New Eden: Live to Play, Play to Live

Diving inside this new dome, it closed behind him immediately, trapping him there.

Astaroth didn't need to search long for who was locked in here, because the officer for the allied army struck the inside of the dome a few meters next to him as he entered. And he instantly recognized him.

It was the annoying Elven platoon leader, who kept looking down on him for his race.

The man was beaten black and blue, and Astaroth could see dead soldiers on the ground below. All of them had wounds on their back, and a division of demons were feasting on their bodies.

As he tried analyzing the situation, Astaroth heard the voice of the Elf reach his ears.

"You! Good timing! Distract that demon lieutenant if you're so strong. While I find a way out of here. The war needs me more than it needs you!"

Astaroth's teeth clenched at the words.

"Aren't you going to avenge your fallen troops? You are going to leave them here? To be devoured by the demons?" he asked, his traits going darker.

"Those useless fools? They couldn't even hold the demon for a minute! How am I supposed to get out of here when the trash soldiers can't even fight properly?! And that sneaky demon lieutenant struck them in the back like a coward!"

His voice cracked with fear and anger, while he tried justifying his actions.

The demon lieutenant in question was flying quietly above the dead soldiers, watching their interaction with rapt attention. His face showed no emotion.

"Now stop dawdling and cover for me! Be a good little soldier, you inferior shit!"

After screaming out his order, the Elf started scouring the edge of the dome in hopes of finding a hidden issue. In his mind, he imagined if this good-for-nothing Ash Elf had entered, he could exit without issue.

But he heard Astaroth's voice from much closer, and a shiver ran up his spine.

"Alright. I'll be a good soldier."

When the Elf turned his head to scold Astaroth, his body froze.

The emotionless face of Astaroth looked at him, hands raised on the shaft of a greataxe, as it swung toward him.

"What a—"

His words were cut short, literally, as the axe blade sliced through his neck, making a clean pass through and through, his head soaring away. His eyes were forever stuck in a look of stupor as his head hit the ground, his body collapsing right after.

"A good soldier takes out the trash when he sees some. And cowards are trash," Astaroth said, his voice monotone.

He felt something darken inside him, as his soul tainted a bit more from his actions. But he didn't care.

Scum like this man did not deserve to live. Even if given a chance at redemption, this asshole would have left it behind and fled to save his own hide.

A peal of low, snivelling laughter broke Astaroth out of his silent contemplation.

"Shi shi shi shi. I have to admit. As a demon under the aspect of pride, I am impressed to see a mortal who is prideful beyond even my level. To think you deserve to live more than others is a sin."

The demon was floating above Astaroth, in a seated position, looking at the situation from above. An enormous grin floated on his face.

"I'm coming for you soon enough. But first, let me take care of these low-life demons, who are feasting on my dead brother in arms…"

The demon lieutenant looked at him with squinted eyes, with a look of arrogance.

"I like your attitude, mortal. But I'm not going to—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Astaroth had already blurred out from before him and stood across from the division of demons, covered in blood. Behind him, the twenty demons fell to the ground, heads missing.

The demon lieutenant's face lost its grin.

'This mortal is not weak… Why is he in here?' he wondered.

"Impressive. You took them out in a flash. But I am far stronger than them. Can you do so with me as well, I wonder?" the demon taunted.

But his mind was already racing with questions.

The demon lord had promised to match them against officers and powerhouses they were always guaranteed to win against. But he didn't feel confident against this mortal.

His pride didn't allow him to back away or flee. But something was most definitely wrong.

Astaroth bent a knee next to the fallen soldiers of the allied army, closing his eyes momentarily.

"You didn't deserve to die under such terrible commandment. I hope that the goddess of the stars ushers you into the next life with care," he whispered.

The demon, seeing his attention was taken, thought it was a perfect moment to attack.

"Taking your eyes off me. A grave mistake, mortal!" he screamed, as he dove forward, a humongous sword of blood forming in his hands.

He flew directly at Astaroth, swinging his massive weapon, aiming for the mortal's neck. The mortal never opened his eyes, still silently wording a prayer to his fallen comrades.

The demon laughed internally, thinking this dumb mortal had forfeited his life for a stupid prayer that would never be heard. As the blade inched closer to Astaroth's neck, time slowed around him.

The last words he had ushered were not prayers.

"Thousand Thoughts."

Mana burst into his mind, accelerating his thinking speed and time perception. When he opened his eyes, he could see the world so much slower than it was actually going.

With his current stats, he wasn't fast enough to react to such high-speed perception. But he had a solution for that as well.

"Sublimation," he whispered next.

His body surged with power, as almost the entirety of his mana pool converted from mana to Aether, infusing into his every muscle fibre, blood cell, and bone particle. By now, the blade was only inches from his throat.

But it didn't matter how close it was anymore. For even mere inches took many seconds in his accelerated perception, and his body could react fast enough that these many seconds would pass normally for him.

His eyes locked onto the demon's gaze.

"It's your turn, now."