Chapter 926: The Demon Emperor Is Coming!

"ASMODEUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Velvet’s scream vanished beneath the golden light.

For a moment, she couldn’t see or feel anything. The sensation of being pulled apart was far worse than the earlier teleportation, and the strange mark spreading across her arm suddenly burned with an unbearable heat.

’Ngh... those fuckers!’

She tried to gather her mana, but the moment it flowed towards her hands, the golden markings began absorbing the energy again.

However, Velvet wasn’t an ordinary demon.

She’d spent most of her life studying magic and training her body, first as a witch and knight of Grigor, and later as one of Asmodeus’s Demon Queens.

Her purple eyes slowly opened.

’There...!’

Several different currents of mana surrounded her. The golden energy seemed to form a tunnel, while smaller threads connected the three masked figures to her body.

’So that’s how they’re doing it.’

Velvet clenched her teeth.

She couldn’t stop the teleportation.

But perhaps she could interfere with it.

Red and blue aura gathered around her fists, causing the golden markings to brighten. Rather than fighting against the energy directly, she began twisting the two different currents around each other.

Hot and cold.

Fire and Ice mixed rapidly, causing an abrupt change in pressure.

CRACK!

A small fracture appeared in the golden light.

"WHAT?!"

The fox-masked woman’s voice sounded somewhere nearby.

Velvet smiled despite the pain.

"Did you really think capturing me would be so fucking easy?!"

BOOOOM!

The teleportation collapsed.

***

Velvet’s body struck the ground and rolled several times before she managed to stop herself with one hand.

"Ngh...!"

Her claws gouged several deep trenches through the stone.

The surroundings were completely different from the quarry.

A long underground chamber stretched ahead, with several pillars supporting the ceiling and a huge pair of iron doors at the opposite end. The smell of salt and seawater lingered in the air, mixed with a faint scent of old blood.

Velvet’s body struck the ground and rolled several times before she managed to stop herself with one hand.

"Ngh...!"

Her claws gouged several deep trenches through the stone.

The surroundings were completely different from the quarry.

A long underground chamber stretched ahead, with several pillars supporting the ceiling and a huge pair of iron doors at the opposite end. The smell of salt and seawater lingered in the air, mixed with a faint scent of old blood.

’Somewhere near the sea?’

Velvet pushed herself upright.

The golden mark had spread beyond her elbow, and several black scales covered her forearm where she’d tried to protect herself from the violent teleportation.

Fortunately, the two streams of magic she’d released were still under her control.

"Haa... Haa..."

She looked towards the nearby figures.

The wolf-masked man lay against a broken pillar, his damaged arm hanging uselessly beside him. The boar-masked figure had fallen several metres away, while the fox remained standing despite the blood trickling from beneath her mask.

"...You!"

The woman sounded furious.

Much to Velvet’s delight who grinned.

"What’s wrong? Did I ruin your little plan?"

"Do you have any idea how expensive that crystal was?!"

"Hmph. Then send the bill to my husband."

The fox immediately raised her hand.

"Restrain her before she recovers!"

However, Velvet didn’t intend to give them another opportunity.

She slammed her foot against the ground and rushed towards the injured wolf.

Bang!

Her right fist struck his chest before he could defend himself. The red and blue aura surrounding her knuckles exploded, tearing through the man’s armour and sending him crashing into the wall.

Velvet didn’t stop.

Her body twisted as she grabbed the chain wrapped around his remaining wrist.

’Let’s see if you like your own toys!’

She yanked on the chain with all her might.

The man’s body flew towards her, but before he reached her, Velvet swung the chain towards the boar-masked figure.

CRASH!

Both men collided.

A horrible cracking sound echoed through the chamber as their bodies struck the ground.

Velvet’s chest rose and fell with each breath.

’Two down...’

But she didn’t feel relieved.

The fox hadn’t attempted to save them.

Instead, the woman slowly retreated towards the iron doors while removing another small crystal from beneath her cloak.

"...Again?!"

Velvet’s expression twisted.

She was beginning to hate those damned things.

"Enough!"

Her demonic aura exploded.

The beautiful purple-haired witch rushed forward, her skin becoming covered in thin black scales as she focused the remaining mana around her fists.

The fox threw the crystal against the floor.

Clink!

A golden formation appeared.

Velvet immediately recognised the same twisted arrangement of mana as before. Yet this time, she didn’t need to examine it carefully.

She knew where the energy gathered.

"Not happening!"

Her fist struck the centre of the formation.

BOOOOOM!

The entire chamber trembled.

Golden light scattered across the floor, several pillars cracked, and the fox-masked woman stumbled backwards as the crystal shattered beneath Velvet’s fist.

"...Impossible!"

Velvet raised her head.

Blood dripped from her knuckles, but her purple eyes remained fierce.

"You’re dealing with one of the strongest witches in Grigor, you stupid bitch!"

The fox remained silent for a moment.

Then she began laughing.

Velvet frowned.

’What now...?’

A deep metallic sound echoed from behind the iron doors.

Clang!

Several locks began opening.

The fox slowly lowered her head.

"Your Majesty was right. The draconic blood has changed her far more than we expected."

Velvet’s eyes widened.

’His Majesty...?’

She didn’t like the way the woman spoke.

Not because of the title.

But because the fox sounded as though she had accomplished something important despite losing two companions and destroying several expensive teleportation crystals.

"What are you talking about?"

The woman raised her head.

"You’re far more valuable than we originally believed, Queen Velvet."

Velvet’s expression darkened.

"Then come and fucking take me!"

***

Meanwhile, inside Baltimore Castle.

Asmodeus suddenly felt something strange, his chest tightened, and he stopped walking.

His hand moved towards his chest.

"...Velvet?"

He’d been discussing the next arrangements with Alice when a violent sensation passed through their connection. It wasn’t ordinary pain or discomfort, but something far more disturbing.

For an instant, Velvet’s presence vanished, but then returned a massive distance away... before it vanished again and reappeared even further south.

’What the fuck is happening?!’

"Asmodeus?" Alice asked with gleaming eyes, and her lips parted.

"Forgive me, Alice. But I have to go... Velvet’s in danger."

Alice pulled back, her pupils shaking slightly as she watched a dark aura swirl around Asmodeus until it formed black, scaled armour that fastened around his arms, chest and thighs and formed heavy sabatons around his feet.

"...What?!"

"Don’t make a big issue out of it and continue with our plans," he said with an emotionless expression, his eyes dull and narrowed. "I will deal with everything tonight. Tell Valena to stay in her room and wait for me."

Asmodeus closed his eyes and reached through their connection.

He didn’t have time to mess around or explain himself, he could feel it. The connection to all his wives remained strong. The same for his children and Nyxielle, his child with Velvet, which meant the only one thing.

’So they don’t know about Nyxielle yet...’

But Velvet’s presence was distorted, almost as though someone had placed several thick walls between them.

His mana began gathering without his command, causing the windows to rattle and almost shatter from the mere pressure.

"Asmodeus!"

Alice grabbed his shoulder. "Don’t lose control here...!"

"Haa..."

He clenched his fists.

’Calm down...’

That was easier said than done.

The bastards had actually succeeded in getting their hands on his wife.

Alice kept her hand firmly on his shoulder, despite the terrifying pressure weighing down on her body. Her face had become pale, but she refused to let go.

"I know you’re angry... but please, think about what you’re doing. There are people here who cannot withstand your mana!"

"...I know."

Asmodeus took a deep breath, slowly gathering the wild mana back into his body. The rattling windows became still, though the dark armour covering his body remained.

’Velvet... please hold on.’

He could feel her struggling.

Each time her mana erupted, their connection became slightly clearer before some strange interference covered it again.

"They’re moving her, Alice."

"Can you find her?"

"Mhm... Those bastards can interfere with my connection, but they cannot erase it. Not while Velvet is still alive."

Alice finally released his shoulder, sighing with relief when the oppressive atmosphere disappeared.

"Then go. I’ll deal with Simon and the others. But don’t forget what we discussed earlier."

Asmodeus glanced back at her.

"I won’t. Contact Serena and have her protect Nyxielle. Whatever happens, don’t let those fuckers discover Velvet has a daughter."

"Understood."

He turned towards the window, his enormous black wings expanding behind him. Several feathers brushed against the walls as he stepped onto the windowsill, looking towards the distant southern horizon.

’There...!’

An explosion of fire and ice travelled through his connection with Velvet, almost as if she was desperately trying to show him where she was.

"Good girl...!"

Asmodeus smiled at her horrible method but still complimented her.

He gathered the remaining traces of her mana, using them to locate the distorted space surrounding her.

"Alice, I’ll leave everything here to you."

"Come back safely, Asmodeus."

"Mhm."

BOOOOM!

His wings exploded with a tremendous force, sending a violent gust across Baltimore as his body vanished into the clouds.

’I’m coming, Velvet!’