"My lord, should I take care of this ant, who dares--
"No, it is customary to let a messenger return safe and sound to his master. In any case, he will only have a few more days or years to live. After this time has elapsed, I'd personally take care of his case." Retorted Alvine without paying more attention to Gartas.
"... Heard, my lord." Luna nodded and stealthily approached Alvine to prevent any surprise attack by the demon, who had a red face of rage, despite the fact that he had green and scaly skin.
After that, Alvine looked at the messenger with cold eyes.
(Instead of following you, I have a message for your dear master. Repeat my words to him without omitting a single alphabet: I didn't come here to talk over a cup of tea; my goal is simple,
He suddenly stopped in the middle of his sentence and indexed before him.
-Whoosh!!
Suddenly, Doungra's silhouette instantly appeared in front of him. The latter's body was skinny to the point that he gave people the impression of looking at a dead man with skin stuck to his bones.
(As I said, my goal is simple, because of this dog, I have lost someone who can never be replaced. So see me as an enemy. Kill me if you don't want to die in my place.
-And one last thing, I let it pass for this time, but if I still see you in front of me like a messenger or another bastard, I'd simply kill him without even listening to what he has to say.)
He ended his short speech while sending Doungra back into the dimension.
(Kekekeh! You don't understand the extent of the luck you just missed. But for my part, I will also let you live as my master wished. But your death will only be more painful in the future.)
Gargas' rock laughter resounded in the vicinity to the point that his expression distorted his already demonic face.
Seeing this, Alvine sighed boringly.
"Well, Luna, I know I said that it's customary to let a messenger go home alive and safe and sound; but now, let's forget the part where I said: safe and sound; do you know what I mean?" He then focused on Luna.
"... You're always righteous, my lord!" The latter responds in a fly voice, seeing Alvine simply find an excuse as he used to do to kill all those who crossed their roads.
"Hehe, I know, I know. Anyway, I'll show you some interesting tips to change an arrogant messenger into a good and obedient little dog." He said as he approached Gargas up to one meter and looked at him straight into his blood-red pupils with his own.
(I changed my mind, dear Mr. 39th. What if you showed me what you, the famous and one of the arrogant celestial demons, have in your belly?)
(... I have an order not to use my powers against inferior beings like you. If it wasn't to respect my master's order, you'd already beg me to spare your wretch li--
-BANG!
Before he finishes his words, Alvine's palm mercilessly slams on his cheek, sending him to fly like a boomerang hundreds of meters away.
"Hm? What's his problem?" He frowned while whispering these words to himself.
He then looked at his palm and realized that he had traces of green blood on it.
'Seriously, why do I feel like I overestimated this bastard? Do I really have such a bad judgment?' He continued looking at Luna, who had her usual expression, except for the proud little smile at the corners of her lips, as if she was the one who had just hit Gragas.
(Bastard! I'm going to kill you!!)
-Woosh!!
Almost instantly, Gargas' angry voice resonated from afar as he rushed towards Alvine with a gigantic halberd whistling towards Alvine's neck.
-Grab!!
Before his halberd touched Alvine's neck, the latter stopped his attack by clinging to the blade of his halberd with his bare-handed.
But Alvine's face darkened the next moment after noticing his hand bleeding from the small notch his opponent's weapon had just caused.
(So, the celestial demons are as strong as that, huh? No wonder Dougra asked me if I was also one of the celestial demons.)
He retorted with platitude as he controlled the few droplets of blood he had just lost and recast them into a small dagger that directly stabbed Gargas' left shoulder!
-Whoo!!
The next moment, the small notch on his palm instantly regenerated less than a sec after the appearance of the scarlet flames that covered the wound on his palm.
Following that, he looked at Gargas, bleeding left shoulder ten meters from him, and who had a red face of rage and disbelief.
But Gargas didn't give up, may because of his pride or something similar.
-Wuishhh!
His silhouette suddenly eclipsed in front of Alvine and instantly appeared behind him at a faster speed than the previous one and once again aimed at Alvine's neck with his halberd.
-?!
But simultaneously, while his halberd was less than a centimeter away from touching Alvine, his movements froze suddenly!
(What is--??
'Sigh, I think I got what I wanted from him.' Alvine murmured to himself, looking at Gargas with even more bloodthirsty eyes.
And simultaneously, Gargas' pupils became empty and darkened, taking on the same abyssal colors as when Alvine used his shadow powers.
"Who is your master?" Alvine asked him this question in Azania's language.
"... My master is this universe's ruler, and that reigns over everyone." Gargas' voice resonated with platitude by answering Alvine in the same common Alzania language.
Hearing Gargas' statements, Alvine frowns.
"So, what does your dear master want me? Why did he send a simple dog instead of coming directly to meet me if he's so curious about me?" He asked with dark pupils, proving he used his shadow skills on Gargas.
"..."
"I demand an answer!" He said, strengthening his mental control over him after noticing his silence.
"... I don't know why she wanted to meet you. All she told me was not to underestimate you if I did not want to die a tragic death in the hands of one of the few supreme beings."
"?? She? Do you mean that your master is a woman?"
"Yes."
"Hmm, and why does she think I'm a supreme being? Is she talking about one of my subordinates?"
"... I don't know. I didn't dare to ask her the question."
"..."
'Well, this transcendent is more and more interesting. I was wondering how a transcendent could be powerful and smarter. But it seems she is not different from the others like Sabrina.' He said to himself by denying the hypotheses of the Gargas's master without thinking more.
"Finally, what did you mean by being the 39th celestial demon? Does this number represent your seniority as a celestial demon or your power?"
"Yes, I am Gargas, the 39th most powerful celestial demon among the hundred celestial demons!"
Hearing him answer his question almost instantly, Alvine had a small ironic smile when he saw how proud Gargas could be of his rank.
"Hmm, a hundred celestial demons, huh? Interesting. And what is your power compared to the 38th celestial demon?"
"He's at least ten times stronger than me. But don't worry, master; it's only a matter of time before I exceed her!"
"...Y-yeah, do your best little puppy! In short, one last question. Do you know where the likes of the creature that I showed you reside?" He asked with intrepid and frustrating eyes when he noticed the change in Gargas' habits.
'This skill I acquired after Darka's evolution is a little strange. It is even more powerful than the mental control skill I acquired after the evolution of my lineage. All these thanks to the shadow crows that can now change shape and furtively contaminate my target.' He said to himself while looking at the dark glow in Gargas's eyes.
"If we head north, more than three billion years away from light, we will meet the same humans on planet N•12234626--
"It's good, it's good, I understood. But you will not accompany us; remember, you have a message to deliver to your master on my part. So do your best to deliver this message to her and then suicide yourself in front of her to clarify the message."
"It will be done according to your orders!"
"Haha! Good~ good~! Now, get out of here before I kill you myself, little shit." He said, patting his shoulder with a demonic smile.
-Whhshhh!!!
Instantly, Gargas used his maximum speed and vanished in front of Alvine and Luna as if he had never been with them.
"You see? That's how you have to treat arrogant messengers. He is still alive, without really being alive. Remember it and draw on an experience that will serve you for life." Alvine coldly retorted to Luna's intention.
The latter, who had dazzling eyes to the point of forcing Alvine to look away, constantly nodded with endless admiration.
"Well, our next target is the reason for our coming. All we have to do is head north and do the same on the planets that will be nearby." He said, looking in the direction designated by Gargas.
"My lord, I think you have to rest at least one day and sleep. You haven't closed your eye for more than--
"Don't worry; I'll rest after locating the residence of the bastards who had invaded us." He interrupted Luna in the middle of her sentence by guessing the rest.
"But... you really don't seem to be getting better. In addition to having sealed your magical energy, you are not even--
"Luna, I'm fine. I sealed my magic essence only to get used to my unique skills that work without mana. In addition, this universe has almost no mana. So it's the best solution if I live in this state." He said, instantly disappearing in front of Luna with his explosive speed.
"..."