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

Just as the dark blue flames were about to pierce through the claws of the cat-tailed gray-robed man, a purplish-black magical slash, tearing through the sky and brimming with pure destructive will, arrived from the direction of the valley entrance with a speed exceeding the limits of visual perception, like a blade of judgment from the distant sky.

The slash was not aimed at the black-robed man with the cat tail, but rather struck the middle of the deadly blue fire line with perfect precision.

boom--! ! !

The purplish-black destructive energy collided violently with the ghostly blue soul-burning fire, creating a deafening explosion that produced a terrifying muffled sound as space was forcibly torn apart and energies annihilated each other.

A blinding burst of light erupted instantly, illuminating the area as if it were daytime.

The condensed, dark blue fire line was actually severed and most of its power was neutralized by this sudden and incredibly powerful purplish-black slash.

The first half of the fire line lost the support of subsequent forces and instantly disintegrated into wandering, eerie blue sparks.

The latter half of the attack was forcibly deflected by the aftershocks, whistling past the black-robed man with the cat's tail.

Even more terrifying was that after severing the azure fire line, the purplish-black magic slash still possessed undiminished sharpness, carrying a terrifying aura of annihilation. Like a leech, it slashed straight at the red-haired boy in mid-air, who was slightly taken aback by the interruption of his attack.

"Huh?!" The red-haired boy's playful smile froze for the first time, and a hint of surprise flashed in his pale, swirling eyes.

The speed and power of that slash far exceeded his previous expectations.

His small body suddenly tumbled backward at an almost right angle in mid-air, a movement that defied the laws of physics.

Swish!

The purplish-black slash narrowly missed his dark red velvet robe on his chest.

The sharp blade tore a long gash in the fabric of his shirt, leaving a faint red mark with a bead of blood seeping onto his pale, almost transparent skin.

Although it was just a superficial injury, the fact that he was forced to dodge in a sorry state and was even almost hit by the slash instantly enraged the red-haired boy.

"Who—?!!" He let out a piercing scream that seemed to tear the sky apart, a mixture of rage and offense.

His childlike face was completely distorted, and his pale, swirling eyes were fixed on the direction from which the slash was coming—in the shadows at the entrance of the valley.

The frenzied killing intent in that voice was more intense than ever before.

"Damn rat! I'll burn you to ashes! Ashes! Ashes!!"

Elder Baturu was panting, his lava-like gaze also fixed on the entrance.

He didn't know whether the sudden, powerful assistance was friend or foe.

However, this sudden turn of events gave the battle, which was on the verge of collapse, a fleeting respite.

Elder Gomur temporarily repelled Maurice's counterattack, looking towards the valley entrance with suspicion. Bishop Maurice took the opportunity to catch his breath, tending to the terrible wound on his back, a hint of surprise flashing in his cloudy eyes.

Only the reactions of the silent girl, the black-robed man with the cat tail, and the other black-robed figures revealed the identity of the newcomers.

Those ordinary black-robed figures who had been lurking in the shadows of the rock face, waiting for their chance to strike, felt as if they had been struck by an invisible electric current the moment they saw that iconic purplish-black slash.

They ceased to hide and emerged from the shadows, kneeling in unison towards the direction from which the attack had come—the entrance to the valley.

From the shadows beneath the hood came a low, suppressed growl, filled with extreme fervor and awe: "Lord Shadow Demon!"

The orange vertical pupils of the cat-tailed man in the black robe now erupted with an unprecedented, almost burning, fanatical light.

The delicate face beneath the hood, which had been contorted with the impending deadly crisis, was instantly replaced by an expression that was a mixture of ecstasy, worship, and supreme glory.

Facing the entrance to the valley, she let out a cry that was both tearful and incredibly loud: "Shadow Meow!"

(The "ma" after "sa ma" has been changed to an onomatopoeic word for a cat's meow.)

The fluffy orange cat tail was held high, its fur bristling with excitement, like a flag proclaiming its allegiance.

The silent girl and the black-robed man, whose initial momentum was filled with anxiety and anger due to the inability to provide timely assistance, were abruptly and violently halted the moment the purplish-black slash appeared, as if they had crashed into an invisible wall.

Her palm stopped in mid-air, and the condensed cutting ripples instantly dissipated.

She turned her head sharply, and even the shadow of her hood couldn't completely conceal the sudden, dazzling fervor that shone beneath her face.

The hood slipped down slightly, revealing a section of graceful, swan-like neck and a small part of the pale, delicate chin.

Her full lips parted slightly, exhaling a breath of hot air filled with extreme shock and piety, completely shattering the image of the taciturn girl.

Those eyes, hidden in the shadows, must be filled with indescribable excitement and respect at this moment.

She no longer paid attention to Cattail, who was nearby and had just escaped danger. Instead, like the most devout believer looking up at a miracle, she focused all her attention and all her fervor on the shadow at the entrance of the valley from which the slash originated.

She trembled slightly, not from fear, but from overwhelming excitement. A deep, yet volcanic, voice uttered softly from her lips, filled with absolute conviction: "Welcome, Lord Shadow Demon!"

The red-haired archbishop's gaze swept over the black-robed figures kneeling below in a frenzy, especially the two whose cat tails were bristling with excitement and whose tall figures trembled with devout piety. A look of sudden realization mixed with disgust and excitement appeared on his small face:

"Oh? So it's the leader of the big rats? Hehehe! This is even more fun!" He temporarily abandoned his pursuit of the cat tail and the tall man in black robes. His small figure, enveloped in towering blue flames, was like a completely enraged storm of destruction. With the excitement of discovering the "ultimate toy," he sped towards the entrance of the valley.

"You big rat! I'll drag you out and burn you for fun! Burn you to ashes! Ashes! Ashes!!"

The silent, black-robed girl seemed to snap out of her fervent pilgrimage. She immediately flashed to the cat-tailed black-robed man's side, her movements carrying a peculiar calmness and concern, completely different from her previous fervor. Her purplish-black energy swiftly and gently probed the cat-tailed black-robed man's entire body: "Injuries?"

The man in the black robe with the cat tail was still trembling with excitement, his orange vertical pupils fixed on the direction of the entrance.

Elder Baturu, panting, cast his lava-like gaze toward the entrance with a mixture of surprise and uncertainty.

The power displayed by that slash and the fanatical reaction of the black-robed man below made him realize that an existence far beyond his imagination had arrived.

The battle between Elder Gomur and Bishop Morris came to a complete halt due to this earth-shattering turn of events. Both of them stared in shock at the red-haired boy who was furiously rushing toward the entrance and the deep shadows at the entrance.