NOVEL NEXT Chapter 1281: Old Demon
"Alright, attack in the formation I told you at my signal," Max said calmly, his voice steady and unwavering as he glanced back at the seven squad leaders and their assembled forces. Without waiting for any reply, his figure shot into the sky like a streak of light and flew toward the final bastion of the demon race.
The geniuses behind him immediately shifted into the formation he had designed, with the seven squad leaders forming a tight array behind him and the rest of their squads fanning out behind them to provide layered support. The air vibrated with tension as every heart prepared for the decisive battle.
Max descended rapidly toward the last demon stronghold. This area was heavily corrupted by demonic energy, and the terrain below was twisted with dark mounds and strange structures created by demons over years of occupation. He halted high above the ground, looking down upon the settlement with cold resolve.
His voice boomed across the entire region as he declared, "Demons, your end is here." As he spoke, his right hand formed a dense ball of flames that pulsed with unrestrained heat.
The orb writhed with jagged red lightning, each spark tearing through the flames like chains seeking to escape. The power within it distorted the air around his hand and generated a scorching glow that illuminated the battlefield.
Without hesitation, Max hurled the ball of flame downward. The moment it left his palm, the temperature in the air spiked sharply. The fiery orb streaked toward the demon lair, leaving a blazing trail behind it. When it struck the ground, a deafening explosion erupted.
The shockwave expanded like a rolling storm, flattening everything in its path. The ground cracked, buildings were torn apart, and waves of dust and debris shot into the sky. The explosion was so powerful that it shook even the sky itself, sending a deep tremor through the entire region.
When the dust finally settled, Max narrowed his eyes. The entire settlement lay in ruins, reduced to near-flat terrain. Yet something was wrong. There were no demon corpses. No movement. No screams or cries of battle. The area was empty.
"They evacuated…" Max muttered, immediately recognizing the tactic. They had anticipated his arrival. He had announced himself earlier, and the demon leaders must have seized the opportunity to draw him into a different battlefield.
Raising his voice again, Max called out, "Balthazar, I am here. Did you not all want me dead? I am standing right here." His voice echoed loudly as he continued, "Come out, all of you. I know the demons are hiding. Show yourselves."
For a moment, the surroundings remained eerily silent. Then something cut through the air.
A pitch-black arrow shot toward Max at a speed beyond comprehension. It broke the sound barrier instantly, leaving behind no trace of movement or sound. The arrow seemed to warp through space itself, arriving at Max's blind spot behind his back just as he finished speaking. It was faster than lightning and carried a lethal aura sharp enough to slice through mountains.
Max did not flinch. Inside his mind, a faint sneer formed. 'Nice try…' His Three Dimensional Body granted him complete spatial awareness, allowing him to perceive all trajectories and angles of incoming projectiles.
This black arrow, no matter how fast or well-hidden, was no exception. The instant it neared the point of impact, Max's body moved with fluid precision. He twisted midair, his sword already drawn in a single swift motion.
The blade met the arrow.
Bang.
A violent burst of black smoke exploded from the collision, engulfing Max entirely in a cloud of dark energy. The shockwave rippled outward, forcing nearby corrupted structures to collapse from the force alone. The smoke roiled and churned, obscuring Max from sight for several heartbeats.
When the smoke finally cleared, Max stood completely unharmed, his sword lowered calmly at his side. His expression remained indifferent, as though he had blocked nothing more than a meaningless gust of wind.
"You should not have come here." The deep voice resounded from the darkness ahead, and as the echo faded, countless demons emerged from behind the shattered terrain. Their numbers swelled across the landscape until the entire horizon grew black with their presence.
At the center of the formation stood Balthazar, his crimson eyes gleaming with cold fury. Around him, hulking demon soldiers spread out in an unbroken formation, their snarls filling the air with a suffocating tension.
This army dwarfed every demon force the human geniuses had fought until now. The density of demonic energy radiating from them caused the very ground to tremble beneath their feet.
Max hovered calmly in the air as he watched them spread across the field. He closed his eyes briefly and extended his senses deeper into the surroundings, probing every direction with precision. What he detected made his lips curl into a cold smile.
The concentration of demonic energy was immense, and he realized that these demons were indeed the last remnants of the demon race in Nullaria. They had all gathered here, consolidating their forces into one final army. If this army fell, the demon race would be eradicated from this region entirely.
The remaining weak demons hiding in the Middle Domain would no longer pose any threat. The realization filled him with a deep satisfaction. Victory was within reach.
"You demons hide well and move even faster," Max said with a sneer. His voice carried across the battlefield, and several demons snarled in response. The tension grew heavier as the air stiffened with killing intent.
"Your name is Max? The strongest human genius, the one spoken of with such irritating praise?" A gravelly voice answered from within the demon ranks. An old demon stepped forward. Despite his age, his towering bulk and muscular frame rivaled the largest of the demon warriors. His dark skin shimmered with ancient markings, and three thick horns curved from his skull. His gaze was sharp, piercing through the air with a level of pressure that immediately stood out.
Max's eyes narrowed. The presence this old demon radiated was different from Balthazar's. It was heavier, more oppressive, and carried a sense of absolute authority. As Max scanned the ranks behind him, he noticed three more demons stepping forward, each one bearing the same three-horned appearance.
The aura they released was overwhelming, and Max recognized instantly that all four of them possessed strength surpassing Balthazar. These were not ordinary demon leaders. They were beings who stood above the rest of their race.