The monsters were all dead in an instant. The assassination worked!
Philip was still trembling. The operation was a very risky attack. If they failed, not only would they face being surrounded, but the chances to save Perment would be gone forever.
In the past days, they hunted and killed with tactics to kill the enemies silently.
With their camouflaged outfits, scent-hiding alchemy, and high dexterity, they could easily kill numerous gremlins and imps.
Even Don, who had the lowest Dexterity and Strength stat, could secretly kill a small group of imps and gremlins.
"We have to hurry..." Emeros ordered.
The team quietly moved and went to work.
Don pushed the wheelbarrow that brought in many of the powders that Emeros used against the Deadwood Troglodyte and brought it to the end where the cave was
Emeros was busy gathering the experience of the slain creatures. Instead of using a formation plate, he found a way to use his powers. In the weeks that passed, Emeros realized that as Prince, he had a strange command and authority over those he had conquered.
It was one of the many things that the vision of heaven and meeting Vasilius gifted him. This allowed Emeros to draw out the experience necessary through a single touch. Emeros had gloves that were inspired by a certain memory of Calaminus, where the energy formation circles were drawn into a pair of gloves.
The light flowed from the gloves as the energy was absorbed, and it was gathered into a Life Orb. These were used to gather life energy that would be used to bestow to another. Now, Emeros had a quick way of gathering energy. It was slightly weaker and could only gather eighty percent of the energy, but in missions that demanded quick actions like this, this would help them quickly gather experience and not waste their kills.
The alchemy tools were set, and Emeros had rushed back to the end.
"Get in position!" Emero ordered as he rushed back towards the wide tunnel where he knew those monsters would gather.
During the past days of their assassinations, they constantly moved behind enemy lines to observe and find a way to help the humans. And there, they had uncovered a secret magic that the imps used. The mercenary group that charged inside was there.
Perment had informed Emeros that a mercenary group had been captured, and Emeros planned to save them to give some support to them. But when Emeros saw the depths of the Imp's barricades, he knew it was impossible to save them. The group was captured by high-leveled monsters that were stronger than the Chort!
Short goat-like creatures like the Chort fought and captured the group of skilled hunters. Emeros saw the battle but could not help as there were even stronger creatures.
The Kallikantzaros were smaller compared to the Chort, but they had levels that ranged from 13 to 16.
Worst still was an even large goat demon. The Krampus! These monsters had levels that were over 20! And there were three of them.
The scouting mission was risky. But Emeros had to see what exactly the imp creatures wanted to do.
The mercenary were all thrown into a large bone cage full of the corpses of imps. They were given weapons and food to regain their strength. The mercenaries knew that they were only being kept alive for entertainment or to fight a strong beast, but they all stood their ground and prepared for the monster that would enter the cage.
But the monster was not outside of the cage. It was already in it!
The Krampus cast a strange spell using energy formation circles. It was clear that these Krampus had dark-dependent spell formations.
Emeros was shocked. He now understood why the three other mages and even Mage Rorcast dared not to venture out of the land! The imps were far stronger and more powerful than previously estimated!
Emeros couldn't see the spell up close, but he noticed the death and dark energy within the corpses. Soon, a strange energy awakened, and all the corpses began to merge and combine. The gore and blood all crashed upon each other and horrified the mercenaries.
Soon a large, eyeless, grey creature was born out of the corpses. It stood two meters tall and almost reached the top of the cage. It had no eyes but only a large mouth and a strange nose, and disfigured ears.
The creature was at level 20, and it had speed and power.
Emeros was able to gauge it through Wisdom and discovered its name.
The Imp Troglodyte!
The mercenary group didn't stand a chance and was massacred.
And that was only using nearly thirty corpses of imps.
Inside the mines, the corpses of the Imps and gremlins were all buried in a pit.
If ten of those creatures emerged, then the defense of the mines would soon collapse.
Emeros used various tactics to move across many of the beasts. As he entered the large hall, he immediately began to scale the wall so that he could see as far as he could.
Though the magically dense area would create fog and limit his sight, he didn't need to see. He just needed to see the familiar magical spell that gathered once the spell was cast.
But as Emeros climbed the walls and was high enough to see the magical spells nearly a kilometer away.
But this time, Emeros was startled.
A vast power was surging out.
"...A Champion?!" Emeros trembled. Something else was there.
---
Demon Imp Lord
---
Emeros could only see the name from a distance and froze in fear. He didn't know what this creature was capable of.
But at that moment, he watched as numerous Krampus arrived, along with an army of monsters. Chorts, Kallikantzaros, and Puks all followed this creature, and they all marched as the gathering of monsters started.
Emeros discreetly began to latch on the walls and use ropes to tie him up. He prepared tools to keep him up the walls for a long time and waited as the monster gathering brought up the best of the Imps Lord's Army.
On the other side of the mine, the slaves and soldiers all sat down in silence. As everyone was trapped inside the mine and would face death if they left, it was only a manner of time that they would die.
Perment couldn't look at the eyes of the soldier. Most blamed him for the tragedy. But he knew that though the imps did attack, Emeros only made things better as they forced the imps to move ahead of schedule.
All the items that Perment deemed important were with him. The rest were all used up in the battle, anyway. But Perment's thoughts continued to what horror and monsters awaited them.
"What trouble would happen here that would lead to the death of the people here?" Perment wondered.
It couldn't have been an invasion. The defenses were strong, and even two Mid-Ranked Captains were present.
Perment continued to think when he sensed a strange ripple of magic.
Many of the apprentice mages noticed it.
The two captains noticed the ripple of energy.
"What was that?" The swordsman asked.
"Something's coming! Everyone! To your positions!" The Captain ordered.
The slaves and mercenaries positioned themselves next to the stone barriers.
Archers and spear-wielders took their positions.
Most of the slaves had a long spear to attack, and the others used bows.
All eyes were on the path.
The mage captain even prepared a spell to shoot at the incoming horde.
But suddenly...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The ground began to open up as the graves where the imps and gremlins were thrown into all began to open up, and a huge creature emerged.
Perment saw the monster and was startled.
BOOM!
A loud explosion was heard on the west path. Perment heard it and reminded himself of Emeros's strict instructions.
An imp horde charged at the front, and the tall, eyeless creatures began to fight at the back. The entire mine was in chaos as the Captains started to give orders and attacked the eyeless monster.
A wide swing met the few slaves that ran to attack it.
The slaves were not blown back, but their entire bodies shattered as if they stood before a cannon.
A horrifying and gory sight shocked the few soldiers and mercenaries, and the Imp Troglodyte charged for them.
Perment didn't stay and watched and ran towards the dust and collapsed stone.
Perment passed through dust and smoke and found Philip.
"Philip!"
"No time to talk! We have to get out of here!" Philip shouted, and the group ran off.
"Wait!" A cry was heard, and as Philip turned, he saw two slaves running!
It was the same man that tried to bully Emeros and, with her, was a middle-aged woman!
Philip didn't have time to care for them.
"Just keep up!" Philip shouted, and the group ran.
Serena, Don, and Wesret were waiting at the end of the tunnel where the paths forked.
They saw the additional followers but didn't mind.
"Mage Perment! Don't use your magic just yet. Leave the fighting to us. It's going to be a wild battle with the imp army crawling around this area!" Serena instructed.
"Where's Emeros?"
"He went ahead! Let's go!" Serena answered, and the group moved to the right and followed the path.
Along the way, there were many corpses of the Imp and gremlins.
"Emeros killed this?!"
"No. We killed it along the way. Quietly and made sure their blood wouldn't spill. This is the path we took to get to that closed area. If this was Master Emeros, you'd know."
Soon they reached a large area where numerous halves of imps and gremlins were scattered.
Emeros would make a powerful dash and use the power of his speed, and the large sword could cleave three Puks in one attack.
Perment and the two slaves that followed were amazed at the whirling blade of death that Emeros displayed.
Two Puks and one Chort fought against him, along with dozens of imps and Gremlins.
But the speed and swing of Emeros were just too fast for them!
Perment knew how strong the Chort and the Puks were. A level seven and a level ten monster could easily kill dozens of slaves!
SLASH!
The Puk had one large cut on his side, and his vitality was low.
The second swirling slash of Emeros cleaved the Puk in half!
And yet, Flay fought the three while being surrounded by Imps and Gremlins!
"What magnificent... swordplay!" The man who ran with them praised.
"Master Emeros has been training as a Blitzer during these past days. He's finally getting the hang of it. Let's go! We fight and push through!" Serena ordered, and they charged ahead to aid Emeros.
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