it could be called magic eyes, Illness usually avoided focusing her eyes because she would get tired if her eyes stayed focused like that.

However, now was not the time to worry about fatigue. For the sake of her beloved Kaito, she also unleashed all of her power to fight.

Battles are strange things. They have a flow to them, as if they were a living organism. It is very important for one to catch the flow of the battle, for if one is able to grasp it, even a weaker fighter can defeat a stronger one.

This flow not only exists in individual battles, but in large-scale battles as well. There are several factors that contribute to this flow: strength, determination, strategy, luck…… there are many different factors, but it isn't always possible to get the flow just by suppressing these factors.

The battle between the God Realm and the Human-Demon United Forces is now at a stage where they are fighting for that flow.

The scales of the battle are now swinging. If it tips too far in either direction, the state of the war will dramatically change.

<Afterword>

~~ Strength Ranking of the Six Kings' Subordinate Head (Count-ranks) ~~

・ Physical Attack Power

Pandora(The Strongest Count-rank) > Agni > Zwei (Ein holds Underworld King's Chief position though) > Fafnir > Lillie

・ Magic Attack Power

Pandora > Zwei > Lillie > Fafnir > Agni

・ Physical Defense

Pandora > Lillie > Agni > Fafnir > Zwei

・ Magic Defense

Pandora > Lillie > Zwei > Fafnir > Agni

・ Speed

Pandora > Fafnir > Agni > Zwei > Lillie

・ Endurance (HP)

Pandora > Fafnir > Lillie > Agni > Zwei

・ Magic Power (MP)

Pandora > Lillie > Fafnir > Agni > Zwei (Her magic power isn't that great, just enough to fit in her container, the magic doll)

? ? ? : [Well, putting that aside, the serialization of the manga is starting on the October issue of Comp Ace. Well, everyone's beloved Alice-chan may not have come out yet, but please feel free to fill out the online survey.]

Serious-senpai : [……Tsk.]

? ? ? : [What's with that dissatisfied look on your face?]

Serious-senpai : [I'm not going to be in the manga anyway…… Even though I thought I'm going to be drawn……]

? ? ? : [Now, now, please calm down and think about it.]

Serious-senpai : [What?]

? ? ? : [If we get good rankings in the survey → becomes popular → manga starts to launch…… and what do you find in mangas?]

Serious-senpai : [!? There's the back cover! Which means, I could come out! W- We need to get the survey out! I don't know if I'll be able to make it in time!!!]

? ? ? : [……You've finally stopped complaining about only getting the back cover and was instead happily aiming for the back cover huh……]

T/N: 49/183

These chapters are relatively short, so here. Also, best girl appeared in the translated manga already. Oh, Serious-senpai too.