Demon Lord: Erotic Adventure in Another World

Chapter 871: The Emperor’s Hospitality

For several moments, it appeared as if the sea froze in time, forgetting its purpose.

The searing trench left behind by Sanguine Devastation stretched across the battlefield like a wound carved into the world itself. Steam rose in thick white walls, mixing with the black rain until the entire ocean seemed to breathe smoke.

Asomodeus hovered above it with a smoking figure and a smile.

’That should be enough.’

He wanted to click his tongue because of how far away the true body of Leviathan was; he’d dealt next to no damage to the true enemy and only managed to damage the ocean’s population drastically.

But the attack had done its job, with the Lumerian fleet now sailing towards the northwest, while the mass of monsters almost vanished completely.

Behind him, Brando’s voice snapped him from his focus.

"Move, you lazy sea-whores! The Emperor opened the damned road, so sail through it before the bastard below closes it!"

The Lumerian ships obeyed his call.

The Mankchor’s scarlet light pulled the formation together, binding hull to hull through unseen force. The massive black sails snapped open in the wind as they rushed into the distance, cannons firing without pause, blasting apart any creature stupid enough to cross the opening Asmodeus had made.

Nerim’s voice followed Brando’s.

"Not straight! Turn with the left current, then cut west after the second swell!"

"Do what the fish says!" Brando shouted.

"Mermaid!"

"Same damn thing during a storm!"

Even through the rain and blood, Asmodeus almost smiled.

’They’re fine.’

Though he wanted to teleport back onto their boat and continue onward to near Grigor’s coastline, his eyes trailed along the devastated imperial fleet.

"Well, they managed much better than I thought..."

[Master, are you alright?!]

Valena’s voice hummed at the back of his mind; he could not feel the density of her worry for him. When he glanced to the ship he left her on, she was standing at the edge, staring up at him with her bright, fiery eyes.

Asmodeus looked down at his hand.

The skin around his knuckle had split open, and blood mixed with the salt water before falling into the sea. It wasn’t severe, but Valena had seen through his act of self-destruction in battles to notice it before anyone else.

[Valena, I am truly alright.]

[Are you sure...?]

Ever since he comforted her and promised revenge, she has become softer in her tone and words; the sultry teasing has become an irresistible whimper.

[Of course, so...]

[Stay on the ship for me, okay?]

She didn’t respond to him instantly.

He could only hear the fierce whistle of the wind echoed before a soft growl echoed through his mind.

[Hmph! I know!]

He could practically hear the fiery snort leaking from her nose.

Asmodeus lifted his eyes toward the Imperial fleet.

The humans had also begun moving through the gap, though their formation looked far uglier than Lumeria’s. Several smaller ships were dragged behind, with broken masts and torn sails. Priests clung to railings while knights fired spells into the water with faces too pale to be called brave.

’It’s impressive that they survived, though.’

Albrechy stood at the front of his vessel with messy hair and blood staining his uniform, and yet he gripped the rail with one hand, confidently staring out to sea. Wet blond hair clung to his face as he remained composed, far different from the man Serena had met in the past; it seemed that facing her for the first time had spurred growth in the young man.

Though the most impressive might just be the pretty woman standing beside him.

Her sword held low after she performed an interesting barrier technique using nothing but rapid slashes.

Their eyes met through the storm.

Asmodeus raised his bleeding hand and waved.

Caelith’s lips moved.

He couldn’t hear the words.

But he guessed they were not polite.

’Hah.’

Somehow, when it came to her, his amusement increased each time she swore or insulted him. In all honesty, after meeting those two, he stopped desiring to kill the imperial and thought that peace or an alliance wouldn’t be so bad.

’Though their emperor probably wouldn’t want that...’

He also wondered what kind of feeling it was to be sealed, and who exactly sealed him in the first place, since he’d learned a small amount from Mei and Nerim. If he could wield the power of land gods like Apollon and Aphrodite...

’What kind of god could actually seal him?’

"Forget it..."

The biggest issue right now was Leviathan, which stopped whispering the moment Asmodeus attacked with his beam.

His eyes swept the depths untouched by his Sanguine Devastation, hoping to find more of the kraken-type monsters born from Leviathan’s body.

But...

"I can’t even sense the fucker anymore."

Asmodeus hated the fact that Leviathan had vanished. If only he could become enraged and charge towards him.

Then he could’ve punched the fucker.

"Tsk..."

There was nothing left, no monsters, no annoying whispers, and even the shadowy tendrils vanished.

’Did I fuck everything up?’

He flexed his wounded hand once more, watching the split skin close slowly under the flow of demonic mana. It wasn’t deep, but the sting remained, crawling along his finger as if the attack itself had bitten him for being careless.

[Brando.]

[Aye? Don’t tell me you lost the bastard already.]

[I can’t feel him.]

Brando’s voice became a mixture of curses and slurs before slowly calming down.

[Shit! That’s bad, right?]

[Yeah, maybe we’ll have to wait another year... or until the bastard is fully awake]

[...Wonderful, but if you didn’t, we’d have died, so don’t be too upset, boss...]

[Ah, so keep moving and board near the port of Grigor to meet with Alan and Logan.]

[That’s the damn plan!]

Asmodeus looked toward the distant formation.

The Lumerian ships were no longer scattered so wildly, their black sails cutting through the storm while the Mankchor’s scarlet light pulled them into a rough but functional line.

Thanks to Nerim’s guidance, they kept them away from the worst currents, and Brando’s curses kept anyone from panicking.

The Imperial fleet followed behind in a battered and ugly state.

’If only they’d died here, I could help Valena take her mother’s heart back sooner...’

He might’ve thought this in the past, but after increasing his political knowledge and studying as a ruler, it brought more demerits than gains.

If the Imperial fleet sank before Leviathan’s main body appeared, Lumeria would face every remaining monster alone, and Albrecht’s death would become a political disaster after the battle.

Asmodeus disliked that answer.

It was reasonable.

Which made it even more irritating.

"How troublesome..."

He glanced at the horrible state of Albrecht once more, before shaking his head. Because of the state, they wouldn’t survive a simple attack, let alone Leviathan’s... so he could only offer them a bit more hospitality.

They looked pathetic after all.

[Brando.]

[Aye?]

[Send a signal to Albrecht, let him know he can enter the protective field with his main ships; we can’t afford anything to happen to the diplomats just yet.]

[And if they complain?]

[Shoot their hull and force them to sail aboard your ship.]

Brando laughed out loud for several seconds, almost choking as he struggled to breathe.

[Now that’s an order I can love.]

Asmodeus turned in the air, his wings beating once as he shot back toward the flagship. The distance vanished beneath him in a rush of black rain and salt wind. By the time his boots touched the deck, Valena had already slipped away from Nerim and rushed toward him.

’Oh?’

He half expected her to jump into his arms.

But the dragon’s eyes widened as she came closer, her body quickly stopping as she frowned, turning away with a pout to snort flames. That’s when her eyes widened at the sight of his blood, wounded hand and her facade vanished.

"You said you wouldn’t hurt yourself..."

She grabbed his wrist, her eyes full of concern.

Her touch was comforting and warm, the faint beat of her heart travelling through her palm.

"It’s already healing."

"Don’t... say that."

"But it’s true; what else can I say?"

Valena glanced up at him before shaking her head and slamming her forehead against his chest. "Idiot... you know what I mean!"

Her lips tightened, but instead of arguing, she lifted his hand and inspected the split skin with a frown that made her look far less like a dragon and far more like an angry wife.

Asmodeus didn’t stop her... instead, watching silently, his lips curved into a smile.

He’d been so untouchable that moments like this were rare.

Nerim approached from behind, her blue scales still shimmering faintly from the sea spray.

"The current is weakening, but I don’t think it is natural. Leviathan might have pulled itself deeper into the ocean, making it hard for us to hunt... or maybe this is a plan to lure us closer."

Though it was a dangerous moment, Asmodeus was in heaven.

The cold of Nerim’s tanned skin pressed against Asmodeus from behind, while the warmth of Valena wrapped his chest.

"Mm..."

Brando came stomping across the deck, soaked from head to toe, his bald head shining beneath the rain as he jabbed his cane toward the northwest.

"Brother, we’ll reach Grigor’s outer waters soon if the sea doesn’t decide to be a bitch again."

"I see, well, don’t rush; check on the crew and ensure everyone is prepared."

A smaller signal horn sounded from the rear.

Asmodeus glanced back.

Albrecht’s vessel had drawn closer, keeping a respectful distance behind the Lumerian line along with Caelith and the priests.

"Well, it seems they want to come aboard."

He gestured to the blond and the knight before one of the sailors tossed a rope ladder down the side of the ship.

"Brando."

"Aye?"

"Once we dock, keep the Imperials separate from our soldiers."

Brando’s ugly grin returned.

"Understood."

Asmodeus looked toward Grigor.

Through the thinning wall of steam and rain, the eastern coast finally began to show itself.

High black cliffs rose from the sea, lined with stone walls, wooden scaffolding and the mouths of massive cannons clad in shining runes. Behind them, two enormous harpoon launchers stood like beasts waiting to be unleashed.

The Kraken Slayers.