The entire encampment.
Fallen into utter silence.
Every soldier watched the battlefield with bated breath.
"Such power..."
Esdeath strode forward on long legs, an astonishing chill radiating from her.
The ground around her froze at a visible pace.
"It's... exhilarating."
Her body trembled faintly.
As if every cell rejoiced.
"Then let's continue."
Kaiser stood unmoving, a faint smile on his lips. "I've calibrated my strength now."
"No need to worry—I'll avoid accidentally finishing you off."
"..."
The onlookers' lips twitched.
Such arrogance.
No one had ever dared speak to General Esdeath like this.
"Hah hah hah—you've got guts."
Danger glinted in Esdeath's eyes as she raised a crystalline hand.
Hum!
Frigid energy coalesced into dozens of ice spears, ripping through the air.
"I'm merely stating facts."
Kaiser advanced casually.
Hum!
A flash of demonic power halted the spears mid-flight, shattering them into harmless fragments.
From start to finish...
He hadn't lifted a finger.
A trace of wariness flickered in Esdeath's gaze.
As expected.
A legendary devil wielded forces beyond her comprehension.
"In that case..."
Esdeath leaped skyward, overwhelming cold surging forth.
Silently...
The heavens darkened completely.
A colossal hailstone blotted out the sky.
It plummeted like a meteor, carrying devastating force toward Kaiser.
"Pointless."
Kaiser tapped the ground lightly, launching himself forward like a cannonball.
One punch shattered the massive ice chunk outright.
Countless shards scattered, glittering beautifully under the moonlight.
In the aftermath...
Kaiser's figure appeared directly before Esdeath.
In a blink...
His hands struck vital points across her body.
Immense force sent her flying once more.
Thud!
A muffled impact echoed as a deep crater formed in the earth.
Esdeath lay within, momentary confusion in her eyes.
Kaiser's speed had been too great—she'd had no chance to counter.
Though reluctant to admit it...
The gap in strength was overwhelming.
For the first time in her life...
She faced a man who dominated her completely.
"You have more tricks, don't you?"
Kaiser landed at the crater's edge, smiling faintly. "Like Moko Prajna."
"Or your ice cavalry—feel free to use them all."
To truly conquer her...
He needed Esdeath's complete conviction.
As for overdoing it?
He had no concerns.
Neither an army of ice soldiers nor freezing time itself posed a threat.
Quantity meant nothing to a Demon King.
And time manipulation?
Even the strongest mechanisms bowed to raw power disparities.
"Where did you hear those names?"
Esdeath rose, shaking her head. "I don't know the techniques you mentioned."
Kaiser blinked, then nodded in understanding.
It seemed...
He'd arrived well before the main storyline events.
He smiled. "Then—do you wish to continue?"
"No. You're far beyond me."
Esdeath shook her head, then grew solemn. "But I'd like to see your full strength."
"Ah."
Kaiser raised one hand slightly. "Since you ask, I'll oblige."
Hum!
As he spoke, a dark crimson magic circle bloomed in the void.
"Thunder Strike."
Brilliant light erupted as a colossal bolt of azure lightning—divine judgment incarnate—blinded everyone.
Boom!
The thunderous strike impacted a distant mountain, unleashing cataclysmic force.
Surrounding peaks trembled.
Thick smoke billowed endlessly.
Time passed...
When the lightning and haze cleared...
The mountain had vanished entirely.
In its place yawned a bottomless abyss.
The spectacle left every soldier's hair standing on end, faces pale with horror.
"Am... am I dreaming? Is this power a human can possess?"
"Could it be a Teigu? No—impossible. Even Teigu aren't this extreme."
"Who is this man?"
The troops erupted in panicked whispers.
"So... overwhelmingly strong?"
Esdeath turned, her gaze toward Kaiser burning with fanatic zeal.
...
Moments later.
In another tent.
Esdeath personally poured Kaiser a drink.
Her demeanor was reverent—as if before a deity.
He sipped the wine, then spoke. "I've fulfilled your wish. Now—about payment."
Esdeath stood before him, nodding. "Speak it, devil."
"You're accepting this so readily?"
At Kaiser's words, Esdeath remained serene—not a ripple in her eyes.
A deal was a deal.
Each took what they needed.
It was only natural.
She drew a deep breath, declaring earnestly:
"Devil—take whatever you desire."
"Even if it's me."
At that, she glanced subtly at him.
Come to think of it...
This devil was strikingly handsome.
With strength surpassing hers.
He was... her ideal partner.
Kaiser studied her deeply, then laughed.
"I have to say—I'm growing fonder of you."
"You're right. What I want... is you."
Esdeath paused briefly, then smiled.
"In that case..."
"From this moment on—I belong to you."
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