Chapter 242
Chapter 242. Last Resistance
――Former Defteros Kingdom, Near the Border.
“That’s the last one.”
On the night of the new moon, Prince Spinethia Sauroe of the 5th Demon Lord’s Prince said with an annoyed tone as he gazed at the fortress standing atop a small hill in the distance.
The army led by the Sauroe Tribe was smoothly progressing in their conquest of the eastern region of the Defteros Kingdom, and they were just about to attack the final stronghold.
Spinethia, with his typically long red-purple hair tied at the back of his head, was dressed in a battle outfit equipped with light bone armor over his favorite Bon-Dage style. However, it was hard to say he was full of battle spirit, as he held a spear in his left hand while munching on an apple with his right.
“I’d say there are about 500 guards.”
Creating a circle with his fingers and using magic to scout from afar, a demon officer beside him stated. With similar red-purple hair and somewhat resembling Spinethia, he was Spinethia’s cousin.
In addition to the officer, Sauroe warriors were waiting around. While they all wore battle attire, they were uniformly lightly equipped. Just wearing light armor and forehead protectors over their hunting clothes, none of them donned helmets, making them look more like hunters than soldiers in a war.
“It’s kind of annoying that even with half-encirclement, they won’t retreat quickly.”
“It’s probably part of their strategy to lure us in. By now, civilians and refugees might be fleeing to the neighboring country.”
“Just more fodder, huh? Ugh.”
Throwing the apple core and seeds into his mouth, Spinethia sighed.
“Well, it can’t be helped. If they wish for a fight, then let’s oblige.”
With that one phrase, the Sauroe army sprang into action.
――It was quite a leisurely deployment.
First, the company seemed odd. Alongside the demon warriors, Spinethia was accompanied by beastman soldiers, all carrying backpacks stuffed with food.
Receiving a sandwich from a nearby beastman soldier, Spinethia munched happily as he advanced.
Walking straight toward the fortress with confidence.
“Ah, thanks to that Bon-Dage style, this has become easy.”
The officer sighed, glancing at Spinethia. Previously, they would have sent out a replacement to replenish supplies by now.
“Indeed.”
Munching on the sandwich, Spinethia nodded. Despite his impressive appetite, he was still holding back significantly thanks to the appetite-suppressing features of the Bon-Dage.
…Then.
From the top of the fortress, something glimmered. A faint metallic sound rang out.
“Oops.”
The officer spun around gracefully, as if dancing.
【Hunting Domain】—A translucent dome-shaped barrier expanded and deflected the silver projectiles.
“Those arrows are thick… they don’t seem like they’re from Forest Elves.”
“Is it that new type of bow? Those guys really know how to hit.”
Arrows infused with what seemed like a holy blessing flew from the fortress intermittently, but they were all blocked by the 【Hunting Domain】 and failed to penetrate.
Another Sauroe warrior danced near the barrier’s boundary.
New barriers expanded, and the army moved forward slowly. Groups surrounding Spinethia were displaying similar scenes.
Not so much a march as a slow encroachment, like a territory takeover game.
As they neared the fortress, not only new bows but also rocks, regular arrows, and spells flew one after another, yet all were repelled by the barrier.
The Sauroe Tribe—rare among the warlike demons for their leisurely and patient spirit, they were known for their strength in defending and conquering bases, alongside the construction-skilled Korvto Tribe.
A slow yet steady advance, never stopping.
As they approached the fortress, the counterattacks only got fiercer, but the Sauroe Tribe continued deploying 【Hunting Domain】 one after another, layering them, advancing without flinching. The various traps laid on the ground became powerless before the barrier that revealed their concealment effects.
Finally, the army arrived at the fortress gates. Rocks, boiling oil, and fire magic rained down from above, but no matter how much the barrier burned or how loud the rocks sounded, they remained unfazed.
“Strong for a border fortress.”
Kocking on the castle gate with his spear, the officer noted. The magical defenses were noticeably powerful, unlikely the work of mere humans. It might have been dwarves.
“It’s a border fortress, so they’re probably taking it seriously.”
“Indeed… Can you handle it, my lady?”
“Ugh, this looks gross.”
Stuffing a chicken pastry into his mouth, Spinethia frowned as he chewed.
His bone armor shifted, and the abdominal section was released, revealing the purplish leather of the Bon-Dage.
Zzzz… lowering the zipper, exposing his toned belly.
Suddenly, Spinethia’s aura became more menacing.
Like… a hungry beast.
“I, Spinethia Sauroe!”
He thrust out his free right hand.
“I am the one who shall devour the barrier!”
His hand opened, like a jaw,
“Aahh!”
And he squeezed tightly.
…An eerie sound echoed, a huge bite mark appeared on the gate.
“Such toughness. Moreover, it looks nasty… But!”
It seemed to have magical potential. Muttering, he opened and closed his hand.
With each motion, a thunderous noise rang out, and the magical gate gradually crumpled.
The bite marks. Layered upon each other, digging deeper—
And then.
“Aah!”
With a scream-like shattering sound, the gate vanished.
“Ugh. Tastes awful.”
Spinethia grimaced, realizing the gate hadn’t just broken apart or collapsed, but entirely vanished, revealing the guards behind it who were taken aback in shock.
“Alright, my lady has cleared the path. Seize control!”
With the officer’s command, curses and spells flooded out from within the barrier with overwhelming force.
While blocking attacks from the outside, the flexible operation of 【Hunting Domain】 allowed them to let through attacks from within.
Faced with the desperate magical onslaught from the guards blessed by a priest, the Sauroe warriors approached calmly, layering barriers foolishly, slowly closing in.
Blocking all counterattacks with the barrier while piercing in with spears, bringing down their formation unilaterally—
An uncharacteristic way of fighting for demons. Lacking in bravery and momentum, it could easily be seen as cowardice, but the Sauroe Tribe didn’t care.
For them, it was sheer madness to expose themselves outside the barrier and risk injury.
This is not war.
It is a hunt.
And what made the Sauroe Tribe troublesome is that they were not entirely dependent on the barrier; even if the barrier were broken or they were jumped, they could counterattack with their well-honed spear techniques.
Isolating all ranged attacks with the barrier allowed the Sauroe Tribe to concentrate on the enemies before them, making them quite formidable in spear duels even among demons.
After all, the strong are just and righteous.
“Is this it? That was rather anticlimactic.”
While zipping up the Bon-Dage’s belly zipper, Spinethia whispered with a sense of emptiness. Receiving a fruit tart from a beastman soldier, he began munching happily.
This is the last stronghold of the Defteros Kingdom.
After this, they would secure the surrounding areas and hunt down the remnants… If there were survivors, they were to be transported as captives to the Evaroti Autonomous District.
Speaking of the autonomous district. A silver-haired young demon’s face came to mind.
“I wonder how my youngest brother is doing?”
Despite being younger, he quickly surpassed Spinethia in both title and magical ability, a bizarre talent too young for his age.
A self-deprecating smile momentarily appeared on Spinethia’s face, quickly erased as he stuffed his mouth with fruit tart.
And then he suddenly remembered that his older brother Aiogias had tasked him with gathering information on Zilbagias.
“…Maybe I should pay a visit to the marquess on the way back.”
After all, not even a mere fruit tart could let him shake off that sense of self-mockery.
“Well then, which one should I choose next?”
Turning his back to the soldiers who were being one-sidedly trampled and sinking in pools of blood.
Spinethia gazed at the sweets being offered by the beastman soldiers, a decadent smile creeping on his face.
――On this day, the “Defteros Kingdom” truly vanished from the map.
