The Attack

"You should have already heard from Frieren."

Breda glanced down at the arrows scattered across the ground.

"Any magic that has hurt me before can't have the same effect on me a second time. Still, your magic really is rather complicated."

It reached down and picked up one of the twisted arrows.

"I originally thought copying the mana on the surface of the arrows would be enough, but when I tried it, I discovered they also contained many structures completely different from those of ordinary magic."

"I failed many times before I managed to produce a close enough imitation."

Breda pulled back its cloak, revealing scars on its arm that had yet to fully fade. The wounds were all the same size, clearly inflicted by arrows.

"So I probably won't forget you for the rest of my life."

"You really didn't hold back on yourself."

Lorenzo quickly understood what it had done. First, it had used that eye to record the mana structure of an arrow fired by Artemis, then made arrows with a similar aura and repeatedly shot them into its own body. As long as the imitations were close enough to the original magic, it could develop the corresponding resistance in advance.

"Pain is merely a warning produced when the body is damaged. As long as I can get the result I need, there's no reason to care about it."

Breda lowered its cloak again.

"But I'm still curious. Did you go to all that trouble to control so many monsters just for Frieren?"

Lorenzo looked at the monsters packed tightly around them. There seemed to be more than a few dozen—there had to be over a hundred, and more were still streaming in at the outer edge.

"To be honest, I came this time to avenge the Demon King."

"Do Demons think about revenge too?"

If he remembered correctly, Demons were fundamentally incapable of understanding what emotions were. They were nothing but beasts.

"'Revenge' is just a way of putting it so you'll understand. I don't even know what the Demon King looked like, but if I want to rebuild the Demon King's Army and become the next Demon King, I naturally need to avenge my predecessor."

That was perhaps a little too honest, enough to make Lorenzo wonder if Breda wasn't a Demon at all, but a Trisolaran from who knew where.

Lorenzo fell silent for a moment.

"So even the position of Demon King is something you compete for?"

"Demons only obey those stronger than themselves."

It seemed Breda considered its victory a foregone conclusion and saw no need to hurry, so it began talking at length to Lorenzo about its plans. Apparently, even Demons couldn't resist finding someone to show off to after making a few "achievements."

"Simply calling myself the Demon King means nothing. I must have enough power for other Demons to acknowledge me, as well as an accomplishment that will make them fear me. Killing Frieren, who once took part in defeating the Demon King, is undoubtedly the most suitable accomplishment."

If Breda succeeded, the Demons scattered across the land would naturally begin to take notice of it. With enough monsters under its control to form an army as well, it really might attract some Demons to follow it of their own accord.

"Oh, right. I should also thank you for coming to where Heiter lives."

Breda looked up at the second floor.

"That saves me a special trip to find him after I kill Frieren."

The moment it finished speaking, a beam of mana shot toward Breda without warning. It immediately deployed a defensive barrier and intercepted the attack.

Fern held her staff raised.

"You won't get the chance."

Threatening to kill Heiter in front of Fern was probably like walking into a dragon's lair and discussing how to cook its young right in front of their mother.

The comparison felt a little odd, but it was safe to say it usually wouldn't end well.

"Angry because someone important to you was threatened?"

Breda glanced at the purple-haired girl.

"What a boring emotion."

"But perhaps it was that very emotion that fascinated Lord Demon King so much. In any case, it doesn't matter. Don't you humans value reunions? You'll be reunited again soon."

Breda stopped using words to stall for time. The number of monsters in the forest had now reached the amount it needed.

"There are enough of them now."

Breda raised its hand, and all the surrounding monsters stood up at once. Their heavy footsteps made even the ground tremble slightly.

"Then, let's begin."

Several large monsters covered in thick carapaces moved to the front first, using their bodies as moving shields. Those with weaker defenses followed behind them. It looked just like another form of infantry-tank coordination.

The Demon Wolves and other faster monsters spread out to both sides, preparing to bypass the frontal defenses. Mana signatures were also rapidly approaching from beneath the ground.

Lorenzo created one more clone, and stationed two clones each to guard the front, back, left and right sides of the house.

Even so, why did it feel like he was playing a tower defense game?

Fern turned her attention back to the front.

Dozens of mana beams rapidly formed around her, then shot toward the carapaced monsters charging at the front like a torrential downpour. Amid the continuous explosions, countless cracks appeared in their thick carapaces, but the beams still failed to pierce all the way through.

Fern didn't insist on breaking through their defenses, however. She angled her staff slightly downward, and the next volley landed entirely at the monsters' feet.

The ground collapsed with a roar.

The large monsters at the front lost their balance, their massive bodies toppling one after another. Instead, they blocked the advance of the ranks behind them. The Demon Wolves following close behind couldn't stop in time and crashed into a heap.

This was exactly the moment Fern had been waiting for.

The Volumen Hydrargyrum on her wrist sprang into action. Silvery-white liquid metal poured from the bracelet's surface and seeped between the fallen monsters. Some even climbed onto their bodies through gaps in their carapaces.

"Scalp."

At Fern's command, the flowing liquid metal instantly changed shape. Dozens of silver blades sprang up from the ground, piercing the monsters' unprotected spots.

Blood sprayed throughout the monster horde at once.

Silver blades thrust up one after another through cracks in the ground. The Rock Armor Beasts at the front had yet to regain their feet when the blades pierced their bodies from inside their carapaces. The Demon Wolves packed in behind them had nowhere to dodge either.

The massive bodies that had been meant to protect the monsters behind them instead became obstacles blocking their escape. It was just like a group of cavalry charging head-on into an enemy pike formation.

In just a few seconds, more than half the monsters gathered at the front had fallen.

"An interesting magic tool."

For the first time, Breda truly focused its attention on Fern. It had assumed Lorenzo and Zanze were the people at Frieren's side most worth watching out for, but it hadn't expected this young girl to produce a few surprises of her own.