"Is he here?"

  Almodea asked, landing on a small hill near the forest, along with her succubi and the new Half-Demon, who nodded and pointed to a large assortment of tents surrounded by a crude wooden barrier.

  "There! Guards! In and out of the cave!"

  The subordinate replied. It was obvious that his intellect had been severely diminished after the transformation, in exchange for the great strength he had gained.

  "Are there any other entrances?"

  "No. Back exit only...Barricade!"

  "Understood. Good job, Half-Demon! Stay on guard and kill anyone who tries to escape!"

  The demon nodded, then flew off towards the camp to fulfill his task.

  "It's a shame that the transformation reduces the intelligence, not that it's noticeable in his case..."

  "Lady Almodea, what do you want to do now?"

  One of the three succubi, Daniela, asked.

  "Hm...I think it's best to just go straight in. Let's try to find at least some low-level warriors so Shockwave can study the Battle Arts."

  "Of course, Lady Almodea. We will follow you and protect you!"

  Another of the women, Cassandra, declared proudly.

  "Thanks, girls. Not that I need protection, but I appreciate the thought!"

  She winked at three and began descending the hill, approaching the camp entrance. From what Almodea could see, the bandits' base was divided into two parts: the first was a small military camp, consisting of supplies and campfires, defended by a cheap wooden wall and a few small watchtowers; the second part was the interior of a small hill, divided into dozens of tunnels, perfect for escape if the base was discovered by the Imperial soldiers.

  "Lady Almodea, may I ask you a question?"

  "Hm? Sure! Tell me, Bela..."

  "Wouldn't it be wiser to quietly eliminate the guards at the entrance? That way we'll avoid a general stampede."

  Almodea thought for a moment, then smiled happily. Even though they had the Half-Demon to deal with the fugitives, if a dozen men escaped at once, he wouldn't be able to capture them all alone. Creating panic might be a good move in the short term, but a terrible one in the long run.

  "It makes sense, leave it to me!"

  Almodea raised her red hand, simultaneously raising the index finger, middle finger, and thumb, giving the limb the shape of a gun. She pointed it at one of the men guarding the entrance and closed the right eye. She looked like a little girl playing with a fake gun

  "Bam!"

  Almodea brought her thumb down and the man's head exploded. The other two guards immediately turned to their fallen comrade and, when their shock allowed them to understand that he was dead, they prepared to raise the alarm- but it was already too late.

  "Bam! Bam!"

  The two died in the same way, with their heads blown off by something they hadn't even seen.

  "Point, game, match!"

  Almodea chuckled at her own actions, then blew on the fingers and pretended to holster her pistol.

  "What an aim! Am I right, girls?"

  She turned to the succubi, seeking undeserved praise. Almodea was well aware that she couldn't miss, since she hadn't even fired in the first place. She'd simply used a variation of the Absolute Fear spell to make the unsuspecting humans' heads explode. The little gun gag was all a joke, just for show.

  "You are unparalleled, Lady Almodea!"

  "Yes! Your strength and beauty are unmatched!"

  "True! You're second to none!"

  The succubi took turns commenting, genuinely amazed by their mistress's display. Normally, they would have complimented her regardless of their level of astonishment. Even if Almodea had merely yawned, they would have showered her with praise if ordered. But the affection they felt for their mistress was genuine, as were the compliments they were currently lavishing upon her.

  "Awww! Thanks, girls! You're always so kind!"

  Almodea replied, scratching the back of her neck and making appreciative gestures, before becoming serious again.

  "Well, now we have to get into the camp! But..."

  "But what, Venerable Mistress?"

  Normally, Almodea would have gotten tired of always being called Lady or Venerable, but for some reason she was starting to enjoy being called an honorific. She felt like an important anime character, even if “Sama” or “Kun” were usually used in those.

  "There's a risk that those in the camp could alert those inside the cave, causing a mass escape. The Half Demon wouldn't be able to stop them all..."

  "You're right! What do you propose to do then?"

  "I'd say we split into two groups! There are four of us, right? So two and two!"

  The three succubi looked at each other, their faces a mixture of happiness and expectation. They seemed to want to ask a question, but none of them had the courage to speak. Almodea noticed and placed a hand on her hip, raising a doubtful eyebrow.

  "Is something wrong?"

  "N-No! Of course not, Lady Almodea! We...We were wondering which of the servants here present would have the honor of being your escort."

  “Good question! Let's see...Who can I choose?”

  It wasn't a real choice—the three succubi were extremely similar. The only real differences were their hair length, hairstyle, and some facial features. Even at the behavioral level, they were identical; Almodea had found minimal differences that wouldn't have helped her make a choice. All of them were incredibly loyal, so much so that if she had ordered, or simply asked, the succubi to undress, they would have done so with only too much glee—not that the demon girl would have minded anyway.

  A woman without clothes is always a beautiful sight.

  Almodea had to force herself not to get lost in her fantasies. She had to make a choice, and had to make it quickly. It was like choosing a Pokemon starter without knowing anything about the game itself.

  "Um...Cassandra! I choose you!"

  The central succubus turned purple with happiness and nearly lost her composure. She probably wanted to scream at the top of her lungs, so elated was she, but held back, knowing it would be disrespectful to her mistress.

  The other two succubi, however, looked very sad and on the verge of tears. Not having been chosen was practically an admission that they were useless to their mistress. Noticing this, Almodea raised her hands, indicating she still had something to say.

  "Before you cry, know that this isn't a personal preference! I think you're all equally perfect, and once this mission is over, the three of us will have fun together! What do you think?"

  The women nodded elatedly, hoping that Almodea would grant them the honor of her bed once they returned to base. Even if they didn't have sex, they couldn't wait to watch another anime with the demoness.

  "Good! Let's not waste any more time! Let's go!"

  With that, Almodea and Cassandra took flight, landing in front of the entrance to the cave that housed the other part of the brigands, while Daniela and Bela began their search, with inevitable massacre, for the men in the camp.

  Thanks to a spell called Silence, the entire area was completely silenced for those outside, thus preventing the screams of the massacred men from being heard from a distance.

  "Let's remember to keep an eye out for that El Kaiser, okay?"

  Almodea stated, sounding like an older sister giving instructions.

  "Sure! I'll do my best!"

  "Well...It's time to play hide-and-seek! I'm counting!"

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  -El Kaiser. Real name: Gordon Stronghold.

  He was a mercenary at the pay of one of the bandit gangs on the Dark Calling payroll. However, he had never directly joined the notorious criminal organization. Gordon had simply joined a group of bandits, offering his skills in exchange for a few favors.

  Born into a peasant family, Gordon showed an innate talent for battle from a young age. He was born with a gift that allowed him to master the use of any weapon in a matter of hours. This led him to quickly distinguish himself as a swordsman. Despite this innate gift, he was defeated by his older brother—Gareth Stronghold—in a tournament to decide who would claim the title of strongest warrior of the Nexia Empire.

  It was the first time he had lost in a fair fight, especially against his older brother. The two had never been very close during their lives, as Gareth had quickly left home to join the Imperial army. Gordon had joined the tournament- under the name of El Kaiser- to gain a favorable position in society, and then live a comfortable life. He expected a sure victory, complete with a demonstration of his skills. The entire audience would chant his name, enthralled by his incredible mastery of the sword.

  However-

  He still couldn't believe how he'd lost. He was surprised to be facing his brother, but that hadn't shaken his belief that he was the strongest. Gordon would win that fight too. Everything was going well. Gareth had superior physical strength, but Gordon was faster and more agile. His blows were landing, while his brother's weren't even making a dent. It was then that he tried to deliver the final blow to the opponent; it would be his springboard to fame.

  Unfortunately-

  It wasn't so. Gareth countered with Judgement, a Battle Art that strengthens itself based on the user's willpower. It was snubbed by many precisely because the power of that Art wasn't something that could be trained. Gordon was of the same opinion; he had never met anyone who knew how to use it, until that moment.

  Seconds later, he found himself lying on the ground, unarmed and with Gareth's sword around his neck. Gordon had lost. The first defeat of his career and his entire life. All his dreams had been shattered, and by his own brother, whom he hadn't seen in years. When had Gareth become stronger than him? What would he do now that everyone had seen he wasn't the strongest?

  From then on, Gordon- under the warrior’s name of El Kaiser- threw away his notoriety to become a mercenary, managing to obtain his weapon of choice: a katana he named Blitz, capable of rivaling magical weapons considered to be of high caliber.

  El Kaiser cared neither for money nor for women. He only wanted his name to be remembered, but not as "second or equal to Gareth Stronghold, the strongest in the Empire". He wanted to be remembered as "the strongest," without that claim being questioned.

  To do so, he would have to become more skilled than his brother, facing every human and monster he encountered. That was why Kaiser had turned to banditry, and that was also why he had trained for years solely with the katana he now carried at his belt. Thanks to that life, he had faced powerful enemies and defeated them, effectively becoming better and better with every fight.

  -Anything to become stronger. Everything to turn that past defeat into a glorius victory.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "Aaaaand Nothing! This evening is not my evening..."

  El Kaiser snorted, scratching his dyed red hair and throwing the cards he was holding onto the table, causing the other men sitting with him to laugh.

  "Hahahaha! Don't be like that, Kaiser! Losing happens to everyone!"

  "Exactly! You're the strongest of us with a sword, but you're terrible at cards!"

  Kaiser rolled his eyes at the others' comments. He hated losing in general; even losing in a simple card game made him grit his teeth in frustration. However, he couldn't appear so immature, so he forced a smile and decided to take the derisive comments squarely, as if he didn't care.

  "You're right guys-"

  El Kaiser replied, raising his hands to the sky.

  “I'm bad with cards!”

  There was another round of laughter at the table. It was a typical evening among them. Despite being mercenaries who killed and kidnapped people, many of them weren't monsters or depraved. They worked in the underworld for their own personal gain, but not all of them enjoyed what they did—they were just forced to do it by the law that underpinned that world; the strong triumph over the weak.

  "Hey! You know what I heard? It seems that the Theocracy tried to take out the Imperial Captain!"

  The laughter stopped abruptly. Everyone turned to the shrill-voiced little man who had just thrown the bomb. No one expected such a random comment.

  "Are you kidding?! They would have tried to kill Gareth Stronghold?!"

  Asked a stocky man, with a small helmet on his head, who sat next to El Kaiser.

  "Yes! My cousin's brother-in-law, who works with the brother of the grandfather of a nobleman from the aristocratic faction, told me everything!"

  "I don't trust your family much. Like the other time your father's roommates of the cousin's brother from the general of the army said a foreign woman was coming from the Bashad Federation, and it turned out to be a hoax!"

  "Oh well! I wasn't that wrong!"

  "Instead of a rich lady, we robbed a chicken wagon with a piece of shit inside who hit me on the head with a stick!"

  The man lifted his helmet and revealed a scar above his left eyebrow. It was clear he was ashamed of that detail.

  "It suits you! It makes you more virile in the eyes of women!"

  "Fuck you, asshole!"

  As the two argued, El Kaiser remained silent. The news that they had attempted to assassinate his brother had shaken him, but he didn't want to show it—especially since none of his companions knew of his relationship with the Great Imperial Captain. Everyone had always known him as El Kaiser, very few people in the world knew his real name, and even fewer that Gareth was his older brother.

  "Ahhhhhhhh!"

  "Hmm? What?!"

  All the men, including El Kaiser, stood up, confused and alarmed by the cry they had just heard.

  "Hey!!!!"

  At that moment, one of their companions appeared from the direction the scream had come from. The man was visibly shaken and nearly fell to the ground from panting. Kaiser knew he shouldn't be there. From what little he knew about the others, the man must be guarding the cave entrance. Could they be under attack?

  "El Kaiser! Guys! Here you are, finally!"

  "What's wrong with you?"

  One of his companions asked him, approaching to help. The man was frightened, but didn't appear injured or in a dying state.

  "We are under attack!"

  "I figured that out too! Who's attacking us? Imperial soldiers?"

  El Kaiser replied in a harsh tone, grabbing his katana and inserting it into the sheath attached to his belt.

  "T-There are two of them! One woman over seven feet tall and one shorter!"

  Everyone fell silent. They would have gladly questioned him; how could just two women make all that fuss? Was it some kind of prank? They wanted to ask him a thousand questions, but they didn't. The mere look of terror on their companion's face, intent on catching his breath, was more than enough proof that he was telling the truth.

  "Women? Only two of them?"

  El Kaiser fought back the urge to burst out laughing. The thought that large, armored men would be afraid of a pair of women, even those taller than average, was ridiculous to him. Instead of asking questions, he took action, advancing toward the spot where his comrade had come from.

  "W-Where are you going, El Kaiser?!"

  "To settle the matter! You don't need to come too..."

  He replied, moving his right hand in a bland, dismissive manner.

  "Think about internal defenses."

  The terrified companion took a step toward El Kaiser, trying to find the courage to speak.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  "Please be careful! Especially the red-haired one! She's a real monster!"

  His warning fell on deaf ears, as El Kaiser deliberately chose not to listen, preoccupied with imagining his victory over this powerful opponent. This event was, all things considered, a positive thing for him, as he could once again prove himself the best.

  Two women, huh?

  Upon reflection, they could easily have been members of the Diamond-ranking adventuring party called Black Rose. From what he knew, it consisted of four women and one man. He knew that one of the members, the warrior Gherda, was a massive woman, over seven feet tall, so she fit the description of his fugitive companion perfectly.

  The red-haired woman could have been Layra Reddodoragon Deucoto instead. She was said to be an excellent swordswoman with cleric skills, armed with an extremely powerful sword. Kaiser knew nothing else about her, except that she was the second strongest of the group.

  Even if there are two of them, I'll manage to win.

  Kaiser wasn't worried at all. He would win this battle and become stronger than before. If he actually lost, no one could blame him—it was two against one.

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  After walking for about ten minutes, El Kaiser found himself in front of the two women: one was very tall, about seven feet five with high heels, slim and with very long red hair braided in a ponytail; the other, however, was as tall as him, with long dark hair and black eyes.

  While he hadn't expected normal women, at least one feature struck him about each of the two. The shorter one was dressed like a bridesmaid and had demonic features, such as horns, a tail, and wings. The tall one struck him not only for her height, but also for the fact that one eye was red with a black pupil, while the other was a different color. The same was true for her right hand, which glowed a bright red.

  There was no doubt about it: those two women weren't part of the Black Rose, but rather wild monsters. The taller one was definitely the more dangerous; the color of her hair and eyes could indicate she was also a vampire. It wasn't uncommon to find a few of them around every now and then, though Kaiser had never seen one quite like that girl. Honestly, he didn't considered vampires too strong.

  However, some of them, known as Greater Vampires or Vampire Lords, were extremely dangerous and capable of summoning other vampires as servants. He shouldn't had underestimate them too much.

  "Look, look...A succubus and a vampire!"

  El Kaiser commented laughing, sure of his assumptions.

  "A vampire?"

  The tall one looked surprised. She had never been mistaken for a vampire before and was genuinely curious as to why it had happened at that moment.

  "Don't play dumb. There's no point in putting on that damsel mask, it won't work on me! Don't go near my neck."

  "Not that I'm interested in getting close to a man’s neck, anyway...Why did you come alone? Aren't you supposed to stick together and hope to outnumber us? Isn't that how you humans do these things?"

  The girl's mocking tone indicated a great deal of pride, as if she were proposing a tactic that was destined to fail from the outset.

  "They'd just get in the way. The small fish are not at your level, so it's worth trying alone, right?"

  El Kaiser replied, bringing his right hand to the hilt of the katana. Judging by the enemy's stance, the woman dressed like a damsel, with curvaceous curves and semi-visible breasts, was the vanguard. She had likely been summoned by the other one as a servant or sex slave.

  El Kaiser expected some insults from the women, instead...

  "How bold you are, eh eh."

  ...The tall woman merely smiled at his response. She raised her right hand to her mouth, watching the man assume a defensive stance, who was ready to draw his sword at any second. Next, she moved towards the succubus and leaned towards her ear, so that she could hear her breath as much as the words she was about to say.

  "Go, my Cassandra!"

  The succubus seemed to get excited for a few seconds, then opened her mouth and showed the sharp fangs, roaring at El Kaiser as she lunged at him in a quick sprint.

  "Tsk!"

  The man didn't seem intimidated and drew his sword with surprising speed. Even though the succubus was as fast as the wind- even with high heels- El Kaiser still managed to keep up. He swung his sword, blocking the enemy's attack midway.

  “Take this!”

  The woman was forced to retreat, wounded by the sword blow, which had left a deep gash along her chest and part of her breast.

  "I've never had good taste in women, but I've always hated those who were too hasty!"

  El Kaiser laughed, taunting his opponent with the usual aura of superiority he'd proudly displayed even before meeting the two women. However, he was secretly disappointed in himself. He'd hoped to eliminate her in one hit, given her lack of armor, but the woman seemed to have only been slightly injured.

  "Cassandra! Are you okay?"

  The tall woman's question surprised him. It had been asked with a tone of concern that seemed genuine. Vampires were known to be very harsh, especially with their servants. But it could just have been another popular belief on vampires, like the one that said that they had red hair or crimson eyes.

  "Yes, Lady Almodea...Don't worry."

  Lady Almodea? Is that just an honorific or...

  El Kaiser wondered internally. Even if he was sure he would win that fight at the end, he wanted to know what he'd be winning against. If the tall girl proved to be a big shot in the monster world, El Kaiser name would be remembered and praised even more.

  "Hey, listen here tall one... If you care so much about your friend, why don't you fight instead?"

  He asked in a tone of challenge mixed with mockery. It would have been quicker if they had both attacked him at the same time. Almodea simply shifted her gaze toward her interlocutor, but before she could respond, Cassandra broke away from her and took a few steps toward the man, revealing the sharp teeth.

  -She was furious.

  "Don't speak so colloquially, human! Have a modicum of decency! You're in the presence of Lady Almodea! Do you know who the hell you're talking to?!"

  The succubus roared, her gaze filled with anger. It almost seemed as if El Kaiser's disrespectful treatment of Almodea had irritated her more than being directly struck and damaged by the sword. As for the damage, it had completely healed a few seconds after being inflicted, and Cassandra didn't appear to have suffered any ill effects.

  "Spontaneous regeneration? Wow...So you're a vampire too? What are you? A vampire-succubus mix? Not that I care, a succubus is only good under the covers."

  El Kaiser asked, completely uninterested in the woman's anger. His curiosity was driven solely by the desire to know what he would soon kill so he could brag about it.

  "Don't provoke me, human! Dark Eye! "

  The succubus's black pupils lit up now that the Dark Eye spell was active. It was a level 2 spell, that instilled fear in the target, diminishing their defensive and offensive capabilities, but it could be resisted easily enough by beings with high willpower.

  "Mh?"

  "Huh?"

  "Hahaha! Do you really think I'm so weak that I'd be scared by a half-naked woman with overgrown teeth and horns?"

  El Kaiser commented, after having easily resisted the enemy attack. Now it was his turn to advance.

  "Get ready!"

  The man unsheathed his sword and charged at the succubus at an extremely high speed. However, the woman remained unfazed; on the contrary, she smiled cheerfully. Until then, she had been the one attacking and had deduced that her enemy's defensive strength was too difficult to break through. But now that he had dropped all his defenses to focus on the attack, Cassandra had the opportunity to inflict damage.

  "Got you there, you insect! Dark Thorns of Broken Love!"

  A myriad of black thorns appeared from the ground in front of El Kaiser, forming a mouth ready to close. The man was quick enough to dodge them, but he had to interrupt his attack and position himself about 20 feet from the two women to avoid a secondary blow.

  El Kaiser clicked his tongue, irritated by the situation. If Almodea had used any magic while he was busy dodging the succubus's attack, he would have been hit directly with very little chance of escaping unscathed. The fact that he owed his safety to a monster's laziness disgusted him.

  "You should learn to celebrate after you hit me, not before, you know?"

  He declared, putting on his usual brave facade. El Kaiser wanted to make it seem like the battle was a walk in the park for him, thus dominating the enemy psychologically.

  "Grrr! Stupid human! I-"

  "Ah...Let's take turns, shall we?"

  At Almodea's question, the servant immediately fell silent. Her anger turned into a mixture of embarrassment and terror—the latter was so evident, it almost seemed to El Kaiser that the succubus had goosebumps. As he watched the tall girl advance and replace the horned one, he couldn't help but wonder just how powerful this new opponent was.

  For him, that “Lady” Almodea was not as scary as the other one, at least at first glance.

  Feared and revered by a demon. Could it be a Greater Vampire? Or a Vampire Lord? I heard one destroyed an entire kingdom some centuries ago.

  El Kaiser began to tremble- not from fear, but from joy. In the Bashad Federation, no one could forget the "Bloody Queen," a Progenitor Vampire who had committed a massacre five hundred years earlier. El Kaiser had heard of a being so powerful, capable of reducing a thriving kingdom to rubble, and now he had before him a being who could be considered her equal.

  Finally, something that will increase my strength and fame; the defeat of a Vampire Lord!

  The man gripped the hilt of his sword and braced himself for battle. It never occurred to him that he might lose that fight. El Kaiser knew monsters' appearances could be deceiving, but couldn't help but believe he had the upper hand. His opponent's arms were completely devoid of muscle mass, so El Kaiser assumed she was an enchantress. The only "large" thing about Almodea's body was her breasts, full and bulbous, yet didn't clash with the rest of her lean frame. They weren't excessively large, but were definitely noticeable.

  "I am El Kaiser!"

  He said it aloud, prouder than ever of his warrior name.

  "..."

  "..."

  "..."

  Almodea didn't answer. She remained standing before him with a dazed expression on her face.

  "Um...What's your name?"

  Kaiser asked, somewhat embarrassed. For a warrior, it was standard practice to introduce oneself to one's opponent by stating one's name, surname, and any other contact information, and again- when someone introduced themselves, it was standard practice to introduce themselves in turn, just to show a modicum of respect, even if one wasn't a warrior.

  "Hmm? You asked my name? But you already know it, right?"

  "Sigh...I mean the full name! Don't you know any manners?!"

  The girl brought her right hand to her chin, laughing heartily.

  "Sorry! I'm not used to it! I usually only say it to people who are dying or that I'm interested in—"

  Almodea paused and smiled, bringing a hand to her hair, flicking the ponytail with a quick movement.

  "-My name is Almodea Fearterror! I've heard a lot about you, El Kaiser. Show me some fun, okay?"

  The girl's smile widened, and to call it merely cute would be an insult to her beauty. Her face radiated such innocence that it made El Kaiser question the atrocities those two women had committed. But it only lasted a few seconds, and he internally scolded himself for having been led astray by that spell, even briefly.

  I'll take that composure away from you, along with your smile!

  The arrogance of the strong was a weakness that could be exploited to defeat monsters. It wasn't the first time he faced a creature that thought itself invincible, and no one had ever truly been. Victory would be his this time too.

  The man stood still, his hands tightening on the katana, waiting.

  Come on, move forward! What are you waiting for?

  Unbeknownst to Almodea, El Kaiser had activated the Sixth Sense Battle Art, which allowed him to detect every single movement within a five-meter radius. Therefore, even if the demoness—believed by the man to be a vampire enchantress—used Fly or Teleportation, he would still be able to locate her within a millisecond, as long as she was within five meters.

  As soon as you enter my range, I'll unleash my ultimate technique, which I created specifically to defeat my brother Gareth. It's a combination of the Battle Arts Lightning Slash and Acceleration...you're done for!

  It was El Kaiser secret technique: Waning Crescent Moon. It allowed him to strike an enemy at a monstrous speed. The power of such a blow was no laughing matter. He could cut down an ancient tree in a single swing, especially when enhanced with Advanced Combat Aura, which made his weapon much more powerful, on par with some enchanted weapons of the Twelve Heroes. El Kaiser had once decapitated an ogre with that technique. Eliminating one of those things wasn't something to be overly surprised about, but doing it in one single blow was it.

  The only drawback to his technique was the speed at which the shot was thrown. It was so fast that even the thrower would lose control, risking missing the target. El Kaiser bitterly remembered his first attempts, where he'd missed bottles from less than a meter away. Fortunately, he'd managed to circumvent this problem by using the Battle Art Sixth Sense. Being able to reveal any entity, even invisible or camouflaged ones, it allowed him to hit any target within Sixth Sense's range, also allowing him to bypass any shields or partial defense barriers.

  So why hadn't El Kaiser faced Gareth yet, if his attack was so powerful?

  Well...that power didn't come without additional weaknesses, despite the compensations. First of all, using so many Battle Arts at once was extremely taxing on his body. He was able to use Waning Crescent Moon just five times a day at maximum. Furthermore, to have a 100% hit rate, the enemy had to be within five meters of El Kaiser, which was the Sixth Sense's effective range. Normally, it would be dangerous using that technique to start a fight. But that wasn't the case. El Kaiser was in peak condition, his muscles bolstered by the passive ability of his katana, and he'd had plenty of time to prepare. If his enemy had been more cautious and used ranged magic, things might have gone differently.

  Almodea, unaware of all this, continued to advance towards the man, with the nonchalance of a child walking towards a jar of candys. She entered the five meters radius.

  "Now! Ultimate Technique: Waning Crescent Moon!"

  With that declaration, El Kaiser moved at lightning speed, swinging his sword at Almodea's neck. No human could have stopped such a swift and precise blow.

  It's done! I've defeated a Vampire Lord! I-

  El Kaiser's smile shattered into a thousand pieces at the sight of what had happened before him.

  "A-Absurd..."

  The blade had missed its target. His best shot had been completely evaded. Or at least, if it had been dodged, he would have admitted he was facing a formidable foe.

  -However, that was not the case.

  Almodea had not only intercepted the weapon, but had also blocked it with one of her claws. El Kaiser was stunned; his supreme technique had failed for the first time, and the seemingly innocent girl before him was just standing there, staring down at him with the expression of someone who had just returned from a simple walk.

  She was holding it in her claws, by the tip of the blade.

  "A katana, huh? Hirashi uses one too! However, hers is infinitely more powerful than yours!"

  "Y-You're a monster..."

  El Kaiser's face paled. His bravado, which had taken years to build, was now completely shattered— destroyed in less than a few minutes. The man was so stunned that he broke out in a cold sweat, but tried to keep the guard up and remain composed.

  "Did you just figure this out now?"

  Almodea began to laugh, enjoying immensely her opponent's surprise and the effect her actions had on him.

  "I can be a nice, helpful, and kind girl-"

  The demoness's smile retained its innocence, yet hints of innate evil showed beneath it.

  "-But I'm also a cruel, ruthless, and inhumane Demon Prncess! That's why I'm the most beautiful of all!"

  She concluded, smiling.

  "You're right! You are the most beautiful, Lady Almodea!"

  Cassandra replied from the rear, clapping her hands in excitement and amazement at the strength her mistress had displayed.

  "Awww! Thanks, Cassandra!"

  As the two spoke, El Kaiser remained silent and listened—even though he'd long since stopped following the conversation. His mind had completely short-circuited after Almodea had so easily parried his ultimate technique.

  Should I run away? No.…She wouldn't let me! What should I do?"

  Following his instincts, El Kaiser tried Waning Crescent Moon again on Almodea, this time aiming for her right arm as she turned to flirt with the succubus. She was within sword's reach; he could do it.

  However...

  "I-I don't believe it!"

  ...El Kaiser took a step back, astonished.

  Almodea had once again survived his most powerful blow, but this time it was different: she hadn't parried at all. The katana had struck the girl's sleeve squarely, but the blade hadn't managed to pierce it—in fact, it had bounced off, as if the fabric of that jacket or the skin beneath it were made of a metal as hard as steel.

  The blow had been so insignificant that Almodea hadn't even noticed she had been attacked and continued her conversation with the succubus as if nothing had happened.

  Who the hell this woman is?! Okay! Enough! Let's finish this!

  El Kaiser tightened his grip on the hilt of his katana and used his technique a third time, aiming at Almodea's leg, just above her boot. The man realized he couldn't defeat her with that, but hoped to damage the girl enough to make an escape. In fact, he hoped to wound Almodea enough to make her retreat. El Kaiser was still reluctant to flee from that fight.

  He activated his technique and...

  "N-No...Impossible!"

  ...Was stopped again. This time, Almodea had simply raised her leg, crushing the sword blade with the heel of her boot. The impact was so forceful that El Kaiser stumbled and fell backward like a fool.

  "Therefore-"

  Almodea's voice made his blood run cold. The demoness was staring at him again, actually paying attention this time.

  "-Do you want to use some Battle Arts? Some spells? Something, you know?! I'm not asking for the Moon!"

  "...And what do you think I've done up until now?!"

  El Kaiser's voice sounded more like a whisper than a statement. There was too little confidence in his words to allow them to be considered as such. Fear and desperation had now taken over his heart, crushing his last defenses to dust.

  "Wait, you mean this is all you can do?! The best?! You're kidding, right?"

  “....”

  “Right?!?!?!?”

  El Kaiser looked up at Almodea, locking eyes with hers. He could see in those wicked eyeballs that she didn't believe him in the slightest. It was a situation bordering on the absurd—never would he have imagined himself begging someone to understand his weakness.

  "Wait...You are not kidding?!"

  Almodea's innocent smile crumbled inexorably. She could hardly believe that someone considered among the best could be so weak. She certainly hadn't expected a challenge, but hadn't expected such a disappointment either. She hoped to find someone at least capable of damaging her physical form- that would be enough. In the entire Fear Tower, only two being would be capable of damaging her body. Even just feeling pain was something she wasn't used to.

  “Damn, they're really weak in this world...”

  Almodea declared softly, sighing in disappointment.

  "So, all you can do is swing your sword blindly?"

  "Swinging my sword blindly?!"

  Those words seemed to rekindle a flame of hope in El Kaiser. It was clear that this monster was too strong for him, but reason had abandoned the man's spirit, who now let himself be guided only by pure instinct.

  "My ultimate technique: Waning Crescent Moon, would it be swinging the sword blindly for you!? Is that what it looked like to your insolent eyes?!"

  The man stood up and didn't wait for a response. Driven by a desperate fury, El Kaiser began to strike the girl with his sword, swinging wildly left and right, not even bothering to enhance his attacks with Battle Arts.

  But no matter how hard he swung his sword or where he struck it- El Kaiser couldn't do any real damage to Almodea. She just stood there, waiting for something; the katana's blade crashing into her grayish skin, inflicting no harm.

  "Are you finished? You're wrinkling my jacket!"

  Almodea snorted, giving El Kaiser a gentle push. A gentle push in a manner of speaking, as it sent the man flying several meters, making him tumbling to the ground like a stray dog.

  "All my efforts..."

  El Kaiser stood up, tears beginning to flow on his cheeks. Not only his opponent's resistance, but her strength as well, was completely beyond his reach.

  "All my dreams, my ambitions..."

  Almodea raised an eyebrow, watching him feel sorry for himself. She was both amused and confused.

  "Can I know what your problem is?"

  She asked him, with a genuinely curious tone.

  "The problem is that all my training was for nothing! I...I...am not...strong."

  "Of course! You're only a human, after all! It's your destiny to live in fear and suffer!"

  "W-What the hell are you talking about?!"

  "The truth! Take me and you for example: you trained to become more skilled and yet you lost to me, who was born strong and always had everything handed to her!"

  She admitted to him, leaning forward with an evil grin.

  “Don't you think it's...Funny?”

  El Kaiser lowered his head abruptly, overcome with despair. That girl before him had just shattered every goal, every dream, and every aspiration he had in less than ten minutes. He felt so tired, so empty, so...weak.

  Little drops began to wet the ground. They were tears- sweet, juicy tears of sadness.

  "I was a fool..."

  "Good! If that's all he can do, we can capture him and take him to Fear Tower! I can already imagine what Dad will say to me! He'll be so happy and-"

  "Um...Lady Almodea?"

  "Not now, Cassandra! Please! I'm finally the protagonist and I want to practice my villain monologue! I've been practicing a lot in front of the mirror to look like Dad! Anyway...As I was saying-"

  "F-Forgive me, Lady Almodea! I'm so sorry to disturb you during such an important action, but—"

  "But what?! Speak! What happened?!"

  "He ran away..."

  Almodea opened her eyes in complete disbelief.

  "What the heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeck!?!?!"

  She whirled around to face El Kaiser, only to see that Cassandra was right; the man had run away without even looking back.

  "Oh, Come on! How can you do that during the long villain monologue?!! That's the first unwritten rule of anime: Let people finish speaking, for fuck’s sake!"

  "F-Forgive me, Lady Almodea! I should have stopped him, but I was distracted by your magnificence!"

  The girl snorted and calmed down slightly, then dropped her shoulders.

  "You don't have to apologize, Cassandra. Instead, I say we get him back! He's the only one who's even halfway decent!"

  She moved towards the deepest part of the tunnel.

  "You know...Maybe it's an ill wind that blows nobody any good! Like all breakups don't happen by chance, eh eh. Let's play tag, now! You're with me!"

  "Of course, Lady Almodea! What an honor!"

  "Good...I think we should get started!"

  The girl began to emit energy, absorbing the flames of the nearby candles, plunging the tunnel into total darkness. Despite this, she and Cassandra could see perfectly well, as if they were under the sunlight.

  "This idea isn't such a bad one. After all—"

  Almodea began to change her appearance, with the dragon wings growing larger. She began to take on a less innocent and much more monstrous form. Her claws became sharper, her teeth longer, and the red "A" on her chest began to glow so brightly that it could be seen beneath her clothes.

  "-It's easier to take them by force anyway!"

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

  "How do you think the fight is going?"

  One of the bandits asked, hiding behind a table, used along with other furniture to create a makeshift barricade. There were about ten of them, armed with bows and crossbows. Honestly, no one believed all that was necessary, since their strongest man—El Kaiser—was taking care of it.

  A laugh coming from the front of the cave shattered that belief.

  El Kaiser was invincible, or so they thought. Even if they all crossed swords with him, they wouldn’t have won. Even monsters like ogres and trolls couldn't defeat him, let alone two women.

  But the laughter remained uninterrupted. How could someone laugh while facing El Kaiser? Everyone knew the answer, but no one dared to say it out loud.

  "There's no way El Kaiser can lose! You'll see that he'll soon appear from that tunnel with his usual little smile."

  The leader declared as he loaded his crossbow. He didn't believe his own words, but had to keep their spirits up. However, the mere fact that he was massaging the weapon betrayed his true feelings.

  "Are you sure? I saw them! The tall one took someone's head off with a wave of her hand!"

  "Hold your shit together, you pussy!"

  "BWAAAAAHHHHH!!!"

  At that moment, all the men turned toward the desperate cry heard from the back of the cave. They heard someone running toward them and saw El Kaiser approaching at great speed.

  "Here's El Kaiser! Hey! How did it go? Did you kill them?"

  The leader's question went unanswered. El Kaiser ran toward them and leaped over the barricade, then continued moving toward the back of the cave.

  "Did-did he just run away?"

  "I-I don't believe it..."

  "He didn't go to the bathroom, did he? My brother-in-law's cousin says that—"

  "Not now, you idiot!"

  "Hehehehehehe!"

  Further laughter made the bandits' blood boil, and they turned towards the source of the sound, that is, the direction from which El Kaiser had come.

  "Found you! I can finally have fun!"

  To their dismay, they saw a tall female figure with wings and a dragon's tail flying toward them. There were screams, but didn't last long. Arrows and bolts flew like there was no tomorrow, but all fell to the ground...broken. The walls were covered in blood and guts in less than a minute. It would have been impossible to walk down that corridor without getting a reddish liquid on the shoes.

  Soon after, a deathly silence fell in the cave.