Crimson Overlord

''I intentionally incited you to use your powerful card… but it appears that hardship was in vain."

Orpheus sounds incredibly disappointed and annoyed.

Although the demon's blood was more edible than the blood from his trash underlings, that was all.

The taste didn't make Orpheus feel rewarded in the least for playing pretend and giving him a chance to entertain him.

"S-Spare me…"

"Hm."

Orpheus grabbed both of the demon's arms and brutally twisted them off.

''Uwahhgagykk!!!"

"Even the sound of your scream is vulgar. Not even a pig scream sounds so disgusting.''

Orpheus was really annoyed.

He grabbed onto the demon's chin this time as if something wasn't to her liking.

''How dare you use this filthy mouth to call me a demon? You deserve an appropriate punishment yeah?"

A beaming smile was placed on the demon's lips.

"Uh, ua, ah, no… Aaaahhhhhhh!!"

Rip!!—

He violently tore off the chin in his grasp.

Blood spurted out and drenched the ground.

"Sigh. I went through all that trouble for this?"

—Overwhelming.

Even though the demon was on the side of powerful origin beasts (Tier 3 Origin beast=Level 4 Origin Master) that were deemed to be dangerous in the scope of humans, he was nothing but a commonplace origin beast in front of Orpheus.

For the sake of fun, he didn't go all out but still ended up disappointed.

''Well, better learn why a demon from the abyss started appearing here.'' Orpheus mumbled before starting to read through the demon's memories to learn about the reason for his unexpected appearance.

•••

Fifteen lean, round towers are both a defensive and decorational aspect of this elegant castle and are connected by tall, massive walls made of golden stone.

Small windows are scattered thinly across the walls in a seemingly random pattern, along with symmetric holes for archers and artillery.

A great gate with colossal metal doors and hot oil pots offers a warm haven within these cold, isolated lands, but it's not the only way in, which fortunately only very few know.

Large boulders litter the fields outside the castle, paths to and from the castle snake around them and farm plots are small and scattered all around. This castle has clearly been around for at least a thousand years, but it doesn't seem like it will collapse any time soon.

°°°

That was all Orpheus saw when he tried reading the dead demon's memories.

''Huh? How unusual.'' Orpheus was amused not angry to have failed, he was even more curious. Someone must have intentionally fiddled with the demon's memories because they feared situation like this.

Because he hadn't completely recovered his strength Orpheus couldn't use his full strength, the abilities he could use was limited. He could only postpone the matter of demon to later.

''Let's go meet the others.'' Orpheus stepped across space and vanished.

°°°

In another ruin.

The forest was limitless, light, and young. Its canopy was ruled by redwood, larch, and magnolia, their crowns allowed for short beams of light to descend for dispersed ferns to flourish in the moss covered grounds below.

Coiling tree limbs hung from many a tree, and a hodgepodge of flowers, which were common to this area only, enhanced the otherwise amber terrain.

A cacophony of noises, most of which were birds and insects, resonated through the air, and were out of sync with the splashing of fish in a nearby lake.

In the middle of this forest two girls were facing each other again for the 3rd time. Their momentary peace agreement didn't last two days and now they are facing each other.

With her sword grasped, Snow lowered her stance.

A cold, derisive smile was put on Lilith's mouth.

"Well then… struggle to your heart's extent like a worm."

Rumbleeee!!—

With the entire forest vibrating—

"…!!!"

—killing intent exploded out.

"Kugh! Kuk!"

Snow couldn't breathe properly.

Her sight wavered, and strength left her legs.

Thump, thump—

Snow's heart started to pound like crazy.

The fear of 'death' rode through her spine and encroached on his mind.

"Hmpf."

Looking at Snow, who couldn't pull herself together the moment he emitted killing intent, Lilith puffed out her nose like she had expected it all along.

However, it was momentary.

"…Hm?"

Lilith's eyes narrowed.

"Haa, haa!"

Snow spat out breaths that had become rough.

Even standing still was difficult.

The frightening killing intent that crashed in like a tsunami burned the insides of her head white.

'This is.'

Snow's true strength.

"Ha, haa!"

It was in a different realm from their fights they had so far.

'This is for real.'

Lilith was truly aiming to 'kill' her.

"Haa, ha, ha!"

Cold sweat flowed.

Thump. Thump. Thump—

Snow heart rang out like hitting massive drums.

It was as hot as if steel rods heated up in fire were jammed inside her head.

'I'm scared.'

A distant fear swooped her.

The sensation of blood drying up all over her body permeated her.

'I'm scared, I'm scared, I'm scared.'

But why was it?

"Ha, haha, hahaha!"

An unbearable thrill…

A crazy ecstasy…

Heated up her body's senses.

"Ha."

Lilith stuck out her tongue and licked her lips like a savage beast.

"Huh, why aren't you coming?"

She looked at Lilith, who was standing still.

"Then—"

Grasping the sword.

She kicked off.

"—I'm going first."

Bang!—

A Ice lightning bolt aimed at Lilith shot out like a bullet.

Lilith sighed when she noticed Snow's state, the girl didn't seem to fear her anymore, almost treating her as a sparring partner.

The reason she unleashed her full killing intent was to scare Snow, to stop her from always try fighting her whenever they crossed path. If weren't because endless trouble follow if she were to kill her, Lilith would have gotten rid of this girl but couldn't because the bracelet around their wrist serves as monitoring device just in the case a student try to murder another one.

Lilith was getting annoyed putting up with Snow, so she acted fasted and arrived behind Snow. The latter felt chill down her spine and immediately understood she had lost again.

Bam!

Boom!

Snow's body was heavily slammed into the ground, leaving a deep crater, Snow lay unconscious in the middle of this crater.

Lilith considered brainwashing Snow for some reason she felt repulsed at the idea, almost as if it wouldn't work.

''Forget it.''

Lilith disappeared leaving Snow there. Their third clash if this could be called one, ended up in Lilith's victory.