Second World

1913  Chapter 1913. Asking for Support

Grace, Nameless, and Badass entered the mystical fog on the battlefield.

"Impressive spell. I can still see things inside this fog," Badass remarked. "I assume it is not so for the enemies?"

"You assume correctly," Grace replied. She was looking around. It didn't take long for her perceptive eyes to locate the person she was looking for. That person also made it easy for her.

Arlcard was floating in the air. Around him were black sword energies that zoomed around at high speed, cutting any enemies that came close. That was his Perpetual Sword of Death.

Grace brought Nameless and Badass toward Arlcard.

Arlcard noticed them approaching. "Lady Grace," Arlcard greeted when they arrived. His Perpetual Sword of Death continued assailing the enemies. The spell was a sustained spell, but Arlcard could easily keep the spell going even while speaking.

"I told you to stop calling me lady, Arlcard. Oh, I'm sorry. I guess I should call you Your Majesty now," Grace said while giggling, to which Arlcard responded with a smile.

When Jack was training or hanging out with Grace, he sometimes summoned Arlcard. His purpose was to socialize with his companion. Arlcard pretended he was peeved for getting summoned when there were no enemies to fight, but he didn't truly mind it. Throughout the time they spent together, Grace got along with Arlcard. As a matter of fact, Arlcard treated Grace with more friendliness compared to his treatment of Jack.

"I see that your training has paid off," Arlcard said after learning Grace's level. "I assume your coming here is for…"

"Yes, we will be taking on that devil over there," Grace proclaimed.

"… Are you sure? A devil is unlike any opponent you have ever encountered," Arlcard asked. He hadn't crossed swords with Belphegor since the battle started, but he had done so against Satan. Although Satan was said to be the strongest Devil under Lucifer, he believed Belphegor wasn't too far off.

"If we can't win, then our training is meaningless," Grace answered. "I have confidence in what we have achieved, and we will prove that."

Arlcard nodded. "If you believe so, I won't stop you, but Belphegor is way behind the enemy line. If the demons decide to aid him, you will be in trouble."

"That's why we come to you. We need the army support so we can focus on Belphegor."

Arlcard put a hand on his chin. Grace's request required him to make a difficult decision. Currently, the walls and the siege weapons were mostly still intact. They could minimize losses as long as they stayed near the defensive walls. To give the support Grace asked for was to venture out far from those defensive walls, which meant putting his soldiers in danger.

He preferred it when such a decision was left to someone else. It was much simpler when he was just an unknown combatant. He had more freedom. Now, the fate of many was in his hands. Following his decision, many could lose their lives, and those losses were on him.

He closed his eyes as he pondered the request. It didn't take long for him to make up his mind. He was not someone who dilly-dally with indecision.

"All right," Arlcard said. "I will send out the command. The three of you will have the army's support."

"Four," Red Death said as she arrived. "Are we done here?"

"Thank you, Your Majesty. We will not disappoint your trust," Grace said. She then said to the others, "Let's go."

Perhaps it was fate. If the one in command was Horatio, he might decide not to take the risk, or Grace might need to put in more effort to convince him.

Arlcard used a messaging device to give the command to Darius. Darius argued against such a risky maneuver, but Arlcard firmly told him to go with it. Darius had no choice but to obey.

Arlcard looked over at the four who were on their way. He decided to give them more help.

Grace and the others continued fighting through numerous winged demons as they flew toward Belphegor. The devil was behind the enemy line, after all. They had to fight through the army to get to him. Something fast flew past them as they fought. It was Arlcard.

"I will open the way!" Arlcard told them. "Fly through as my skill keeps them busy."

Arlcard used his regal outfit's skill, Judgement of the Founding Elders. One by one, the vampire elders whom Jack and he fought under Vacharest palace came out and unleashed their most powerful offensive skills. While Marcus summoned nine founding vampire elders during that fight, the number Arlcard summoned was eleven. The additional two founding elders were Marcus and Cain. The two were bound as Sangrod's founding elders. After they perished, they became part of the regal outfit's skill.

The spell Marcus unleashed was Purifying Brilliance, which dealt high light-element damage while purifying all dark-based enchantment in a wide area. The power unleashed by the regal outfit was influenced by the wearer's power. Arlcard was now a level 92 eternal grade, so the Purifying Brilliance Marcus cast was much more powerful than the one he cast when he was still alive.

As for Cain, he cast a spell he was unable to cast when he was in the smoke form. His spell was Dark Plaguing Spears. The same one cast by the Eldritch Beholder. This spell struck many targets. Aside from dealing dark-element damage, the targets also suffered continuous damage over time. They couldn't receive healing or resurrection for a period.

"Go!" Arlcard told Grace.

"Thank you," Grace said. She flew forward with the others.

Arlcard continued to attack the demons who tried to intercept Grace's team. Dark tentacles sprout from his body. This was a spell he learned from Cain's memory. It was also the same spell used by the deceased Cardinal of Phobos, Arlstraxx. The spell was called Devouring Fog. The dark matter produced by this spell protected Arlcard from attacks and could be shaped into tentacles that assaulted nearby enemies.

Sangrod royal guards, who stayed near Arlcard, charged with their emperor. As they opened a path for Grace, Jygorth came. He came due to Arlcard's call. The black dragon unleashed his divine dark breath, taking out many demons who had been weakened by Arlcard's Judgement of Founding Elders.

They escorted Grace's team until they broke out of the rearmost line of the underworld forces. They then stayed there and engaged the demons so these demons didn't go and chase Grace. Darius used the war table and sent many troops through the path opened by Arlcard and Jygorth. They then spread and slowly formed a wall behind the enemy's line.

Members of the Cult of Lytta and the Nagas were confused with the Sangrod army's maneuver. They couldn't comprehend why this army let go of the safety of the walls and instead took a position where they were more vulnerable. They didn't follow after those soldiers. They continued to defend the walls, which had become more difficult to defend since a good portion of the defenders had left.

The demons also didn't care about the defenders taking position behind them. Their target was to advance. They were to take down the walls. Once the walls were down, they would deal with these troops who had so foolishly placed themselves behind them. Because by then, these troops would have their escape path closed off.

Some demons saw Grace's group heading toward Belphegor. They simply attributed it to the four being ignorant fools. The last individual who needed help was Belphegor. So, they continued their advance and let those four fools learn their stupidity the hard way.

Grace looked back. "Good! No one is chasing us. Arlcard's troops are forming a barricade. We should have no one interfering with us."

"What about the underworld's reinforcement when they come from the other side?" Badass asked.

"… Let's hope their reinforcement is still far away," Grace replied.

"That devil is truly underestimating us. He is still not moving even after we are so close," Nameless remarked.

"Don't get careless. Maybe he is baiting us to let our guard down," Grace reminded. "Badass, you stay back and use your spells. The three of us, let's spread out and attack him from different directions."

"Hmph! I will take the center. Let me…"

Red Death's words were stopped when they realized why Belphegor didn't respond to their approach. They were now close enough to hear the snoring sound from the devil. Belphegor was dozing off while sitting. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"The… The f*ck… Is he sleeping?" Badass stammered.

"No wonder he hasn't joined the battle even after so many days…," Nameless said.

"So what? This doesn't change what we are here to do," Red Death uttered. "If he underestimates this battle so much, let's teach him a lesson. I'm going to land the first free hit!"

Red Death dashed forward at high speed.

"Wait! Don't let your guard down!" Grace Warned, but Red Death was out of earshot already.

"Tch! Let's back her up!" Grace exclaimed. The three flew forward.