Yoru stepped toward Cao Cao one measured pace at a time, the other members of the Hero Faction making way for him. They, too, had dangerous opponents to face—none other than a Governor of the Fallen Angels, a Seraph, and a Maou.
"Sorry, but I promised this kid I'd bring her mother back. So, would you be a good boy and hand her over?" Yoru said with a light chuckle, his casual tone still carrying a crushing pressure.
At the same time, the silent boy commanding the monsters sent them charging toward Azazel's group.
Even as the wielder of a Longinus, he wasn't foolish enough to try and take on three Maou-class beings alone—that would be suicide. As he moved, the rest of the Hero Faction members also began their assault.
"I'm curious about your goal," Yoru said as he stood face to face with Cao Cao. "Vali might just be a battle-crazed lunatic, but you? You don't seem like that kind of guy."
"Don't tell me it's for something laughable like fulfilling a hero's dream—slaying a dragon or killing a devil."
"Oh? And what makes you think we aren't here for that? If Vali can be selfish, why can't we?" Cao Cao replied with an easy shrug, looking far less dangerous than Azazel had described—almost approachable.
Clap!
While they spoke, a shining magic circle with unfamiliar runes suddenly appeared in the midst of the chaotic battle.
"This is…"
Azazel's eyes narrowed in recognition. All fighting paused as everyone's attention turned to the newcomer—an adorable foreign girl dressed like a mage, complete with an oversized hat and cloak. She looked to be middle school age, with a slender build, and stood calmly in the most dangerous part of the battlefield without a hint of fear.
She turned with a bright smile. "Nice to meet you. I'm Le Fay—Le Fay Pendragon. I'm the magician in Vali's team. I look forward to working with you."
Azazel's brows rose. "Pendragon? You're related to Arthur?"
"Yes. Arthur is my brother—he's always taking care of me."
"Le Fay, huh? Named after the legendary witch, Morgan le Fay… They say she was related by blood to the Hero-King Arthur Pendragon," Azazel mused, stroking his chin.
Ignoring his muttering, Le Fay's eyes sparkled as she hurried over to Yoru.
"Um… You're the one who rose from a humble soldier to become a representative of the Three Factions, right? I'm your fan! If it's not too much trouble, could you… shake my hand?"
Yoru blinked, caught off guard. The battlefield was in chaos, and yet here she was, acting cute. He honestly didn't even know how to begin to respond.
"Done!" she chirped after shaking his hand, looking ridiculously pleased.
Not only Yoru, but even the Hero Faction members looked dumbfounded, clearly unsure what was going on. Eventually, Cao Cao scratched his head and asked, "So, you're with Vali's group? What's your reason for coming here?"
With a cheerful smile, Le Fay replied without hesitation, "Yes! I came to deliver a message from Lord Vali: 'I told you not to interrupt me!'—Oh, and sending spies into our team will get you punished~"
BOOM!!!
Her sweet words were followed by a violent tremor that shook the ground so hard it was difficult to stay standing. Kuzuha would have fallen over completely if Yoru hadn't caught her.
CRACK!!!
The sound of something massive breaking rang out. The ground swelled and split, as if something enormous were forcing its way up. With a deafening roar, a gigantic figure burst forth.
"ROOOOAAAAAAAR!!!"
It was a titan-like monster, bellowing to the skies.
"That's… Gogmagog?!" Azazel exclaimed, craning his neck.
Le Fay answered sweetly, "Yes. This is our team's powerhouse—Little Gog~"
"A show of force, huh?" Cao Cao smirked, rubbing his nose. He had no desire to provoke Vali—after all, he considered that unpredictable man even more dangerous than Yoru's group.
Ever the commentator, Azazel began explaining, "Gogmagog… A gargoyle-like construct left adrift in the dimensional gap. They say it's a mass-produced ancient weapon made by the gods themselves. All of them should have been completely inert."
"Ah, it's my first time seeing one move too," he continued, his eyes lighting up like a child's. "I've heard of them, but to think it's actually active… Fascinating!" He was already slipping into his obsessive researcher mode.
Then his expression shifted as he muttered to himself, "I see… So Vali realized that the dimensional gap isn't only inhabited by Great Red…"
Le Fay confirmed with a nod, "That's right. Lord Vali detected Little Gog's presence. Lady Ophis mentioned sensing moving giants during her past explorations, so he went to investigate again."
Before they could continue, Gogmagog swung a massive fist at the Hero Faction.
ROOOOAAAARRR!!!
With an ear-splitting crash, the blow obliterated scores of the conjured monsters, forcing the Hero Faction members to leap back. The battlefield was once again split apart.
"Hahaha! Is Vali throwing a tantrum? Sending over a giant rock just to vent his childish mood?" Cao Cao laughed, leveling his spear at the gargoyle.
"Extend!"
WHOOSH!
The spear's tip shot forward like a striking serpent, piercing straight through the gargoyle's shoulder in an instant.
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