Chapter 256 Irethiel's Power-Up!



As Meira disappeared into the shadows, Ares turned his attention to Irethiel. "Irethiel, I need you to go to Jessica and deliver this information about the Demon Lords. Make sure she is adequately prepared for the dangers they pose," Ares instructed.

!?

Rose's voice chimed in, hesitant and worried. "Wait, what? Are you sure it's wise to send Master to Jessica? It's the same as sending her into the Demon lord's lair to get captured and killed."

"Don't worry, Rose. Jessica won't kill her. She still has use for Irethiel. And I have faith in her abilities to escape if things get dangerous," Ares reassured.

Before Rose could argue further, Irethiel spoke up. "Alright, I will go," she said, her determination shining through.

"Good. But before you leave, take this," Ares said, taking out a wristwatch from his pocket. "I think it may be of some help to you."

He pressed a button on the watch, and a small compartment appeared through a holographic light, revealing a heart-sized, orange-colored core.

Irethiel's eyes widened in disbelief as she gazed at the core.

"T-This is...?" she trailed off, her voice filled with awe.

"Yes, It's the core of Demon Lord Pazuzu," Ares confirmed, passing it to her with a grin spreading across his face.

!!

"W-Wait What?" Rose exclaimed in shock, her expression mirroring Irethiel's.

"I only recently learned of its existence from Meira, who discovered it while rescuing me from Pazuzu's dungeon. Meira believed that the core had value and concealed it in my watch, but she neglected to inform me of its presence until today," Ares explained.

"...."

Irethiel was speechless as she took the demon lord Pazuzu's core from Ares, her eyes remained fixated on the orange gem. She knew how powerful and invaluable Demon Lord's cores could be.

During her peak time centuries ago, there was only one Demon Lord that was killed, and all the other Demon Lords had waged wars against each other just to obtain the dead Demon Lord's core. 

Because the core not only contains the dead Demon lord's remaining energy, but also one of their special abilities, making it invaluable to any demon seeking to enhance their strength and gain new powers.

'Unfortunately, due to Pazuzu's recent unsealing, his core no longer holds sufficient energy. Nonetheless, with the acquisition of several more demon lord cores, not only can I regain my prior strength, but also surpass it and elevate myself to the status of a demon lord.

By utilizing the abilities of the various demon lords whose cores I have obtained, I can achieve unparalleled power,' Irethiel contemplated silently her grin grew wider as she clutched the core tightly in her hand, feeling the immense power coursing through it.

Her dream of becoming a Demon Lord no longer seemed like a distant fantasy. Irethiel could now see a clear path to making her dream come true.

Without wasting any more time, she closed her eyes in concentration and began to siphon the energy from the core. The room was filled with a bright light that quickly faded as the core changed color into a transparent white and shattered into pieces, turning into particles that dissipated into the air.

And immediately after siphoning the Demon Lord's core energy, Irethiel's appearance underwent a transformation. Her hair, which was previously purple, now shimmered in various shades of violet and silver, cascading down her back in voluminous waves. Her curvaceous body became even more seductive, enhancing her natural charm and captivating allure.

As she opened her eyes, her once bewitching red eyes had become even more intense and piercing, resembling a blazing inferno. The two horns on the sides of her head had grown longer and sharper, giving her an even more ferocious appearance.

!!

Rose felt a chill run down her spine at the sight of Irethiel's transformed appearance. She had never seen her master look like this, even during her prime.

Ares nodded with a grin as he witnessed the overwhelming power emanating from Irethiel. He knew that she was now even stronger than before.

"...This power! I've missed it so much," Irethiel murmured with satisfaction, admiring her new appearance.

Rose, sensing a change in her master's aura, asked excitedly, "M-Master, have you regained your strength?"

"Not yet, but it will suffice for the time being to protect myself," Irethiel replied, shaking her head. She turned to Ares and expressed her gratitude, saying, "Thank you so much, Ares. With this power, I am confident that I can handle anything that comes my way, even that woman Jessica."

Irethiel's expression grew fierce as she remembered the encounter when she first met Jessica and how she attempted to strangle her to death. "I also have a score to settle with that woman," she added with a grin.

Ares nodded in response, pleased with Irethiel's newfound strength, "I am glad the core was helpful to you. However, I believe it would be wise to hold off on settling any scores with Jessica for the time being. She is the President of the Hero Association for a reason, and we still don't know what that woman is capable of." he advised.

Irethiel considered Ares's words before reluctantly agreeing to prioritize their mission over her desire for revenge. "I guess you're right. For now, we need to focus on Lilith and Asmodeus," she said with a sigh.

With their plan of action set in motion, Ares advised Irethiel to leave and meet with Jessica. Time was of the essence, and they couldn't afford any delays. "You should leave right away and meet with her," he suggested.

Irethiel nodded in agreement. "Understood. I'll depart immediately." She then turned to Rose. "Take care of our master while I am away."

With that, Irethiel turned towards Ares, gave him a warm smile, and transformed into her crow form. In a swift motion, she flew out of the window and disappeared into the sky.

Swish—

!?

Rose was in a state of disbelief as she stared at the window where Irethiel had just flown out of. "...Did she just say our master?" She muttered to herself.

Rose couldn't believe that her master, who had always been so prideful, was now acknowledging a human as her master and listening to his commands without any objections.

"You heard her right? I will be in your care Rose," Ares's voice brought her back to reality.

"....."

Rose still wore a look of disbelief as she processed what had just happened. She remained silent and turned to Ares with a blank expression, still trying to comprehend her new situation.

'...So, does that mean Ares is also my master now?' she wondered. 'How will I manage serving two masters? And what kind of tasks will this human ask me to do?' Rose's mind raced with questions as she struggled to make sense of the situation.

Ares seemed to notice her confusion and chuckled before exiting his room, leaving Rose standing there in a state of bewilderment.

***

As Ares strode down the hall, his mind buzzed with thoughts. The novel's storyline had taken an unexpected turn, and it was clear that someone was manipulating events behind the scenes.

"That bastard," Ares muttered under his breath, realizing that an unknown figure was responsible for releasing the demon lords.

Despite being only in the tournament arc, four demon lords had already been revealed, and Pazuzu had met his demise at his hands.

But Ares knew very well that he had to be on guard for the remaining three demon lords and find the mysterious figure behind their release.

'How is he unsealing them? Does he also have knowledge of runic languages?' Ares wondered, contemplating the identity and capabilities of the mysterious figure.

"I must prepare myself for the unexpected," he concluded.

The unsealing of the demon lords had disrupted the balance of the story, and Ares felt a sense of frustration and urgency. The tournament arc was meant to be a time of growth for the protagonist, Lucas, but now it seemed that Lucas was a mere side character in this grand scheme of things.

"The situation we're facing is far direr than what was depicted in the novel," Ares muttered, realizing that Lucas was nowhere near strong enough to take on even a single demon lord, let alone three.

They were supposed to be released much later in the story after Lucas had gained enough strength through multiple arcs of character development.

'...It's as if I am the protagonist now and he's just a mere side character. The world no longer revolves around him,' Ares thought to himself, feeling frustrated with the unexpected turn of events.

Realizing the gravity of the situation, they had to act fast. Waiting for Lucas to gain enough strength could lead to disaster, as the Demons might have already taken over the world by then.

"I cannot afford to wait for that incompetent protagonist to catch up with the rapidly evolving situation," Ares declared firmly, a plan already forming in his mind.