"M-monster..."
Carrion's voice trembled.
What was he seeing?
That woman, with just a flick of her hand, unleashed an attack on par with his Beast Particle Cannon.
Still no magicules!
It wasn't a skill. It wasn't a compressed blast of magicules. It was pure physical strength.
"How could something like that be possible?"
To casually destroy a mountain... even someone as prideful as Carrion had to lower his head.
This wasn't something he could win against.
If true Awakened Demon Lords were all like this...
Then his so-called Demon Lord status was a complete joke.
"I'm starting to doubt something."
Carrion muttered, "Are you... maybe here just to show off?"
"Idiot."
Frey rolled her eyes speechless. "You think I have that kind of free time?"
"You think I'd risk exposing my trump card and sensitive information just to mess around with you?"
"Then..."
"Don't go thinking your big sister is hoarding all the good stuff. This time, I've brought you a huge opportunity."
After that previous beating, Frey had completely taken the lead in the conversation.
For someone like Carrion, if you didn't beat some sense into him first, he wouldn't listen to a word.
"Opportunity?"
Carrion didn't bother correcting her on calling herself his older sister. He was younger than her, after all. So what if it made the old woman happy?
"I have a feeling you're thinking something rude."
Frey's intuition was sharp, and it scared Carrion enough to break into a cold sweat.
"W-wrong. Definitely a misunderstanding. Let's talk about, uh, yes, the opportunity!"
"Hmph."
Frey snorted but let him off this time. She'd still need this reckless man's help in the future. "Do you think there's a big difference between our aptitudes?"
"Honestly, your talent is even greater than mine."
Before Carrion could answer, Frey gave the verdict herself. "But now I've obtained this kind of strength. Aren't you curious how?"
"This is the opportunity you're talking about?"
"Yes."
At that moment, Frey finally revealed her secret.
"I've submitted to a Lord."
"!!!!"
Carrion had expected anything but that.
He didn't expect her to say that.
"A woman like you... bowing to someone else?"
Carrion muttered. "So, you came to me because..."
"That's right."
Frey nodded. "I intend to introduce you to that Lord."
"..."
Carrion had never heard someone describe kneeling so elegantly.
But no matter how nice it sounded, it was still submission.
"If you say you need time to think, I will beat you to death."
Frey's tone suddenly turned cold.
To give Carrion this chance, she had lobbied hard. She had persuaded Artoria and Snow Empress, even said all kinds of flattering things about Carrion to Rin.
After going that far, if this idiot still tried to play hard to get...
Frey would really break his legs and personally toss him in front of Rin.
Now that would be a real joke.
"Gulp!"
Carrion's instincts screamed. He definitely couldn't provoke Frey right now.
She might actually kill him.
"I, I, that is..."
Carrion didn't doubt Frey. They had known each other for hundreds of years. Both had become Demon Lords.
Frey wouldn't pull some pyramid scheme stunt or try to use him to pad her numbers.
If she came to him, it meant she had already decided that following this Lord was the right choice.
In terms of intelligence, ten of him couldn't match one Frey.
"Alright. I'll accept."
Carrion nodded. "But before that, I have two questions I'd like answered."
"Speak."
"First question."
Carrion steadied his emotions and asked, "Compared to you... how strong is the person I'm going to serve?"
His wording was a bit roundabout, but the meaning was clear.
He wanted to know just how strong Rin really was.
"..."
Frey frowned slightly. This kind of question bordered on forbidden.
Answering it meant talking behind Rin's back.
It could also count as leaking confidential information.
Normally, she wouldn't be able to answer.
However, Rin was clearly monitoring everything and had already granted her the right to reveal certain things.
"You really know how to cause me trouble." Frey shook her head and said, "Prying into our Lord's power is a big taboo."
"Then..."
Carrion was about to back off, when Frey suddenly added, "However, Rin-sama has already forgiven your rudeness."
"Rin-sama?"
"Yes. That's the revered name of my master, and also the one you'll be serving in the future."
Carrion wanted to say he'd never heard of that name before.
But seeing Frey's serious gaze, he chickened out.
"Rin-sama's power is far beyond anything I can comprehend. Even the power I currently wield is a gift from him."
"Do you understand what I mean?"
Frey said seriously, "To elevate someone like me, a mere Demon Lord, from 400,000 magicules to 3.1 million... that's just part of what Rin-sama has done."
"You mean, even that incredible physical strength earlier...?"
"Yes."
Frey nodded. "That, and my Ultimate Skill."
"Ultimate Skill..."
Carrion closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and said, "I understand. Then, the last question."
"Can you let me witness your Ultimate Skill?"
"Hmm?"
Compared to the last one, this question didn't trouble Frey at all.
"As you wish."
The Sky Queen smiled and slowly raised her hand.
Boom!
"What is this?!"
Carrion looked down in shock.
The ground beneath his feet began to tremble. Mountains cracked. The land split open.
Stones and rivers floated into the air, drawn upward by an invisible force.
The scene was reminiscent of the Float-Float Fruit from One Piece.
But unlike the Float-Float Fruit, Frey's control was effortless and seamless.
There was no need for physical contact. There were no restrictions to non-living things.
"My Ultimate Skill is called Lord of the Sky · Horus."
"Lord of the Sky?"
"Yes."
Frey flipped her palm, fingers moving as elegantly as if she were plucking a zither's strings.
Under her control, rocks disintegrated into particles of dust.
But that wasn't the end.
Water, air, trees, and even several animals, all disassembled and reconstructed under her will.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)