Chapter 179 The Forbidden Technique

Yuri's eyes scanned the dimly lit tent and came to rest on Divanchi, who sat cross-legged on the ground with her back turned to her. The flickering flames of the candles illuminated the small space and cast shadows on the walls.

Without a word, Yuri walked towards Divanchi and stopped behind her. Divanchi didn't move or turn around, but she spoke in a calm voice, as if she had been expecting her arrival.

"You already figured it out?" Divanchi asked, her gaze still fixed on the front.

"Of course I did." Yuri responded, looking at Divanchi from behind, "That was the first time you've ever been so worked up… you know something I don't… what is it?" She asked, curiosity hinged on her face.

Yuri's voice carried an impatient tone as she stood behind Divanchi, waiting for a response. Divanchi hesitated for a moment, taking a deep breath before beginning to explain.

"It was a few days ago after Master had finished a meeting with our allies. He had been practicing a new skill and asked if I would be willing to help him test it out. I agreed, but I had no idea that he intended to use it in the war like this."

Yuri's expression grew more serious, and she leaned forward. "What skill was it?" she demanded.

Divanchi hesitated once again, clearly hesitant to reveal the information. "It was a forbidden technique," she finally admitted. "One that I had never seen before. He called it the 'Forbidden Art of Transmutation',"

"Apparently, the technique lets him take in any damage given to any person under the skill and transfer it to his own body, while still using his magic to sustain the individual… I didn't even know a technique like that existed"

Yuri's eyes widened in shock. "The Forbidden Art of Transmutation?!" she exclaimed. "T-that's…But why would Master use a technique like that in the war?".

Divanchi's weak smile only added to Yuri's frustration. She knew there was more to the story than what Divanchi was telling her.

"We both know why," Divanchi said, her voice heavy with sadness. "Master is very gullible. He wanted to have his cake and eat it too...wanted a war with no losses...pretty stupid." Divanchi chuckled bitterly.

Yuri's frustration turned into anger. She couldn't believe that Sato was suffering somewhere, and yet the soldiers were more concerned about their own agendas, which was a selfish and bitter thought on her part.

"This is unacceptable," Yuri said firmly, "I need to find Master and put an end to this madness. Are you with me?".

Divanchi turned around and looked at Yuri,, "Let's say we do find him. Do you really think he's going to change his mind? Even you know how stubborn he can be with things like this".

Yuri groaned in frustration, her fist clenched before she punched the ground aggressively "Damn it! Damn it! How the hell could I not have noticed!... What… what the hell was I even doing?!".

…

The Fiona Kingdom had strategically chosen a campsite on the battlefield, far away from the Witch's forest and Sato's forces. They had set up their camp with great care, building barricades around their perimeter to protect against any potential intruders.

As nightfall approached, the soldiers lit torches and set up fires to keep warm. The crackling of flames mixed with the sound of steel clashing in the distance, creating an eerie atmosphere that sent shivers down their spines.

Despite the chaos of war, the soldiers of the Fiona Kingdom remained focused on their mission. They knew that the fate of their kingdom depended on their bravery and determination in battle.

In the center of the large tent, the imposing figure of Demon Lord Jira sat on his throne. The flickering light of the candles cast an eerie glow over his chiseled features as he sat with his legs crossed and jaw resting under his fist.

His dark eyes flickered back and forth between the four demon Generals kneeling before him, each one looking up at him with a mixture of fear and respect.

At the entrance of the tent, seven demon soldiers stood guard, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings for any sign of danger.

Despite the tense atmosphere, there was an air of authority and power that emanated from Jira, and the soldiers were ready to follow his every command.

"Let me make sure I understand you," Jira spoke slowly and deliberately, his voice laced with a dangerous edge. "You mean to tell me... we lost both General Sharma, General Halton, and General Yuno... to some elves?"

The generals dared not raise their heads, their bodies shaking in fear. They knew that the wrath of Jira was not to be taken lightly, especially when his plans had been foiled by such a seemingly weak enemy. The demon soldiers at the entrance of the tent shifted uneasily, their eyes darting between their superiors and the exit.

Jira suddenly chuckled as he spoke under his breath, "Unbelievable… I would have never guessed the day would come when I'd be forced to retreat to a mere village".

"Sire, the Lord of elves wasn't alone in this, I was sure I spotted a few beastmen, valkyries and even Vampires fighting alongside his elves." General Qila, a female demon general, spoke out.

Jira's voice dripped with disdain as he spoke, his gaze piercing through the cowering generals before him. "So, you're telling me that not only did we lose two of our best generals, but we were also defeated by a ragtag group of mixed species? How embarrassing." The fear in the Generals' eyes only seemed to intensify at Jira's words.

General Qila, still on her knees, spoke up again, her tone desperate as she sought to offer an explanation. "Sire, we had no idea they would have such strong allies. They must have formed some sort of alliance to take us down."

Jira's expression remained unchanged as he responded, his words clipped and cold. "An alliance, you say? That's even worse. We cannot afford to underestimate them again. I want all of you to come up with a new strategy to crush our enemies. We cannot let them take control of this war."

The Generals nodded their heads quickly in agreement, eager to please their leader and redeem themselves after their previous failure. Jira sat back in his throne, watching them with narrowed eyes as they scurried out of the tent to begin their task.

As soon as the General's left the tent, Jira immediately transformed back into Lilith, who had a disgusted look on her face as she stood up from the throne.

"I know what I saw…" Lilith muttered, thinking back to when she saw Benihime on the battlefield, "Why are you still alive?!".