The fighting in the city seemed to have ended.
A group of people emerged from the underground passage of Shadow Demon Castle and climbed onto the last surviving ruined tower to survey the city. Thick smoke still billowed from the streets, and the stench of blood and gunpowder had yet to dissipate completely. However, the cries of battle had fallen silent. The spatial passages opened by the Demon Hunters, along with the pillars of light left behind by the large-scale spells they had directed at the city in an attempt to destroy it, had all vanished. Looking as far as the eye could see, they could only make out a few people clearing the battlefield in the streets, along with some fully armed city guards hurrying about on patrol.
Heiserana quickly switched on the communicator. "Duncan! How are things?"
"Lady? Lady, are you all right?!" Duncan's delighted voice came from the other end. "That's wonderful! We just heard that you went after Bethmos..."
Heiserana threw her head back and laughed. "Of course I'm fine. How could anything go wrong with me personally taking the field? Speaking of which, have the Demon Hunters withdrawn?"
"Yes, yes, they have," Duncan hurriedly replied. "The Demon Hunters suddenly retreated just now... Maybe they realized there were too many city guards and Ancients. Once they lost the advantage of surprise, they were probably afraid of suffering too many casualties. Everything's fine back home... There were some casualties, but nothing too serious."
After giving her subordinates a few instructions and getting a general account of the Demon Hunters' retreat, Heiserana ended the call and made an inexplicable expression at the people around her. Vivian turned and grabbed a tiny bat, hurling it at Bethmos's head. "Talk. What exactly are the Demon Hunters up to? Don't tell