The maid squad is too strong, what use is there for me, the Demon King?

But just as Edmund Celestio was about to unleash the starlight energy from the magic circle, intending to blast Ravend Black to death in one blow.

"Ok?"

Edmund Celestio was stunned.

The magic circle...can't connect?

What's going on? Normally, I can easily sense the existence of the magic circle and the starlight energy it contains simply by calling upon the magic circle with my consciousness.

This can be done in an instant. Under normal circumstances, the connection of the magic circle and the supply of starlight energy should have been completed by now, enough to unleash magic with the peak power of the ninth rank.

But now, the reality is that he is unable to connect to the magic circle.

Could it be that the magic circle has aged due to lack of use and its activation speed has decreased significantly?

Since our ancestor set up the magic circle, its lifespan should still be over a hundred years. I have also spent a lot of time maintaining the magic circle, so its actual lifespan should be only a fraction of what our ancestor estimated.

Therefore, it's unlikely that it aged to the point of being unusable so quickly; it's probably just that the startup speed has decreased...

In this urgent situation, the inability to activate the magic circle in time is a fatal flaw.

Ravend Black had already pounced on him. If he couldn't connect soon, he would have no choice but to unleash the Starburst, which was still at its peak eighth-tier power.

Without the amplification of the magic circle, Edmund Celestio wasn't confident that this attack would kill Revend Black.

Edmund Celestio could only pray that the magic circle would be activated quickly, while estimating the distance between himself and Ravend Black. If there wasn't enough time, he would have to release it ahead of schedule.

Edmund Celestio anxiously called upon the magic circle, hoping for its response.

The more anxious he became, the more disappointed he became by the magic circle's lack of response.

what happened?

Not only was it activated, Edmund Celestio couldn't even sense the existence of the magic circle, something that had never happened before.

Is it possible?

A sense of foreboding flashed through Edmund Celestio's mind, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

Ravende Black suddenly stopped charging at him, which made Edmund Celestio feel uneasy.

"We've been preparing for this sacred banquet for so many years. Do you think I wouldn't have considered your trump card, Your Majesty?"

Ravende Black's mocking smile made Edmund Celestio unconsciously tighten his grip on his scepter, as if he had thought of something.

Edmund Celestio said in a low voice, "How could that be? I checked the magic circle before the banquet started, and it should be intact. How could you have had time to destroy it?"

Ravende Black had already arrived at the palace hall before the banquet officially began, just as Edmund Celestio finished checking the magic circle.

After that, Arthur Wellesley and Ravend Black were both under his nose, and no one had the time or ability to destroy the magic circle so soon after he left.

Ravend Black laughed loudly, "Your Majesty, couldn't the magic circle have just happened to be destroyed at this moment?"

Edmund Celestio was shocked to hear this.

This is indeed the only possibility, but there are prerequisites for destroying the magic circle in such a short time.

This magic circle is the ultimate trump card passed down through generations of the Celestio royal family; it cannot be destroyed by simply sending a few guards or professionals.

However, if one of the people involved in destroying the magic circle is an eighth-tier professional, the situation will be different.

With the skills of an eighth-tier professional, it would be entirely possible to destroy the magic circle in a very short time.

But this means that, in addition to Arthur Wellesley and Ravend Black himself, there was another eighth-tier professional involved in the rebellion, and possibly more.

As if to confirm Edmund Celestio's conjecture, at the same time, two grey-robed cultists burst into the palace hall.

The two cultists bowed respectfully to Ravend Black.

"I have fulfilled my mission, Your Excellency!"

These two cultists exuded the aura of eighth-tier professionals.

Surprisingly, there are four eighth-tier professionals?

Edmund Celestio was horrified.

Although they were dressed in gray robes, a symbol of cults, the two men did not conceal their faces at all, and Edmund Celestio could clearly see their features.

What shocked Edmund Celestio even more was that he had never seen either of them before.

Edmund Celestio had assumed that Ravend Black had secured the assistance of the third or even fourth Rank 8 professional by collaborating with one of the Eight Kings.

I never imagined that the two eighth-tier professionals who have appeared now are not any of the Eight Kings.

In other words, within the Demon Order's War and Conflict faction alone, there are as many as four eighth-tier professionals.

Although there were more than just this many eighth-tier professionals within the Kingdom of Westphalia—nine in total including the eight kings—all eight kings had participated in the rebellion, each acting independently, and none of them obeyed his orders.

Now, Edmund Celestio is even more caught in the predicament of fighting four other professionals of the same rank.

With the magic circle destroyed, Edmund Celestio could at best ensure that he wouldn't be completely overwhelmed and killed by Revend Black.

Ravend Black was very secretive. Edmund Celestio only just learned that he was also at the peak of the eighth rank, with strength comparable to his own, and that there were three eighth-rank professionals under his command.

One against four? Forget about winning, even escaping was impossible for Edmund Celestio. He didn't know where to run.

With one in each of the four directions (north, south, east, and west), Edmund Celestio could be completely blocked.

He's probably really going to die here!

Realizing this, Edmund Celestio trembled slightly.

What should have been a day of celebration for the General's successful campaign against the Central Law King Albert Lane, and his triumphant return, turned into a desperate situation for Ravend Black.

All of this happened so suddenly that Edmund Celestio was caught off guard and had no idea how to deal with the siege of four eighth-tier professionals.

Fortunately, he had already completed the stellar burst chant.

This attack might not necessarily kill any eighth-tier professional, but it could severely injure them and force them to make way.

Edmund Celestio had originally intended to use this attack on Ravend Black, but he suddenly had a strong premonition.

This attack was not enough to incapacitate Ravend Black, and the predicament of being surrounded by four men would not change.

Therefore, this attack must be used on the weakest of the four eighth-tier professionals to blast open an escape route!