"Honestly… this isn't good. That red-scaled demon's resistance to both magic and physical attacks is absurd.
The gap between us is just too wide. At this rate, once our mana and stamina run dry… we're finished."
The iron warhammer in Gagran's hands and the katana gripped by Burein slammed against the Wrath Demon General's body—only to produce a harsh metallic clang, like steel striking steel.
Sparks flew everywhere.
And yet… not even a scratch.
That was the reality.
Even though the Wrath Demon General was deliberately holding back, there was one thing he couldn't suppress—his innate defensive stats.
As a high-tier demon, he naturally possessed overwhelming resistance to magic. And among the seven fighting him, the strongest—Evileye—just so happened to be a magic caster.
As for the other six… yes, they were undeniably powerful within the realm of humanity, each having stepped into the so-called "Hero Tier." But the Wrath Demon General also possessed abilities that nullified or reduced low-tier damage.
In truth, among them all, the only ones who could even hope to injure him were Lakyus, wielding her cursed magic blade, and Gazef, bearing the kingdom's treasured relic.
The others realized this quickly.
Their formation shifted—everyone began focusing on defense and support, creating openings for Lakyus and Gazef to take the offensive.
Meanwhile, Evileye, recognizing her spells were ineffective, poured all her remaining mana into strengthening the two frontliners.
Both Lakyus and Gazef were originally around level 35.
With Evileye's layered enhancements, they surged to nearly level 45—and combined with the power of their weapons, they could momentarily unleash strength approaching level 50.
Within the realm of humanity… they now stood at the very pinnacle.
And yet—
Even so, they were still facing a monster.
The Wrath Demon General, despite holding back and refraining from using his high-tier abilities, remained terrifying. Whenever Lakyus or Gazef managed to land a hit, he barely reacted.
The wounds closed almost instantly.
By the time the next attack came, his HP had already regenerated.
At the same time, the Wrath Demon General was under immense pressure—though not in the way the humans imagined.
He knew this entire battle was part of a grand performance orchestrated by Demiurge and the Supreme Beings.
If his acting was sloppy… he might ruin everything.
So, he committed himself fully.
But that created a different problem.
As a high-ranking demon, relying purely on fists and claws felt unnatural. After all, what kind of demon didn't use magic?
Yet if he used magic carelessly…
He might accidentally wipe out all the humans in one go.
So in a strange twist of fate, the Wrath Demon General found himself fighting an exhausting battle—not because his enemies were strong, but because he had to carefully control every move.
"Seventh-Tier Magic—Maximized… Flames of Wrath!"
With a roar, he stomped the ground.
The earth cracked outward in a violent shockwave, and blazing orange flames erupted from below, surging toward the group like a tidal wave.
"Sixth-Tier Magic—Maximized… Crystal Wall!"
Evileye thrust her hand forward.
A crystalline barrier surged up from the ground just in time—
—but it shattered almost instantly.
The difference in power was simply too great.
The flames smashed through, and the resulting shockwave sent everyone flying.
Only Evileye, standing further back, escaped serious injury.
The others crashed hard, their bodies scorched with varying degrees of burns.
And at the very front—
Gagran… and the ninja Tina…
…were reduced to charred corpses in an instant.
"…!"
The moment her companions fell, Lakyus didn't hesitate.
She pulled out several red potions and tossed them to Burein and Gazef.
"Buy me time!"
"I'm casting Resurrection!"
"If we lose any more people, we have no chance at all!"
Her voice was urgent, but resolute.
Resurrection magic came at a cost—lifespan, and a period of weakness.
But thanks to the rare potions they had recovered from the ruins of the Thirteen Heroes, those drawbacks could be mitigated.
Burein and Gazef caught the potions midair without hesitation and downed them immediately.
A soft green glow enveloped their bodies.
In an instant, their burns vanished completely.
"…So this is the lost potion the Blue Roses found in the Thirteen Heroes' ruins?"
Burein flexed his fingers, staring at his restored body in awe.
"Incredible… With healing like this, if we're strong enough… we might actually have a chance against that monster."
Gazef tightened his grip on his sword, his confidence returning.
Potions like this rivaled third-tier healing magic—and worked instantly.
For front-line fighters like them, it was nothing short of a miracle.
As long as they weren't killed outright… they could keep fighting.
Expensive?
Sure.
But Burein didn't care.
Not like I'm the one paying.
Ever since encountering Ren Kuroda, he had come to a realization—
To surpass human limits, to truly grow stronger…
You had to walk the razor's edge between life and death.
Not everyone was lucky enough to face such overwhelming enemies.
But now—
Even against a monster like this, Burein could charge forward without fear.
That alone proved how much he had changed.
"Foolish insects," the Wrath Demon General sneered.
"You should have stayed still and awaited death. Instead, you rush toward it yourselves."
He raised his hand, gathering immense magical power—
A spell strong enough to annihilate both Burein and Gazef instantly, leaving not even bodies behind.
Let's see how you resurrect that, he thought.
But halfway through—
He froze.
Those potions…
They were unmistakably from YGGDRASIL.
Which meant—
These humans might be connected to the Supreme Beings' plans.
The spell dissipated.
Instead, he swung his arm like swatting flies—
BOOM!
Burein and Gazef were sent flying once again, crashing violently into the ground.
"…Damn it… just how strong is this thing?"
Burein wiped blood from his mouth, staring at the towering demon in disbelief.
"It's hard to believe… that something like this… is just a subordinate."
His voice trembled slightly.
"If that's the case…"
"…then how strong are Adabao… and that vampire… Shaltear… really?"