The sky darkened, grey clouds rumbling with lightning.
A distant arc of lightning descends, following flashes of thunder. Echoes of steel clashing together filled the northern lands of the Luca clan. In the wet, rainy marshes, a group of women in jet-black armour face off against a single man.
"Don't lower your guard after your strike fails!"
"Ack!"
"Ugh!"
SWOOSH—!
Asmodeus flicked his greatsword, sending two demon knights catapulting back—their eyes rolled back from the immense force.
His body then twisted to avoid the eastern sword of Fuuka slicing through the air. His left arm shot out in a punch before Fuuka could even react and stopped before it hit. However, the immense pressure caused a smashing blow to impact her abdomen, knocking the wind right out of her.
The blow left the knight unconscious in a shallow pool of her blood as Fuuka collapsed.
A few demon knights jumped from a muddy cliff. Their blades primed to strike him from behind.
"We can't give him time to counter-attack!"
"Hyah!"
"Never, announce yourself by making noise when trying to attack from behind!"
Asmodeus sounded furious, his head snapping at the three knights in mid-air, glaring with sharp blue eyes. He lifted his hand before a volley of blood arrows shot from the magic circles that formed instantly.
"Kyahhhh!"
"Uaargh!"
"Clanswomen of the Inukami and my lovely Grigor Demon Knights! I would be disappointed if this is all you have to show me today!"
His low, sharp voice caused the air to tremble. The women smashed into the rocks, shattering them with the force of his blow, their bodies impaled with bloody spears.
A dark pressure, filled with anger and pure force, emanated from the new Demon King.
The remaining knights and those that recovered their senses backed up from the black armoured demon king with an imposing presence.
"Hehe... It looks like we don't stand a chance at all."
"Shut up, Kanon."
A beautiful orange-haired girl with wolf-shaped ears quietly muttered while holding her sword in readiness. This girl was just another former member of the Shrine Maiden warriors from Inukami. In fact, her father was a wolf, and her mother a fox.
Before Asmodeus came to the clan, the clan treated her like a low-class servant and an unwanted hybrid.
Yet, upon noticing her skill, she snuck into the training grounds and mimicked the spearmanship of her peers. Currently, she serves Asmodeus as a member of the Demon Knights.
Asmodeus himself recruited her to join his knights, accepting his blood and oath.
Thus, she took his word as a gospel.
"Don't tell me to shut up, Lu!"
He watched the knights, feeling a little disappointed.
A little aura made them back off. Asmodeus really didn't want to hurt them for no reason, but would the enemy let them go? No, the enemy would skewer them like pigs...
So, he had to abandon his feelings and treat them all like the enemy.
"The blood arrow barrage just then... I did not even use ten percent of my strength in that technique."
The three women gasped and trembled in shock and horror, the agony and pain causing them to tremble. Yet the other knights now realised his words about what he would do if anyone tried to run or didn't reach his expectations.
"That technique is enough for you guys... However, I want it to become useless, something you can dodge, avoid and counter."
He could only hide his smile, a feeling of familial desire towards these knights. Yet Fuuka was the only one who remained human, a hero who sought not to become like the knights.
'She challenges me to a duel every time we train... even if I flay her skin, penetrate her chest with blood spears... or cut her down.'
'Fuuka never submit once!'
"I look forward to the meal, Fredricka your knights have improved well, even in the short three days."
To be honest, Asmodeus felt the one who grew the most wasn't a knight. It was the beautiful blonde woman with fluffy ears, now wearing the same black armour as the demon knights.
His mind returned to the second evening after he crushed the transformed demon knights and almost killed seven of them.
***
A few nights before...
"Asmodeus!"
While inside his tent, he watched the opening flicker open, and a beautiful princess entered. Yuina's body wore a lovely white kimono, yet in her hands, she held a sword and a request.
"What's the matter, Yuina?"
'I wonder what she wants...'
Aki didn't come with her on this trip because Asmodeus didn't want someone to look after her or baby her. Since then, she has washed, cooked and prepared herself without Aki's help.
'Aki should be with Alice right now, being trained like a dog.'
"I want to become a knight!"
"Huh?"
'What is this woman talking about?!'
Asmodeus felt shocked at that lovely princess, although she could use a spear and sword. He didn't feel she was a warrior but rather a noble... yet...
Asmodeus watched as her eyes burned with determination.
"What do you wish for Yuina?
"Treat me like them, make me fight in the dirt, choke on my blood and fight myself like them! Asmodeus, please don't make me a princess or a weakling to be looked at... please..."
"Please, make me your blade... A blade that lives only for you. I do not wish to become anything but something useful to you!"
'Yuina...'
'What are these intense feelings?'
His eyes widened, and a look of awe at her declaration... she made his chest flutter. It then dawned on him that she was like her sister. No. Maybe Yumiko got her strengths from this beautiful princess who seemed to glow with aura.
"You... I can see great pride in your eyes."
'If I made her into a demoness and my wife. Would she become a demon of pride, the most versatile and loyal of all demons?'
For a moment, he looked at her in silence.
"Why do you wish to become my sword, to become something for me... I am already your sisters future husband and your brother-in-law."
"We are already family!"
Then Yuina's eyes became fierce; for the first time, he felt her ferocious and animalistic nature.
The princess of the Inukami, a beastkin.
It was the first time Yuina put her desire before her duty, before her people.
She gazed at him with clear, beautiful blue eyes and suddenly spoke with a proud, noble and beautiful voice.
"You will become my mate, Asmodeus Vincenzo!"