Yuri Hero and Loli Demon King - Chapter 13

Taking advantage of Saint Yeloin deploying forces to the Demon King Castle and the Blood Clan territory, Sheryl Valyan Stelagis seized the opportunity to infiltrate the main headquarters of Saint Yeloin.

As the King of the Blood Clan, she chose not to resist the enemies alongside her kin but instead took a detour to launch a counterattack from another direction.

Originally possessing an elite army, Saint Yeloin was eager to quickly annex the Blood Clan territory, pouring too much strength into this endeavor, which left the defenses of the Great Cathedral vulnerable.

Is this something the Pope ever considered?

Geographically located in the southeast of the continent, Saint Yeloin was bordered by human territory on three sides, with only one side facing the Blood Clan’s domain. He probably thought that sending out a strong force would compel the Blood Clan to concentrate on defense, leaving them with no energy or ability to counterattack.

The Pope was overly confident in his decision-making, neglecting various other possibilities. If we’re being honest, he must bear the greatest responsibility for this. However, after the fall of the Holy Great Courtyard, he attributed all the blame to poor command, executing all the returning commanders without mercy.

He was infuriated, wishing he could rush out and slay the King of the Blood Clan immediately, but due to his lack of combat ability, he could only remain in the hall and continue to voice his anger.

“Damn the Blood Clan, damn Sheryl Valyan! I swear I will double the humiliation we suffered from the bloodbath of the sacred realm. If I capture you, I will make you wish you were dead!”

“Your Holiness, I believe that as long as we concentrate on defense and withstand until daylight, the King of the Blood Clan will naturally withdraw. At that time…”

“You coward! It’s because of people like you that we find ourselves in this predicament!”

“I apologize for my rudeness; this is not a display of cowardice but rather a tactical consideration!”

“Tactics? This turtle-like behavior is called tactics? Fine, you Joseph!” The Pope immediately signaled his attendants to arrest him: “Come, take him away!”

Amidst his anger and upon hearing opposing opinions, the Pope disregarded any semblance of image and chose to eliminate dissent on the spot.

What a joke, I am the Pope, the representative of God! How dare that guy dispute the words of God? Such disrespect cannot be forgiven!—he thought to himself.In the Great Cathedral of Saint Yeloin, the Sacred Path of the Courtyard.

This is a narrow passage connecting the Holy Great Courtyard and the Inner Palace Courtyard.

In front stands a knights’ regiment forming a square formation with their massive shields, while behind them, the Clerics of the order are responsible for healing support.

For humans who cannot fly, this might be the perfect formation. However, to the Blood Clan, who can float, it is utterly ridiculous.

Based on past experiences, do they really have the illusion that “if we do this, we will definitely be able to defend against their descent? How inflexible!”—the King of the Blood Clan chuckled lightly to herself.

Although ignoring them and flying straight over is also a method, that would be far too boring.

“Can you endure this? I’m about to unleash it!”

Sheryl decided to challenge them head-on; a massive void, resembling a black hole, opened behind her. Unlike a black hole, there was no strong gravitational pull; instead, a hurricane released from it, accompanied by an immense flow of magic power.

The heavily armored soldiers in the square formation were nearly swept away, while the Clerics behind them had already been blown high into the sky. The stone-paved ground was lifted, and the stone pillars on either side collapsed with a thud.

“I can’t hold back much longer! Come on, cheer up a bit; I’m not satisfied yet!”

Sheryl raised her hand, pointing towards the soldiers in formation.

“Clang—”

The sound of iron clashing rang out, that was the noise of shield meeting sword.

“Clang—Clang—”

Weapons… several enormous red swords shot out from the void, piercing through the shields one by one.Even if the individual damage isn’t high, when dozens or even hundreds of these “swords” accumulate, they can still break through a well-defended formation.

This rain of swords is named “Impale the King of the Inquisitors (Vlad al III-lea Tepes),” quite literally the King of Impalement.

Under the sky of Saint Yeloin, a storm of swords poured down, with almost no gaps between the barrages. Coupled with the terrain and heavy armor, the soldiers in formation were reduced to minced meat before they even had a chance to flee.

“Boring.”

She did not feel joy from this victory; instead, she let out a sigh.

What was it that she truly wanted? She completely failed to understand; despite having once grasped her purpose of existence to some extent, it now felt like a joke.

It wasn’t out of hatred for humans, nor was it a retaliation for the invasion of Blood Clan territory; those were merely coincidental occurrences aligned in the same timeframe. Sheryl did not care about the survival of the Blood Clan, nor was she concerned with anyone’s opinion of her… No, perhaps she actually did care too much.

The term “slaughter” was completely outside her understanding; no matter how she tried, she could not comprehend it. Even though she had just killed over ten thousand people, she still could not grasp what that word represented.

Her purpose of existence, huh?

She remembered her childhood memories. From a normal person’s perspective, it was a painful recollection, yet she smiled.

Wasn’t what she wanted quite clear? What was there to hesitate about?

“I will… love (kill) everyone.”

Ψ Ψ Ψ

“R-Report! Your Holiness, thousands of troops in the Sacred Way of the Courtyard were annihilated in just ten seconds, and it is currently uncertain whether there are any survivors!”

“Report! The troops in the Inner Palace Courtyard are engaged in combat with the King of the Blood Clan!”

These useless guys, they can’t even count to “minute.”They won’t hold out; it won’t be long before even the Great Cathedral is breached! If the Canonical Guard had been dispatched to attack the Blood Clan instead of remaining in the Holy Realm, it wouldn’t have come to this! Now, the only elite-level allies left by my side are those two personal guards—the Holy Guard General.

No, I have to find a way to escape! Yes, I’ll leave from the rear!

“Report! The Inner Palace Courtyard has fallen!”

Just after reporting that combat had begun, less than half a minute later, a report of its fall came in.

“Engage! Engage! She must not be allowed to cross the sacred path of the Inner Palace! She must not enter this Great Cathedral!”

The Pope left his aging and withered body from the Holy Seat and ordered all troops to engage in battle, declaring that there would be no retreat, even if it meant fighting down to the last soldier. He demanded that the Holy Guard General protect him as he attempted to flee.

“Eh? Is there leftover candy? Is there any for me?”

This remark, along with the sound of the main gate collapsing, stunned everyone in the hall, especially the Pope, who never expected the fortress to be taken so quickly.

“Protect—protect me! Hurry, hurry and protect me ah ah ah ah—!”

He rolled and crawled toward the back door of the hall, constantly shouting, “Hurry, hurry and protect me! Ah ah ah ah! Don’t come near, don’t come near!”

With a snap of the fingers, all the demon swords were fully charged, poised and ready, aimed at the frail figure on the ground.

“Impale (Vlad)…”The metallic sound of clashing swords echoed.

The King of the Blood Clan’s attack was interrupted by the two Holy Guard Generals.

Their roles were unique, as they were Sacred Knights. They combined the characteristics of both Sword Fighters and Clerics, possessing not only sword skills but also supportive and healing abilities. By merging the advantages of physical classes with holy magic classes, they even could wield light elemental sword techniques (with their attacks classified as “physical with attributes”).

In the entire Sidoa Continent, there were fewer than five individuals qualified to hold this profession, and two of them were precisely the Holy Guard Generals of Saint Yeloin!

“Your Holiness, please leave quickly! We will handle this here!”

“Vampire, do you have any idea what place you’ve intruded upon? How exceedingly daring and arrogant!”

In the face of the accusations from the two Sacred Knights, the King of the Blood Clan merely dismissively played with his long, cherry-red curls.

The King of the Blood Clan made no move, and the Sacred Knights dared not act recklessly, as they were the last line of defense for this holy domain. They bore the fate of all Saint Yeloin on their shoulders.

“O God, we implore you to protect Saint Yeloin! We believe in you and follow your will; please heed our desperate plea!”

“A weak god is a weakling, a monkey god is a monkey.” Sheryl snapped her fingers, and the magic swords returned to shooting positions, “Humans are no exception; what you worship is merely human as well.”

Thirteen magic swords shot forth, deliberately selecting a number they loathed as if to provoke them.

There are no gods in this world; the tens of thousands of corpses outside the hall serve as the best proof.

If gods truly existed, I would not have been able to breach this holy domain.

“God exists!”

One of the Holy Knights—a middle-aged man with short golden curls and a trimmed beard—said, “Whether in reality or not, God resides in our hearts!”

“Joseph, it’s useless to preach God’s love to a vampire; she must be brought down!”

“…Love?”

The word seemed to remind Sheryl of something.

She vanished, disappearing from the sight of the two Sacred Knights at a speed beyond their ability to perceive.

Blood.

The next second, she appeared behind the brown-haired Holy Knight, holding his left hand—torn off in the instant she vanished.”Elliot!” Joseph shouted the brown-haired knight’s name while attacking the King of the Blood Clan. “Tanahel’s Decree Slash—!”

He missed…!

By the time he realized this, there was already a claw mark on his chest.

“For the Supreme King, my damage is merely moderate; however, my speed among all the kings…”

Surpassing the speed that the retina can capture, surpassing all known creatures in the world, she lunged at Joseph once more: “—is the fastest!”

What splattered was not blood.

“How could you…”

Instead, it was fragments of metal.

“How could you block my attack…?”

Although Joseph’s weapon shattered in response, it was not the wielder who was struck by the piercing clarity of the sound—it was the attacker.

Regardless of the outcome, the psychological blow of being able to block her proud speed marked the defeat of Sheryl Valyan Stelagis.

—Now’s the chance!

A rare opportunity; if this was missed, it would likely be the last chance for a counterattack!

Desperately pulling out weapons from his bag to strike at the enemy, he would switch to another knife if one broke; if a sword broke, he would switch to another. This was it! This was the only opportunity! If he did not strike the enemy down, he would end up lifeless in a pool of blood!

He unleashed dozens of sword techniques in succession, creating a series of overwhelming air pressure waves and dazzling displays of blade light and shadow, until only a few weapons remained.

“Elliot!”

After executing a repulse technique, Joseph stepped aside, allowing Elliot to continue the attack.

“Hahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh——!!”

Pouring in all of his hopes.

Betting everything on the future.

Every slash aimed for the heart—difficult to decapitate for the Blood Clan with the ‘Heavenly Spirit Membrane’, so the only vital target left was the heart.It can’t be broken! No matter how they attacked, they could not deliver a decisive blow.

In the brief fifteen seconds of back-and-forth, neither Joseph nor Elliot managed to inflict damage that could turn the tide of battle; they only succeeded in causing multiple cuts on Sheryl. Although the wounds were not fatal, the prospect of victory still felt very distant.

“Are you not planning to escape?” she asked the two Holy Knights, her expression one of confusion.

Why don’t they run away? Why don’t they beg for mercy? Why don’t they flee? Why don’t they feel despair? Why don’t they give up hope?

Why?

“We have reasons that we absolutely cannot back down from! Perhaps you can’t understand… once we choose to avoid the fight, everything we wish to protect will be destroyed!”

“What is it that you wish to protect?”

“You must have something too, right? It’s precisely because there are things we absolutely cannot retreat from that we fight, isn’t it?”

“I… I…”

What is it that I wish to protect? — A scene flashed through Sheryl’s mind, a time when she was joyfully spending moments with her parents… a happy family.

She once wanted to protect those days, to let them continue like that, but they were destroyed.

— The time she longed for had already been shattered by her parents’ own hands!

Ah, so I… so I… killed them… because I… loved them!

“No…”In her hand appeared a magic sword: “I have nothing to protect!”

At the same time, the “Impale Teachings of the King” was ready, with dozens of swords about to project the image of the outcome.

“Goodbye, weak human.”

“Stop—!”

The army, which was originally supposed to attack the Blood Clan’s territory, abandoned their original mission and quickly withdrew upon learning that Saint Yeloin had come under attack.

This was the last remaining army of Saint Yeloin, and it was also their strongest and most elite force.

(Note: There are only two “Holy Guard Generals,” and they do not count as part of the troops.)

It was precisely because of the strength of this team that the Pope could eliminate Simon Peter—who possessed the powers of the Thunder God—without any worries.

“Sheryl Valyan Stelagis! You daring fool, how dare you invade the sacred hall of the gods!”

“Oh! So I’m famous enough for everyone to easily recall my name!”

“That’s not the point!” The Sword Fighter drew his straight sword at his waist: “I, Nathaniel, will never forgive you!”

The King of the Blood Clan faced him, soaring into the air and changing the target direction of the magic swords behind him.

Like playing darts, the swords shot out in succession, with intervals of about two seconds.

Naturally, the Sword Fighter easily repelled the incoming weapons one after another. Just as he managed to repel the last sword, Sheryl had already launched the next batch, firing two swords at a time.

Repelled again.

With each repulsion, Nathaniel advanced a few steps toward the enemy, waiting for an opportunity to counterattack.

As the black hole of the magic sword was opened again, when all the swords were in firing position…

Now is the time—!

“Return Slice Technique: Mutual Return!”

“What…?”

The endpoints of the magic swords were inverted, turning the endpoint into the starting point and the starting point into the endpoint. In other words, now those magic swords were aimed at Sheryl Valyan Stelagis!

Taking advantage of her surprise, Joseph rushed forward, delivering a “Blazing Slash.”With a swing towards the sky, he struck down Sheryl and immediately unleashed several advanced sword techniques.

“With sword techniques like this, even the Supreme King wouldn’t be unscathed!”

Due to the fire attribute effect of the “Blazing Slash,” it was impossible to determine life or death before the flames and smoke dissipated, and no one dared to act recklessly.

Regardless of whether she was dead or alive, the purpose was indeed achieved; this battle would undoubtedly be a victory for Saint Yeloin! Yes, as long as they could hold on for another half hour.

“Ha… ha…”

Amidst the flames, the breaths of the girl could be heard.

Was the Blood Clan really that hard to kill? Or was it just because it was the Supreme King that made her hard to eliminate?

“Ha, ha… ah…” Her hot breaths were mixed with a hint of moisture in her voice. “It’s… so hot!”

She licked her fingers with her index and middle fingers and flushed deeply, the excess saliva dripping down to the back of her hand.

“Ugh, guah… I… I can feel it now…” Her saliva-coated hand pointed towards the troops ahead. “The feeling of wanting to kill you all!”

The black hole at the back opened up once again, and a furious whirlwind extinguished the flames, clearing the smoke in the process.

Here it comes! At the same time, the one hundred and fifty elite members of the Canonical Guard were also ready to counterattack.

Unlike the small number of projectiles before, this black hole even expanded to crash through the hall’s structure, with thousands of swords prepared to turn the area ahead into ruins—no, it should be countless crater-like scars on the ground.

One hundred Sword Fighters assumed combat stances, while the other fifty Clerics stood ready to assist.

The destruction of the building forced the indoor battle outside, perfectly granting the troops ample space to dodge and allowing for freer multi-person attacks.

“You all prefer fighting outside, don’t you?” The King of the Blood Clan claimed she was capable of killing this so-called elite group at once. “You can all come at me together!”

“Listen, everyone spread out!” The captain of the Canonical Guard, Nathaniel, commanded. “Don’t engage her head-on, or you’ll fall into her trap!”

“Yes!”

To avoid being struck by the projectiles and considering the need for dodging space, everyone maintained a certain distance, encircling the King of the Blood Clan in a ring formation.The Clerics activated a special magic array of the sacred domain, doubling the gravity for non-human races. This mechanism was designed to prevent aerial monsters from launching surprise attacks on the sacred domain; however, only the Clerics of the Canonical Guard had the ability to initiate it, further proving that sending the Canonical Guard to attack the Blood Clan was a poor decision by the Pope.

“Oh? Do you think restraining my flight will lead you to victory?”

“Hmph, don’t underestimate us too much!”

A Sword Fighter positioned behind Sheryl rushed forward, executed a sword technique against her, and immediately retreated. As she had to turn around to defend herself, her back became the other side of the circle, with those Sword Fighters also attacking her from behind.

This was the reason behind forming a circular encirclement; regardless of the situation, Sheryl’s rear was absolutely exposed to enemies.

“Do you prefer coming at me one at a time rather than all at once?”

In this case, she shouldn’t have much strength left to manipulate the magic swords. Even if those swords were really to be launched, they could only eliminate a portion of the troops, and the others would take this opportunity to slay her!

“Then those thousands of swords are essentially useless! King of the Blood Clan, do you have the strength to withstand it? Do you have the energy to manipulate those magic swords?”

“It is you, fragile humans, who lack the strength to withstand!”

Sheryl Valyan Stelagis spread her arms, and then the entire night sky was obscured by a black hole.

“What is that… above! The sky is being…!”

What emerged from that black hole was not just a thousand but tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of swords, towering over everyone.

“What is the upper limit to this! It’s utterly unreasonable! Such range and quantity of attacks is ridiculous!”

The range completely covered the sky above the entire troop, and once those weapons were fired, the army would surely be wiped out in an instant. This scale… not to mention one hundred and fifty people, even a million elite warriors would struggle to withstand this! Is this truly the full power of the Supreme King… the King of the Blood Clan?”Is it Nathaniel? You have worked very hard; I will remember you.”

“……!”

Is this the end? Will my future and the future of Saint Yeloin be buried here? Ah, to end my life in the sacred domain is the best place for a burial.

Nathaniel closed his eyes, quietly awaiting the death that was approaching.

—What is this white light? Is it the glory of the gods?

It seemed a ray of dawn broke through his tightly closed eyes, leaving him somewhat confused as he tried to open his eyes to see what was happening.

The enormous black hole that obscured the night sky was collapsing, and black ice crystals floated down slowly. Tens of thousands of swords vanished without a trace, as if nothing had ever happened.

The dark sky was stained with a deep blue.

“……The sun.”

For the first time, Nathaniel felt so touched by that dawn: “It’s the sun!”

—The light that will turn the tide of battle!