Salvos

Chapter 590: Aftershocks

590. Aftershocks

Demons.

Zack hated Demons. Well he didnt hate all Demons. But he had his reasons for that. Very complex reasons alongside a lot of complicated feelings.

However, he hated fighting Demons.

He had plenty of experience fighting against Demons at this point. He was a Diamond Ranked adventurer a brand new one, so he was barely above Level 100. In fact, the reason he had even reached the advancement was due to joining the United Coalition of the Human Lands during the Demon Kings invasion of the Mortal Realm.

Zack wasnt a part of an adventuring company he was an independent adventurer. But he still had a team. They were a team of three: Jaakko, Helen, and himself. Jaakko, their leader, was a Cyclops who had a strong sense of justice. Because of that, when Demons started appearing throughout the Human lands, the trio of adventurers immediately got involved.

And while they had grown a lot because of that, it was still a massive pain in the ass, fighting against Demons. After all, Demons were deadly and strong. Humans, Cyclopes, and even Kobolds were no match for a Demon at the exact same level.

It was said that an average Spirit at Level 10 was equal in strength to an average Human at Level 20. Of course, it was entirely dependent on the Spirits Subspecies and the Humans Class. However, as a general rule of thumb, it worked.

The same applied to a Human and a swarm monster. A single Centinel at Level 20 was supposedly practically harmless to a Human at Level 10. But swarm monsters often made up for their weakness through their sheer numbers.

The same couldnt be said for Humankind. While they were numerous, a large majority of them were non-combatants. Zack didnt know how many Demons there were in the Netherworld, but he was more than certain it was at least equal to the number of Humans in the Mortal Realm with combat Classes. In fact, considering that wild Demons were a thing, it was most certainly more than equal by a substantial amount.

Nevertheless, it didnt matter as long as the Demons stayed in the Netherworld. Only a few could ever pass through to the Mortal Realm at a time. As long as the Demon Kings evil plan to merge the plans never came to fruition, Humankind would always triumph through numbers alone. And considering that the United Coalition of the Human Lands had successfully put a halt to the grand ritual to accomplish just that a year ago, everything should have been fine from then on.

Or at least, that was what Zack had hoped. Unfortunately, the aftershocks of the Demon Kings attempted merger remained in the Mortal Realm. A large chunk of land in the former Inoria Empire had been netherfied. The landscape was replaced by a white rocky surface, and the sky was overcome with a red aura at night.

For a long time, that appeared to be the worst of the effects of netherfication. However, as Zack soon came to learn, that was not true. The ground ripped open as the sky tore. Lava spouted from the earth below as Demons poured from the hole above.

And once again, Zack and his team had no other choice but to fight against Demons. He hated it. Not because he hated helping others even if he was the least valiant of his team, he was still inclined to help out when the entirety of Humankind was in danger. Still, he hated fighting Demons because of how risky it was to go up against one that was lower-leveled than him. Especially since he was a squishy [Mage] who didnt have the defensive capabilities of either of his teammates.

Well, Helen was squishy too she was an [Archer], so that meant she wasnt a close-combatant either. However, she was still capable of fighting with a dagger, and that was why she was a lot more durable than Zack in battle.

But neither of them compared to Jaakko. He was a [Warrior] who fought with a kusarigama. An unusual weapon for his Class, considering that was normally what [Rogues] used. At least, in the Human lands. Apparently these unconventional arms were commonly used throughout the Cyclopes cities.

Regardless, Jaakko was a [Warrior], and the highest-leveled of the three. So he was the most sturdy of the three. That was why he typically stood at the very front of the team during a battle. Just like right now.

Zack winced as he heard the shriek echo throughout the battlefield. It hurt his ears it was the effects of sound magic albeit weak. Still, he raised his head, looking at the source of the sound.

All around him, a battle unfolded. Adventurers faced off against winged Demons of all kinds. They attacked relentlessly without discrimination. Because they were wild Demons. That meant they were distinct from the collared minions of the Demon King.

Apparently, there was a difference. Zack didnt really know the full details, and all he knew right now was that he needed to stop that blaring sound magic. It was slowing his movements, weakening his magic, and wearing him down. A kind of an area of effect spell that wasnt meant to kill them, but only weaken them.

Zack focused his gaze on the source of the magic. Hovering high in the sky, a bat-like creature screeched. It was significantly larger than any bat the [Mage] had seen in his life. It looked rather bestial too it was built like a bear without fur, but its wingspan was thrice the length of its body.

[Vampyr Chiroptera - Lvl. 108]

It was an Archdemon. And it was fast. It zipped through the sky, diving between [Agarats] and [Vampyr Bats] as it continued screeching. Zack raised a tome as he focused on the ground beneath his feet.

Take this!

He screamed, and spears made of the white stone of the Netherworld shot into the sky. The volley of projectiles ripped through the lower-leveled Demons many of them were above Level 50, but they fell like flies against his spells.

However, the [Vampyr Chiroptera] was fast. It easily flew out of the way of his spell as its eyes flickered his way. It shrieked, homing straight for him. Even though there were a hundred other adventurers present, it ignored them. It bared its fangs his way as the air around its body blurred, before vibrating.

His eyes went wide as it drew closer. Zack quickly tried to conjure up another spell. He created a wall made of stone, and the Archdemon just shredded straight through it. He stumbled back as its maw closed around him

[Hail Burst]!

A voice shouted from the side. Zack blinked, watching as a single icy arrow struck the [Vampyr Chiroptera] from the side. The moment the projectile came into contact with the Archdemons skin, it exploded into a dozen ice shards.

The ice shards immediately circled around the Archdemon, assailing it again and again as it backed away. But before it could get away, a pair of chains shot through the air. A kusarigama caught the [Vampyr Chiroptera] before it could flee and yanked it straight to the ground.

Edithe still rushed ahead with the Salvos clone and a handful of others higher-leveled adventurers to help out. Now, she watched as the small breakaway group of wild Demons were cleared with ease.

Dont let them escape!

She called out, unleashing a blast of frost into the air. The last of the Demons fell from the air as she looked on.

Not a single one of them should leave this camp alive!

The Salvos clone gave chase to a handful of [Agarats] trying to flee from the scene. She incinerated them with ease, and Edithe wiped the sweat off her brow.

It was finally finished. The last of the Demons were wiped out. Or at least, the small group that had been assailing this camp. The redhead shook her head as she swept her gaze over the small encampment.

Whos in charge here?

She called out, and a tall Cyclops strode up to her.

I am. My name is Jaakko, it is a pleasure to meet you once again, Edithe Dawnrise.

He proffered her one of his four hands as she eyed him. Edithe recognized him, although they had only met briefly in the past. She shook her head, opting to skip the idle chatter.

Indeed, Jaakko. Did you see where the rest of the Demon swarm went?

She asked as she glanced towards the horizon. He nodded grimly towards her.

I did. They were heading further to the north. We were lucky they ignored us I didnt get a good look at them, but I was certain they had multiple Archdemons amongst their numbers

Thats troublesome.

Edithe pursed her lips, before glancing in the direction where the Demon swarm had gone. She was less alarmed than before knowing that, since that was where the various armies of the neighboring kingdoms to the Netherfied Lands were stationed. So there was less risk of the Demons escaping.

Still, the question remained.

But where are they going? What could possibly be drawing them to the north?

I do not know.

Jaakko shook his head apologetically. She placed a hand on her chin in thought as she wondered frowned.

The north

I know!

A voice exclaimed to the side. Edithe blinked, looking up as the Salvos clone descended from the sky.

I know!

The Salvos clone repeated herself as she smiled. The redhead blinked, exchanging a glance with Jaakko.

What is it?

Edithe finally asked. And the Salvos clone beamed.

Lunaris!

What?

The redhead paused as the Salvos clone just continued.

Where I killed Ira!