Chapter 24 - Is that even a Battle!?
"Alright, let's handle business first."
"Yes, Master."
Esdeath stretched languidly, dressed in a hurry, and slipped out of the tent with uncharacteristic haste.
Cain watched her go, then extended his senses across the camp.
"Northern tribe army. Not bad strength."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully.
These warriors were solid, far above average humans, though still nothing compared to him.
"They should give decent experience."
Cain finished dressing and rose into the air effortlessly.
…
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The two armies faced each other across the plain.
War was cruel. Anyone stepping onto this field would ultimately meet death.
Yet for Cain, it felt like coming home.
He drifted above the heads of countless imperial soldiers. No one spared him a glance.
Joking aside...General Esdeath's man?
Who'd dare comment?
Esdeath, mounted on her warhorse, looked puzzled as Cain approached.
"Not welcoming me?"
"No," she replied, dismounting to offer him the reins. "I thought Master wasn't interested in this level of fight."
"No need."
Cain waved it off. "I'm just here to step on some ants."
He descended to the ground and strolled casually toward the enemy lines.
Esdeath raised a hand. The entire imperial army halted instantly.
As his servant, she obeyed without question.
Across the field, at the front of the northern tribe army.
"What's the Empire playing at?"
The speaker was a rugged, heroic man in full armor, Numa Seika, the North's greatest warrior.
His presence alone emboldened the tribes to invade.
"Running out of men? Sending one fool to die?"
Numa spurred his horse forward, stopping beside Cain.
He was the tribe's champion.
That confidence defined him.
"I'm not with the Empire," Cain said mildly.
Numa frowned. "What?"
"Nothing." Cain's eyes stayed calm, almost bored. "Just here for some easy kills."
Numa's gaze turned murderous. "Doesn't matter who you are."
"Anyone on this field is my enemy. Die—"
His words cut off.
Cain's index and middle fingers rose, pointed lazily from afar.
Absolute Zero.
Frigid aura exploded outward.
Extreme cold. Beyond physical, touching the soul engulfed Numa.
He froze solid in an instant, encased in crystalline ice.
The chill spread relentlessly.
From Cain's position, deathly silence swept the battlefield.
In a heartbeat, hundreds of thousands of northern tribe warriors turned to ice statues.
Terror etched forever on their faces.
Cold.
Bone deep, soul freezing cold.
They never even drew weapons.
The entire enemy army was gone.
The battlefield fell deathly silent.
Imperial soldiers stood paralyzed.
Even Esdeath's eyes narrowed.
Absolute Zero in Cain's hands transcended mere temperature.
It froze everything. Body, soul and even existence itself.
Those warriors died before the ice ever touched them.
[+1 EXP]
[+3 EXP]
[+10 EXP]
Cain felt power swell steadily within him.
[Cain Lucifuge]
[Race: Primordial Devil]
[Level: LV56]
[Unique Authority: Primordial Devil Transformation]
[Servants: Grayfia, Shiho Miyano, Akemi Miyano, Esdeath]
[Skills: Devil Contract, Devil Summoning, Infinite Demonic Power, Heart of Magic, Magic Gunslinger, Devil's Lance, Devil Mask, Absolute Zero]
"Two levels. Not bad."
Cain nodded, satisfied.
...
Several days later, Imperial Capital
"Master wants to conquer the world?"
Esdeath blinked, looking a bit surprised.
Thanks to Cain, the northern tribes had fallen swiftly.
Now they walked the bustling streets of the capital together.
Their arrival caused an immediate stir.
"Look that's General Esdeath!"
"Who's the man with her? He's gorgeous."
"Her lover?"
To ordinary citizens, Esdeath was a household name.
Compared to corrupt nobles, her disinterest in bullying the weak made her beloved.
And now, after crushing the northern invasion…
Her fame soared.
Neither Cain nor Esdeath paid the whispers any mind.
"So, Master, what's the plan?" Esdeath asked.
"First, take the Empire," Cain said casually. "It'll make things more convenient."
Esdeath nodded. "True. The Empire's the strongest force here, despite all the tribes."
She paused. "But if we're rebelling, wouldn't raising an army at the border be faster?"
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