Vordrak slowly rose to his feet.
His enormous body made the ground tremble, and the sheer pressure of his presence was enough to break the will of any nearby enemy.
The cultists immediately knelt before him.
"Let's go," Vordrak ordered, as a dark aura began to expand around him. "It is time for destruction."
When the gigantic demonic figure entered the city, the Douglas captains exchanged horrified glances.
"This is not normal!"
"A demon…!"
"Who summoned it?"
"How did it enter the Duchy?"
The cultists raised their voices in unison.
"For the rebirth of the Lord of the Abyss!"
And then they immolated themselves.
The demonic mana contained within their bodies exploded all at once, spreading through the streets like a dark wave.
Most of the Duchy's soldiers had already reached their limit. Many had died fulfilling their duty, defending the city until their last breath.
There was no containment left.
And now…
A demon walked freely inside Norvind.
Ulric wrapped his sword in dark mana.
He would not allow the city to fall.
For his honor.
For his duty.
For the Douglases.
The clash between the two was devastating.
The shockwave swept through the streets, collapsing several nearby houses.
Vordrak let out a deep laugh.
"Yes… this feels good."
His eyes shone with savage madness.
"This is how it should be."
And in that instant, the fall of the city seemed inevitable.
Ulric fought with everything he had.
But he was no match for the demon.
Vordrak had already torn off one of his arms, and now held him by the head, ready to crush it between his fingers.
Blood slowly dripped onto the ruined streets of Norvind.
Ulric could barely remain conscious.
And then…
A white radiance appeared on the horizon.
Ulric saw it before he died.
And he smiled.
A gigantic lion, the size of the demon itself, advanced through the flames with a roar that shook the entire city.
Riding on it was Sofia Douglas de Mondring, holding her spear with elegance and absolute determination.
Larriet, level ninety-two, muscular and covered in a radiant mane, dominated the battlefield like a natural king.
His mere presence forced several demonic creatures to retreat.
The crowd erupted into screams.
"The Duchess has arrived!"
"Sofia is here!"
"Make way! Make way!"
Sofia's aura expanded. It was not a simple glow; it was a declaration of authority.
Behind her, nearly four hundred riders mounted on their magical beasts stood in formation, in a tense silence that only made the pressure of their presence heavier.
Seeing the situation, Sofia activated her unique ability:
"Alpha Synchrony: Pack Bond."
The mana around Larriet exploded violently.
The massive lion's musculature tightened even further, and its white mane began radiating flashes capable of illuminating the ruined streets of Norvind.
The demon's smile grew even wider.
He could already see the prize before him.
He would bring that woman's head before the heralds.
Then he would receive divine mana.
His life would be extended.
He would no longer need to restrain himself.
Every time he used too much power, his existence was consumed a little more.
Disappearance.
That was the inevitable fate of all demons.
But not his.
Not after this battle.
And then…
He would also kill those insolent heralds.
Vordrak threw Ulric's broken body aside and advanced directly toward Sofia.
The ground trembled beneath his steps.
But as he approached, he felt the lion's claw nearly tear his head off in a single strike.
"What strength…"
Vordrak leapt back to create distance.
This would not be easy.
If that woman had her other two magical beasts here, he would not even have dared to set foot inside Norvind.
Inside and outside Norvind, the magical beast riders began slaughtering monsters at a terrifying speed.
Creatures fell by the dozens as roars and mana explosions shook the ruined streets.
The despair that had once dominated the city began to fade.
And the battle, which moments ago had seemed lost…
Finally began to tip back into balance.