Chapter 390: I Need Your Army Here

"Actually, it’s not. I am here to hunt; but I will need your help and army here... If we succeed, I will help you get back to the fourth world, and maybe, the King will say some good word to your father. Remember, I said maybe." It said, the cold, rattling sound of its jaws sending a shiver through everyone present.​"The King? You mean?" Vassago lowered his gaze in shock. In the absolute hierarchy of the fourth world, there are three main forces that hold dominion. The undisputed strongest is known as the Aethelgard family, and the second is his very own Father, the Supreme ruler of the true abyss... Only that specific man, the King of the Aethelgard, could ever possess enough political and martial leverage to convince his father.

​Getting rid of the cosmic chains on him, and finally going back to the fourth world has always been his ultimate, burning dream; this unexpected encounter might just be the right opportunity to leave this world behind forever.

​"What do I have to do?" He asked, his demeanor shifting from defiant prisoner to a willing collaborator.

​"Yes! We also want to help you!!" Dracula yelled, her ambitious gaze fixed firmly on the ground, desperate to secure her own ticket to the upper realms.

​"Oh, that’s easy." The skeleton muttered, its hollow, dark skull turning slowly to lock its gaze onto Dracula.

​"Okay then, you just--" It paused mid-sentence, its senses suddenly twitching as it noticed the terrified Pope, and his two trembling saints.

​"You! Why do I sense that Bitch from the Third World on you?" It asked, its voice instantly dripping with a dense, suffocating killing intent that warped the surrounding air.

​"Who? Who?" The Pope trembled in raw, primeval fear, clutching his divine staff with pale, sweating knuckles.

​"You serve and worship her as your goddess... Anyway, get lost; I don’t want to see her people anywhere around me." The skeleton commanded.

​"Yes. Yes!"

​The Pope quickly nodded his head in sheer panic. His staff glowed brightly with a frantic surge of holy light, and in the next fraction of a second, he and the two saints completely vanished from the depths of the abyss, escaping the terrifying presence.

​"Hmph! With the dirt taken care of, our plan...." It suddenly froze again, its skull snapping upward: "The Angel heir!! Come with me!"

​"My Lord!! I can’t leave the abyss!" Vassago quickly yelled out, the physical constraints of his prison holding him down, his words forcefully stopping the undead king right in its tracks.

​"A seal has been placed on you... The sun family seal." it muttered, its glowing irises narrowing as it analyzed the complex, woven constraints locking the Demon Emperor down, and lightly shook its bare skull in frustration:

​’If I forcefully undo this seal myself, the primary seal holding back Julian will be significantly weakened again... I will absolutely have to consult the King before acting further on this anomaly.’ It thought, and turned its gaze back to Dracula, and the shivering Succubus:

​"Gather all your forces, and every single one of your demons, we will attack the surface in exactly one hour, As for Vassago, you will wait here." He commanded, the decree echoing like a death knell for the world above.

​"Yes!" Dracula nodded her head in fervent compliance, a dark, ambitious smile forming on her face. The original ritual plan was technically off, but things were getting back on track in a much grander, bloodier way.

​"You see? I just need to say a word, and your entire advantage will be gone." Mirabella said, calmly raising one singular finger, gesturing toward the ash-covered ground where the unkillable horde had just been utterly vaporized.

​"In truth, you are under my mercy." Mirabella said with a calm, unbothered expression, her posture completely relaxed despite standing at the epicenter of a continental disaster.

​’This girl is so incredibly arrogant, does she think you are merely her personal tool?’ The Supreme class dagger asked Carl telepathically, its ancient pride bristling at her commanding tone.

​’What are you talking about?! Mirabella is my Big sister! Why on earth would she see me as a tool!’ Carl snapped back inwardly, defending his leader with absolute conviction.

​’Big Sister... I know very well she is the last heir of the legendary Sun family, so what? She doesn’t have to say it like you will automatically jump forward whenever she gives a command.’ The weapon grumbled, its ego unsatisfied.

​Carl remained silent, entirely ignoring the dagger’s attempts to sow discord as he maintained his focus on the enemy before them.

​"Do you think I’m scared of you?! I also have Divine energy!!" Carolina yelled at them, her crimson face contorting in rage, but she suddenly froze mid-sentence, her eyes glazing over as she heard Nadia’s telepathic message.

​’Use the forces in the shadows, and immediately leave that place. You have done more than enough.’

​Receiving the retreat order, Carolina chuckled softly, the manic edge returning to her voice as she slowly nodded her head: "Alright... I don’t have time to fight with you uncultured swine anyway. I am heading back to the empire." She turned her back around. The very next moment, the space violently cracked open, and a swirling, dark gateway formed in the air.

​"Running away?!" Carl roared. His instincts flaring, he shot forward like a golden meteor, thrusting his divine dagger forward to intercept her retreat.

​WHOOSH!!

​"Carl!!"

​Mirabella sharply stretched forth her hand. With instantaneous spatial manipulation, a dense golden barrier enveloped Carl’s flying form just as a terrifying, unseen force materialized in his path. The very next moment, a massive, catastrophic punch smashed right into the protective barrier, sending it flying backward through the air with immense velocity.

​Mirabella smoothly stabilized the displaced energy, halting the flying barrier directly before their group: "Are you okay?" She asked worriedly, her eyes scanning him for damage.

​"Yes, what just attacked me?" Carl asked, as he turned his head toward the five black humanoid shadows now hovering menacingly before the escaping Carolina. They were bizarre, terrifying creatures formed completely from pure, writhing darkness, existing entirely without a standard physical body.

​"These are the powerhouses I sensed when I first arrived here... But I mistakenly thought they were human." Mirabella muttered, a bit taken aback by the revelation of their non-human nature. Even the four veteran Guardians standing behind them were completely dumbfounded by the appearance of these entities.

​"These five are my Master’s personal guards, they are ten times stronger than the red-skinned zombies." Carolina said with an arrogant smirk, stepping backward into the swirling void of the gateway, completely disappearing from the ruins of Galaxy City.

​"Miss Mirabella!! These things are also completely immune to all forms of Spirit energy!" Nita yelled out to Mirabella, frantically warning her from the crater.

​"I know that." Mirabella answered calmly, her eyes locked onto the shifting shadows. She turned her head slightly to her vice-leader: "Undo the transformation."

​"But Big Sister, you need me to fight them--"

​"--No, these guys are a lot stronger than you, not only that, they aren’t human." Mirabella cut him off completely, her gaze dropping heavily onto the dark creatures as she analyzed their action.

​"I understand." Carl nodded obediently. With a soft hum of dispersing energy, his majestic golden wings and radiant armor instantly vanished, his hair shifting back from gold to blonde, and lastly, his eyes turned back to their usual, human blue color.

​’Well, it seems I completely misjudged her character.’ The sentient dagger thought with a hint of begrudging respect, as Carl stored it back into his spatial storage ring.