Looking out at the assembly line of beasts being corrupted by the blood that was drained from the arm of some massive blue demon, Marcus could only shudder.
It was truly bone chilling to watch as the beasts and monster screamed out for mercy as the demon's blood infected them only for them to go completely silent a moment later.
'Well now I know how the other demon is controlling these beasts and monsters. But the real mystery is what kind of demon is on the other end of that portal. I can already tell just from its arm that it is absurdly strong, unfathomably so.'
After examining the entirety of the room where the beast and monsters were being given demon blood as a means to control them, Marcus left hoping not to come anywhere near this room again.
Floating around Marcus began investigating the entirety of the demon's stronghold and got an accurate count of the powerful beasts and monsters under its control.
'Looks like there are slightly more than thirty beasts and monsters above level forty, and any above forty-four also have those collars on them.'
Luckily Marcus did not come across any other big hitter like the inferno wyvern which seemed to be the strongest of the beasts and monsters under the demon's control, being weaker only after the demon itself.
With a decent grasp of the demon's army's strength Marcus telepathically told Roxene everything he knew and also asked her about the demon with the massive blue arm.
However, as he told her about that Roxene sent him back a message immediately and said, 'Marcus come back here right now we are leaving.'
Marcus was a bit taken aback by how stern Roxene sounded since she was normally pretty carefree.
'What do you mean leaving? I already promised the beasts I would help, and we will get plenty of rewards once it is over. The demon's arm is the only coming through the portal anyway and if it could come here itself, I am sure it would.'
There was then a long pause as Roxene gathered her thought before getting back to Marcus and saying, 'Listen Marcus, Aun- I mean the administrator gave me a detailed list of beings to avoid in this world and what you just described is one of them. I cannot tell you any more since I would be breaking my promise, but just trust me when I say it is not worth it. So just come back and get me and we can leave the city and go back to the capital, there are other places we can train.'
Hearing the worry in Roxene's voice, Marcus could tell that she was really scared of whatever that arm belonged to and was looking out for him.
However, he had a feeling that if he left now, something worse would happen.
Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇtAnd while Marcus certainly was not a hero, he did not want to let those he already agreed to help down, but more than that he did not want any of his friends to come to harm if he could prevent it.
'Mrazivý is here as well and if I leave now and she decides to stay, there is a chance she could die.'
Coming to a decision Marcus resolutely responded to Roxene and said, 'I am afraid I have to see this through. I know it is dangerous but all the more reason it needs to be stopped now. If any of my friends got hurt or killed because of my inaction, I could not live with myself.'
For a good minute Marcus heard no reply until basically growling, Roxene responded saying, 'Fine do what you want but no matter what do not die on me.'
With his conversation with Roxene over, Marcus continued through the stronghold to the one area he had not visited where he believed the blade arm demon would be waiting.
Moving even stealthier than normal, Marcus phased his body into walls or the floor, only keeping his head out to see.
Peeking his head into the room Marcus could see the demon sitting on what was essential a throne and holding some type of golden scepter that was emitting an eerie black aura similar to the corrupted beast and monsters.
'That is probably what he used to control them.'
Carefully watching and scanning over the demon, he noticed that its blade arms were now currently in the shape of regular hands, and that its missing arm had already grown back.
In fact, the demon appeared to be fully healed except for some slight scaring around the area that Veunlux had pierced it with his horn.
Of course, Marcus figured that the demon had some type of regeneration ability seeing as it cut off its own arm, so he expected it to have recovered.
'Now, can I really keep it, along with whatever reinforcements it calls at bay for a few minutes.'
Marcus was feeling a bit of doubt in his heart, but he began steeling himself. It did not look like the demon had noticed him yet, which was a good sign that maybe it had no way to detect him while he was ethereal.
Crossing his fingers Marcus thought, 'Here's to hoping.'
Floating into the floor Marcus began making his way to situate himself right under the demon while still underground.
'Roxene it is time, tell the beasts to commence the attack.'
Marcus waited for just a moment to receive Roxene's acknowledgement and internally sighed.
'Here goes nothing.'
Waiting for just a minute to give himself a bit of extra breathing room, Marcus floated up slowly right under the demon and fired a heightened laser spell right towards its head.
However, as Marcus expected the demon noticed his attack and the dark like void that had absorbed his laser spell in their last battle intercepted this one as well.
The demon then looked down towards where the spell had come from but saw nothing.
Unfortunately, a moment later Marcus watched its eyes glow for a second before it went, "There you are, did you honestly think that would be enough to assassinate me."
The demons then transformed its left arm into a blade while its right did something with the scepter it already had out.
Then in the blink of an eye it slashed towards Marcus with some type of thin film like substance around its arm.
As the blade arm came towards him Marcus instinctively knew that it would still harm him ethereal or not, and he cast his tier five light magic spell as quickly as he could.
A millisecond before the blade hit him his spell activate, and the shimmering scales popped up to protect him from the demon's attack.
The scales began shattering one by one but when the blade was five inches from Marcus it stopped, the force from the swing dissipated.
Having defend against the first attack Marcus floated out of the ground and away from the demon as he solidified and prepared for its next attack.
Standing up from its throne, the demon began looking down on Marcus and said, "Oh did you get overconfident in your strength. Certainly, you caught me off guard last time, but without the meddlesome interference from that winged unicorn, you will not be my match. "
The blade arm demon then launched itself at Marcus with speed that betrayed its large size.
Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm'Embodiment of Darkness.'
As darkness burst out of Marcus from his unique skill, the demon was a bit surprised because it was not expecting such a powerful darkness to begin emanating off of Marcus after seeing his affinity for light.
However, the demon only slowed down for an instance before appearing next to Marcus and slashing towards him with its blade arms.
Marcus using a speed burst jump back to avoid the first slash, but the demon's other arm came at him with blinding speed he could only barely react to.
Luckily his radiance scales spell was still in effect and the demon's attack slowly lost power as it broke through them, and Marcus was able to parry with his scythe blocking the blow.
Using the momentum of the demon's strike Marcus let himself go as he flew back creating some distance between him and the demon, giving him a bit of time to cast a few spells on himself.
'Lightning strider, arms of darkness, and spirt blaze.'
With just enough time to get out three enchantment spells Marcus braced himself for the demon's next attack as it caught back up to him.
Nevertheless, this time, Marcus had already gotten his plan ready, and seven tendrils of shadow emerged from around him and shot towards the demon.
Being slightly caught off guard the demon began hacking away at the tendrils slicing them to pieces before they could reach it, but at the same time Marcus fired of a flame tiger strike, sending the powerful fire magic spell towards the demon.
Unfortunately, the dark void that was still hovering around the demon intercepted it and the spell was suck up without a trace.
The demon's arms then began to glow before it sent off a barge of blades of darkness spells towards Marcus.
'Oh Fuck!'
Countering with his own blades of darkness, Marcus watched as it took three of his own to match one of the demons and he had to take evasive action using all of his agility to avoid being sliced into ribbons.
BOOM!
Bursting into he room Marcus watched as three of the demon's strongest beasts and monster came into the room as back up.
One was a troll that was as large as the demon itself, but it had eight arms instead of the normal two, the second one was some type of massive mantis that had arms that instead of ending in blades were shaped like the head of a morning star, and the final one was a huge floating dark blue jellyfish, with floating balls of water surrounding it that crackled with electricity.
'This is where the hard part starts.'