Chapter 927: Now, Tell Me Everything!

Clang!

The enormous iron doors continued opening, revealing a long passageway covered in golden inscriptions. Several strange pillars stood along the walls, while a large formation occupied the floor at the opposite end.

Velvet narrowed her eyes.

’Another damn teleportation formation?’

She was beginning to wonder just how many of those things the Empire possessed. Although teleportation magic wasn’t particularly rare, the methods these people used were completely different from those employed by ordinary mages.

Even Alice would probably struggle to reproduce something like this.

"Are you planning to send me somewhere else?" Velvet asked, watching the fox-masked woman slowly retreat towards the entrance. "Hmph, you haven’t learned anything from our little fight, have you?"

The woman ignored her.

Instead, she turned towards the injured men.

"Get up. We don’t have much time."

"Understood..."

The wolf struggled to his feet, holding his broken arm while the boar removed a small crystal from beneath his cloak.

Velvet noticed it immediately.

’Shit... Not another one!’

She rushed forward, but the moment her foot struck the ground, the golden marking around her arm suddenly flared.

"Ngh...?!"

Her mana became chaotic again.

Several thin streams of fire and ice erupted from her fingers, burning and freezing the stone beneath her feet.

’Haa... I need to control this properly!’

The more mana she used, the stronger the interference became. However, she couldn’t simply stop using magic either. Her opponents possessed equipment specifically designed to restrain her, and she didn’t know what waited beyond the doors.

Velvet clenched her fists, trying to gather more power, condensing it into smaller particles and forcing it through her muscles and flesh.

’If I cannot use magic, then I’ll use my body!’

She suddenly rushed towards the fox, relying upon the strength granted by her demonic transformation rather than releasing another spell.

Bang!

The ground shattered beneath her feet.

Her movement surprised the masked woman, who immediately jumped backwards.

"Stop her!"

The boar raised his crystal.

But before he could activate it, Velvet’s fist struck his face.

CRUNCH!

His mask shattered.

The force of the blow twisted his head violently, sending his body crashing against one of the pillars beside the entrance. The stone cracked beneath the impact before the man collapsed, his limbs hanging unnaturally.

’Stay down!’

Velvet didn’t know or care whether he was still alive.

These bastards had dragged her away from her home and attempted to kidnap her for their Emperor.

Why should she show them mercy?

However, the moment she turned towards the fox, several golden chains erupted from the passageway.

Clang! Clang!

"Ngh!"

Velvet managed to avoid the first two, but another wrapped around her waist before pulling her towards the entrance. The pressure increased, almost crushing her scales like they were made of wood.

’More of them?!’

She immediately grabbed the chain with both hands and pulled, causing several links to creak beneath her strength. Yet unlike the previous chains, these were connected directly to the formation inside the passageway.

The more she struggled, the brighter the golden inscriptions became.

"Hahaha... Finally!"

Yet unlike the previous chains, these were connected directly to the formation inside the passageway.

The more she struggled, the brighter the golden inscriptions became.

"Hahaha... Finally!"

The fox-masked woman seemed relieved.

"You’re strong, Queen Velvet. Stronger than our reports suggested, but this formation was prepared specifically for someone with draconic blood."

Velvet’s eyes narrowed, watching the woman with a vicious expression.

"Then why not try it yourself, bitch?!"

"Fufufu, well..." the fox rolled her eyes, wearing the most disgusting smile on her lips. "I’ll pass, thanks."

Velvet clenched her teeth and gathered the remaining fire and ice around her hands. The golden mark reacted immediately, spreading a dull ache through her arm, burning the chains into her scale and flesh.

But Velvet didn’t stop.

’Just a little more...!’

The two opposing elements began rotating around each other, creating a violent change in pressure.

BOOOOM!

Several links shattered.

The sudden explosion threw Velvet backwards, allowing her to escape the chain before it could pull her through the entrance.

She landed heavily on one knee.

"Haa... Haa..."

Her arm trembled as the golden markings reached her shoulder, as if to devour it completely.

’Fuck... I can’t keep doing this.’

Even with her draconic blood, her body had limits. Velvet glanced towards the iron doors, then towards the remaining two masked figures. Yet something bothered her greatly, no matter how much she rampaged and fought back.

Not once did the fox truly attempt to kill her.

Not only her, neither had the wolf, despite suffering several terrible injuries.

’They really need me alive...’

Velvet closed her eyes, taking deep breaths while trying to gather the remaining power within her core. Though she hadn’t used her halberd, the golden chains continued to sap her divine energy without pause.

Not to mention, it could seal her demonic powers.

"Asmodeus..." she called once more, before shaking her head and preparing for battle.

***

Meanwhile, far above the southern coast.

Asmodeus flew through the clouds at a speed that would’ve torn an ordinary dragon apart. The air exploded around his wings with each powerful movement, leaving enormous gaps in the clouds stretching behind him.

Yet he barely noticed.

His attention remained focused upon the faint connection with Velvet.

’There... she’s still fighting.’

He could feel her mana erupting repeatedly.

It wasn’t far now.

’She’s pushing herself too hard.’

Velvet wasn’t weak he knew that better than anyone.

But something was interfering with her magic, and each time she struggled against it, he could feel her growing weaker.

Velvet wasn’t weak.

He knew that better than anyone.

But something was interfering with her magic, and each time she struggled against it, he could feel her growing weaker.

"Those fucking bastards..."

His golden eyes narrowed towards the distant coastline.

A small mountain range rose beside the sea, with several abandoned mining settlements scattered along the cliffs.

Asmodeus recognised the area.

He’d passed above it before while travelling between Lumeria and Baltimore.

’Found them!’

Meanwhile, far above the southern coast.

Asmodeus flew through the clouds at a speed that would’ve torn an ordinary dragon apart. The air exploded around his wings with each powerful movement, leaving enormous gaps in the clouds stretching behind him.

Yet he barely noticed.

His attention remained focused upon the faint connection with Velvet.

’There... she’s still fighting.’

He could feel her mana erupting repeatedly.

Fire.

Ice.

Then an enormous burst of demonic aura.

His expression darkened.

’She’s pushing herself too hard.’

Velvet wasn’t weak.

He knew that better than anyone.

But something was interfering with her magic, and each time she struggled against it, he could feel her growing weaker.

"Those fucking bastards..."

His golden eyes narrowed towards the distant coastline.

A small mountain range rose beside the sea, with several abandoned mining settlements scattered along the cliffs.

Asmodeus recognised the area.

He’d passed above it before while travelling between Lumeria and Baltimore.

’So they’re still on the continent.’

At least he wouldn’t need to cross the entire ocean to find them.

He folded his wings, gathering momentum and energy inside, before releasing it in a single burst.

BOOOOOOM!

His body suddenly accelerated, leaving a massive shockwave behind him as he descended towards the mountains.

***

Velvet felt her knees beginning to weaken.

The wolf-masked man had recovered enough to attack again, though his movements were far slower than before. Meanwhile, the fox continued controlling the formation, repeatedly attempting to drag Velvet towards the passageway.

’Annoying...’

She ducked beneath another chain and struck the wolf’s stomach.

Bang!

His armour shattered.

The man spat blood before stumbling backwards.

However, Velvet didn’t follow.

She could feel something changing.

The strange golden markings around her arm suddenly began trembling, almost as though they were reacting to something outside the chamber.

’Hm...?’

The fox noticed it too.

Her head snapped towards the entrance.

"What?"

Several cracks appeared across the golden formation, and the enormous iron doors began shaking before a terrifying pressure descended upon the entire underground chamber.

RUMBLE!

Dust fell from the ceiling as the entire chamber quaked.

The wolf stumbled to his knees, while even Velvet struggled to remain standing beneath the sudden weight pressing against her body. But unlike the masked figures, she recognised that familiar presence.

’Asmodeus?!’

Her eyes widened.

The connection between them suddenly became stronger, and a familiar warmth spread through her chest.

’He’s here!’

Velvet couldn’t stop herself from smiling.

The fox, however, seemed to realise something was wrong.

"Quickly! Activate the formation!"

The wolf raised his remaining hand.

Several golden inscriptions lit up across the passageway.

But before the formation could activate...

CRAAAAAACK!

The ceiling split.

An enormous black claw tore through the stone, crushing several pillars and exposing the chamber to the afternoon sunlight.

"What the fuck?!"

The fox stumbled backwards.

Velvet looked up.

A huge section of the ceiling collapsed, but before the falling stones could reach her, they suddenly stopped.

Every fragment remained suspended in the air.

’Gravity magic? No...’

Velvet recognised the strange pressure surrounding them.

It was Asmodeus’s mana.

The fallen stones suddenly flew upwards, scattering across the mountain as an enormous figure descended through the opening.

Blood-red wings covered in countless eyes, staring in all directions as if they could see through one’s soul. Black, scaled armour that resembled the draconic armour of Velvet, along with his glowing golden eyes.

And an expression Velvet hadn’t seen on her husband’s face for quite some time.

"...Asmodeus!" Her voice trembled as she called out.

He glanced towards her and smiled faintly.

"Velvet, I’m here to pick you up."

However, the moment his eyes fell upon the golden markings covering her arm, the warmth disappeared. 𝖋𝙧ⅇ

His gaze moved towards the fox and the injured wolf.

"..."

The two masked figures froze.

Asmodeus slowly landed beside Velvet, his heavy sabatons cracking the floor beneath his feet.

"Are you alright?"

"Mhm... I’m sorry, darling. I was careless."

He shook his head.

"Forget that."

His hand gently touched her shoulder.

The golden markings suddenly trembled.

Asmodeus narrowed his eyes before placing two fingers against the strange inscription near her wrist.

’What disgusting magic...’

He could feel the formation attempting to interfere with his own mana.

But compared to the enormous power flowing through his body, the strange enchantment was barely worth mentioning.

He tightened his fingers.

CRACK!

"Haa...!"

The golden mark shattered, and Velvet gasped almost instantly as the pressure surrounding her body disappeared. Her body almost collapsed from the sudden relief, but Asmodeus caught her waist before she fell.

"Rest."

"...Mhm."

He gently lowered her beside one of the surviving pillars before turning towards the Emperor’s Eyes.

The fox hadn’t moved.

Her hands trembled slightly beneath her cloak.

Asmodeus stared at her for several seconds before his gaze moved towards the corpse of the boar-masked man.

"Dead..."

Then he looked towards the wolf and shook his head. ’Barely standing.’

Finally, his eyes settled upon the fox.

"...You."

The woman flinched as Asmodeus slowly approached.

"You’re the one giving orders?"

A tremendous pressure suddenly erupted from his body because she didn’t answer, and chose to curl her lips into a disgusting grin beneath the mask.

BOOOOM!

The wolf dropped to his knees, snapping his remaining arm beneath the weight, forcing a pathetic scream from behind his mask.

The fox barely managed to remain standing.

Asmodeus didn’t bother looking at the injured man and kept his attention upon the woman who’d ordered his wife’s capture.

"Now..." He spread his arms, several tendrils growing from his back as his lips twisted into a warped smirk. "You’re going to tell me everything you know, little girl."

"N-No....No! Noooooooo!"