"Oh? Shadow powers? Someone from the Katz Family, perhaps?" Asmodeus said with a smirk.
"Oh, Demon Lord Asmodeus? No—should I say Demon terrorist Asmodeus?" The woman's voice cut through the tension, sharp and cool. "You see, you don't get to do whatever you want out here. Who knows? Something unfortunate might happen to you."
A woman in a black robe stepped forward, her black hair cascading down her back, eyes glowing deep crimson. It was Alisha Marie.
"Is that a threat? You have no idea who you're dealing with," Asmodeus growled.
"And you have no idea what the Katz family is capable of," she replied smoothly. "We are the ruling family of the Red Moon Empire."
"Fine! Let's make a deal. Leave those two ladies to me, and we'll walk away as if none of this ever happened." His grin widened.
"I'm sorry… are you serious?" Alisha Marie tilted her head, her voice dripping with mockery. "You? Coming to me with a deal? You're the one who loves forcing your power on others. That doesn't exactly fit into my policies."
Asmodeus burst into laughter, wild and arrogant.
"You're not smart at all! You think you can beat me? It doesn't matter which family you're from. If I kill you here and erase every piece of evidence, who's going to catch me?"
"You're funny. No—you're stupid," Alisha said flatly. "You think that's even possible in a world where magic can fabricate false evidence? You're underestimating Demon King authorities. Oh—you call yourself a Demon King? You're nothing but a loser."
"That's enough! You threaten me again, and we'll see what happens." Asmodeus's voice dropped, thick with menace.
"Aww, how cute," Alisha cooed.
She brought out her weapon—a sleek, ominous scythe. With her other hand, she raised a curtain of shadows that swept across the area, crawling over the ground like living ink.
"Oh, impressive. Fast-casting shadow magic? A high-ranking family member, clearly. Yet even twenty of you couldn't defeat me before—what can one woman do?" The shadows rushed toward Asmodeus's feet, but he leapt onto the store roof with ease.
"If I were you, I wouldn't be so confident. Look again." Alisha's voice echoed coolly.
A tendril of shadow had already touched Asmodeus's foot.
"No way!" Asmodeus hissed, slicing off his own foot before it could spread. He shot into the sky, wings flaring wide. His severed foot began to regenerate as he gathered energy into shimmering blue spheres. Flying like an eagle, he formed an arrow made of pure blue energy and hurled it straight at Alisha.
Alisha swung her scythe effortlessly. A dark shadow lingered in the air.
Seeing it, Asmodeus quickly redirected the arrow, curving it behind her.
She swung again. Another veil of shadow hovered, devouring the space.
This time, he didn't have time to adjust—the arrow plunged toward the shadow.
The shadow consumed the arrow instantly.
Suddenly, Asmodeus appeared before Alisha, his hand swinging down like a blade.
She blocked it cleanly with her scythe.
"So all of this… was just a decoy to shift my attention?" he muttered.
"Of course. Isn't this how everyone fights?" she answered coolly. "You use flash step. You use regeneration. I understand why you think you're a king."
"Sweet talk won't save you." Asmodeus jumped back, landing on the shadow-covered ground.
A sharp gasp left him.
An arrow—his own arrow from earlier—stabbed through his back.
"I think it worked," Alisha mused. "But I'm not done."
Asmodeus readied to fly—but before he could, another arrow impaled his wing.
"Damn it! How can a woman—the weakest of all creations—hurt me and outsmart me?" Asmodeus snarled, fury twisting his face.
"Oh, if I were you, I wouldn't be thinking about that right now. Survival should be your priority," Alisha Marie taunted.
Lola raised her staff. Suddenly, the shadows began to fade. The air thickened, heat pressing down like a sudden storm.
It lasted only a second.
"I'll finish you first. Your power is weakening, isn't it?" Asmodeus barked.
"Maybe you're right… but maybe you should look behind you," Alisha said with a sly smile.
"Asmodeus! I told you—your Eighth Circle advanced magic can't hold me!"
It was Velisara. Lola had just used Anti-Magic, shattering the spell and freeing her from the magic circle.
"Asmodeus! I told you—you cocky rat!" Velisara snapped.
"I'll help this time," Lola said firmly.
"What? She broke the advanced magic?" Asmodeus growled.
Velisara landed several meters away from him. Lola raised her staff high.
"I told you to worry about yourself," Alisha Marie said, her voice smooth and mocking. "But you're busy thinking how weak women are? Seems you're about to get beaten by one."
"I'll be back—and first, I'll cut your throat!" Asmodeus snarled.
"Again? Worrying about me? How cute," Alisha Marie smirked.
Asmodeus leapt to the rooftop, wings poised to fly—
—but cold snapped around his feet. Ice locked him in place.
Velisara appeared on the rooftop beside him, sword flashing. She swung through empty air, but a brilliant gold lance exploded from the arc, surging toward him. Asmodeus conjured a shield and another under his clothes for backup.
The golden lance shattered the outer barrier and struck the hidden shield. It cracked, but barely held, though the force gouged deep into his chest.
Velisara charged again. Asmodeus quickly formed a water orb and hurled it at the ice trapping him—it exploded, freeing his legs. But Velisara didn't slow. She swung once more. Another golden lance streaked for his neck.
Asmodeus jumped—too slow. The lance sliced clean through his leg. He crashed onto another rooftop.
"Shit… I got soft," Asmodeus spat, seething. "I should've killed them sooner. How dare they treat me like some beast…"
Suddenly, a group of black-robed men appeared in front of him.
Asmodeus narrowed his eyes and turned away.
"What happened to you? Why are you all wounded?" he snapped.
"Lord Asmodeus, we have to go. Luck's not on our side today," one of them muttered.
Velisara, watching from afar, frowned sharply.
Teleportation? Or a magic I can't sense? she wondered.
One robed man glanced toward Velisara and the others below.
"Ladies, if you'll excuse us—we'll be leaving. It's our loss."
"Loss? No… I call this a win for you," a voice echoed.
The robed man whipped around, hand on his weapon.
Alisha Marie stood far below, yet her voice whispered right beside him.
"My apologies for surprising you," she said lightly. "It's just a little skill—we don't know the name. I'm speaking from down here, but your shadow carries my words to you."
"What a wretched power… and you've got the Hero with you, too. We're leaving," the man snapped.
"How dare you leave without my permission!" Velisara roared. She swung her sword high. For the third time, a golden lance fired toward the group.
One of the robed men lost his hand instantly. The attack obliterated the building where Asmodeus had stood—yet no trace of him remained.
Velisara dropped from the roof and approached Lola and Alisha Marie.
"My respects to the legendary Hero," Alisha Marie said, bowing.
"And who might you be?" Velisara asked, cautious.
"I am Alisha Katz, of the Katz family. Please—call me Alisha Marie."
"Oh? That's impressive. I'm Velisara," she replied.
"Thank you, Lola—you're a mage? I didn't realize," Velisara smiled.
"You're acting like I was hiding it," Lola chuckled. "We've only met twice. We'll know each other better soon."
"Seems like trouble always finds us when we meet," Velisara said.
"But we manage to survive, don't we? Anyway, Velisara—we should leave before more come," Lola suggested.
"Yes, we should," Velisara agreed.
"Let's go, Lola, Alisha."
"I'm surprised you didn't draw your sword when you heard my name," Alisha Marie noted with a smile.
"Oh, I have a Katz at my house," Velisara replied coolly. "Besides, the Red Moon Empire is supposed to be allied with the Rance Republic—but one of their lords attacked neutral ground."
"That's right. We'll be reporting this to the Red Moon Empire."
A crisp voice cut through the air.
"It is an honor to meet the Queen herself. Long time no see, legendary Hero and Queen, Your Highness Velisara Nath."
A man stepped forward—black long coat, military uniform gleaming with honors and badges. Soldiers flanked him.
He was none other than Theadero Cleisthenes—Founder of the Rance Republic, Prime Minister, Supreme Commander.
Infamous ex–War Minister and traitor of the Ausha Empire.
Alisha Marie's eyes narrowed.
"Infamous bastard," she muttered under her breath.