Demon King: Hero, don’t run away!

The chaotic Magic Power clung like a bone-deep ulcer, spreading around Black Diamond Lorne; no matter which direction Black Diamond Lorne moved, the chaotic Magic Field always followed along with him.

Black Diamond Lorne finally saw it clearly: as long as Yongfang Chunlan wasn’t interrupted, she could keep manipulating this Magic Field indefinitely.

With a flicker of intent, Black Diamond Lorne established a stronger link with the separated Steel Fragments; the Steel Fragments trembled as they flew out of the Magic Turbulence, turning into razor-sharp weapons that stabbed at Yongfang Chunlan from all directions.

Stopping her manipulation of the chaotic Magic Field, Yongfang Chunlan suddenly accelerated upward, pulling a large gap between herself and Black Diamond Lorne’s steel Creations in one go.

Beating his wings, Black Diamond Lorne tried to break through the chaotic Magic Layer while continuing to control the steel Creations to charge at Yongfang Chunlan.

Yongfang Chunlan did not use a chain of Acceleration Magic to shake off Black Diamond Lorne’s steel Creations.

Fine lines of Magic condensed, spiraling up the Zen Stick; after rising to a certain height, Yongfang Chunlan actually pulled a one-eighty pivot midair and dove straight down in Black Diamond Lorne’s direction.

Black Diamond Lorne sensed that something was off about Yongfang Chunlan’s movement:

”Coming straight at me?

What trick is she playing!

...She’s got some kind of plan!”

The Demon King Army knew nothing about Yongfang Chunlan.

[Count Blood] had once gathered intel on the Hero and his companions; that intel, via Ghost Clan loyal to the Demon King, had made its way into their hands without incident.

The Demon King Army maybe hadn’t completely uncovered the Heroic Party’s bottom line, but at the very least had a general grasp of them.

Yongfang Chunlan was the one person they had absolutely no intel on.

Did Yongfang Chunlan join the Heroic Party halfway?

With that level of intimacy, that kind of trust... it didn’t look like it at all.

The more he thought about it, the more Black Diamond Lorne felt riddled with doubts.

But there was one point Black Diamond Lorne could be certain of: for this operation, someone had definitely drafted a meticulous plan behind the scenes.

As for who that person was... Black Diamond Lorne couldn’t say for now.

Facing Yongfang Chunlan, Black Diamond Lorne could only rely on improvisation, whereas Yongfang Chunlan, facing them, could swiftly shift formations according to a pre-arranged plan and force them into the Passive.

”No matter what move she’s about to use, right now, there’s only one path we can take.”

Black Diamond Lorne opened his great maw; a tornado erupted from that pitch-black throat, sweeping up countless Steel Fragments and turning into Death Wind.

Relying on the stable Magic Power Black Diamond Lorne had produced, the Steel Clan successively left the region of chaotic Magic and, baring fangs and brandishing claws, pounced at Yongfang Chunlan.

There wasn’t a trace of fear on Yongfang Chunlan’s face; countless strip-like Magic Arrays converged at the front tip of her Zen Stick, rapidly drawing in the surrounding Magic Power.

Black Diamond Lorne drew ever closer; the corners of Yongfang Chunlan’s mouth lifted slightly—everything was unfolding exactly as planned.

She thrust the Zen Stick forward; five Magic Arrays rapidly solidified in front of its tip. From the front of the Zen Stick a white beam as thick as a forearm burst forth; this white beam pierced through the layered Magic Arrays before it, transforming into a myriad of dazzling purple light that poured down toward Black Diamond Lorne.

Beating his wings, Black Diamond Lorne tried to evade those eerie purple rays.

But those purple lights seemed almost sentient; countless tentacles whipped out from the pillar of light, crashing densely toward Black Diamond Lorne.

Each tentacle seemed to have a will of its own, flailing and extending wildly without pattern. Caught off guard, Black Diamond Lorne was ensnared by one tentacle; seeing this, the other tentacles, not bothering to hide their greed, wrapped around Black Diamond Lorne’s body one after another, strangling his neck and wings.

The steel behind Black Diamond Lorne did not escape disaster either.

Those countless eerie tentacles were like things reaching up from a sunless Abyss, doing everything they could to devour all life around them, stockpiling energy for their descent into the world.

Black Diamond Lorne tried to break free of those purple tentacles, but the more he struggled, the tighter they coiled, as if they had taken root in his body.

Stronger than all the previous Control Magic—this woman had been hiding her strength!

Black Diamond Lorne hurriedly stripped away the Steel Fragments, shaping a Balance Ball encircling himself and turning it into a weapon.

Yet along with the purple light that had poured down, several squares had descended as well.

Fist-sized squares exploded with a roar around Black Diamond Lorne.

The still-not-fully-dissipated chaotic Magic Field seized the moment while Black Diamond Lorne was trapped by the purple light, briefly forming a tangible monster; it opened its huge maw and swallowed Black Diamond Lorne and the remaining Steel Clan in one gulp.

The chaotic Magic Power made it hard for every Steel Clan to maintain flight; their bodies faltered and dropped toward the purple light.

The purple light extended more tentacles, ”embracing” the Steel Clan that drew near the purple pillar; then, revealing its ”true nature” in an instant, it devoured those unlucky Steel Clan.

If the Magic Power around them weren’t chaotic, Black Diamond Lorne could have used the ambient Magic Power and Steel Fragments to slash apart the purple light binding them; but now, the chaotic Magic forced him to devote the vast majority of his focus to maintaining his own balance. He simply had no spare capacity to carry out any of the tactics he thought of.

What was even more fatal was...

If Black Diamond Lorne’s guess was correct, everything up to now had been preparation to transfer him.

No matter what, he had to avoid being teleported away!

Fortunately, Agares had already revealed the Teleportation Device earlier. As long as he kept an eye on that pentagram-shaped device and Agares’s position, and struck the moment that device appeared, they shouldn’t get teleported.

Thinking this, Black Diamond Lorne’s train of thought screeched to a halt; his eyes suddenly went wide.

That device was pentagram-shaped—far too conspicuous and memorable...

Is there a possibility that the pentagram wasn’t actually a device for performing Teleportation Magic at all, but simply there to draw attention...

If they assumed that device would definitely be pentagram-shaped, and relaxed their guard as long as they didn’t see that device...

Black Diamond Lorne didn’t know what exact plan Yongfang Chunlan had devised, but if they were using the sort of plan he was thinking of, then they would certainly hide the device quietly...

His gaze swept across the countless Steel Fragments swaying in the air. Because of the chaotic Magic, Black Diamond Lorne couldn’t determine what kind of Magic Power was attached to each Steel Fragment, and could not pick out which fragment was abnormal.

Black Diamond Lorne could only perceive the status of the Steel Fragments under his own control; it was the same for the other Steel Clan.

If he contacted the other Steel Clan, had them inspect and then report back one by one, it would be far too late!

There was no time to lose; Black Diamond Lorne roared, issuing orders to the Steel Clan around him:

”All Steel Clan, listen up!

You will all relinquish control over your Steel Fragments!

I will take over the control of all Steel Fragments!

This concerns the outcome of this operation!

We cannot afford to lose here!”

The Steel Clan trailing behind Black Diamond Lorne were stunned at first, then quickly Dispelled the Characteristic Magic Power on their Steel Fragments, severing their own Control over those Steel Fragments.

Every Steel Fragment was tied to the strength of a Steel Clan; under normal circumstances, the Steel Clan would never lightly relinquish Control over their Steel Fragments.