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

In just a few breaths, the nature of the entire encirclement seamlessly changed from "high-pressure attrition" to "ironclad encirclement"!

Phoenix's brow, hidden beneath a calm expression, furrowed almost imperceptibly. 'His reaction was so quick?' he thought to himself with a chill.

The opponent obviously couldn't know what secret technique he was going to use, but this sudden and highly targeted tactical change undoubtedly showed that the sword-wielding leader had, with his sharp eyes and rich combat intuition, realized that he was preparing a counterattack and accurately judged that breaking through was the most likely direction!

'What impressive judgment…' Even as an enemy, Phoenix couldn't help but admire him inwardly. This ability to remain absolutely calm in the heat of battle and to instantly discern the opponent's potential intentions was something that ordinary strongmen could not possess.

What's even more alarming is the efficiency with which the other men in black robes executed the command—it was as if they were using their own arms, without the slightest hesitation or doubt—demonstrating a terrifying level of teamwork.

'And the execution ability of these subordinates... When did the Demon King gather such an elite force?' He felt a chill. Such an opponent was far more troublesome than a powerful foe relying solely on individual strength (except for some who were excessively strong).

Unfortunately... they are enemies.

This admiration instantly turned into a deeper sense of regret and solemnity. Such a powerful being, possessing such qualities, had stood against humanity, siding with the demon king who must be eradicated.

The opponent's timely change of tactics undoubtedly added a huge variable and risk to his upcoming secret technique.

Originally, they planned to take advantage of the momentum of the enemy's offensive to create a time gap, but now they have to face a formidable defensive formation that is fully prepared and focused on preventing his breakout.

'It seems... I have no choice but to take the risk and force an upgrade...' A resolute glint flashed in Phoenix's eyes. He secretly accelerated the construction of runes within his body, and the originally slow and steady flow of magic power began to carry a hint of urgency and danger.

This means that the stability of the secret technique will decrease and the risk of backlash will increase greatly, but at this moment, he has no other choice.

He was like an old lion cornered on the edge of a cliff, facing a group of cunning and powerful hunters, ready to bare his last and most dangerous fangs.

The air in the hall seemed to thicken and become heavier, as if due to the unspoken, ultimate confrontation between the two sides.

Just as Phoenix was gathering the last and most dangerous spatial magic in his fingertips, about to send a breakout signal to Taric—

"stop!"

Two voices, one a steady male voice and the other a clear female voice, came clearly from the entrance on one side of the hall at almost the same moment, carrying an unquestionable decisiveness that instantly pierced through the intense sounds of energy collision.

Everyone's movements, whether it was Phoenix's impending secret technique or the gray-robed servants' guarded stance, suddenly froze at this moment, and all eyes turned to the source of the sound.

At the entrance, Gray was still shrouded in a wide black robe, and in his arms he was holding someone—the hero they had been searching for, Philippa!

However, to the astonishment of Taric, Sofia, and Phoenix, Philippa's condition seemed even worse than before.

Her face was as pale as paper, her breath weak, and she leaned softly against Gray's chest. She was clearly unable to stand on her own, and her injuries seemed to have worsened, with more blood staining her clothes.

But what nearly blew their minds away was the way the two were behaving—the Demon King was holding the heavily injured hero in an almost protective manner?!

The shock of this bizarre scene even temporarily overshadowed his concern for Philippa's injuries. Taric's mouth gaped open, and he nearly dropped his giant axe.

Sofia covered her mouth, her eyes filled with disbelief.

Even Phoenix, whose magic had been concentrated to its peak, experienced a momentary disorder, his aged face filled with utter astonishment and bewilderment.

In stark contrast to the shock of the hero's team, the reaction of the ten black-robed shadow servants was quite different.

Although they were slightly taken aback by the appearance of His Majesty and the Hero, they had discussed it beforehand and roughly guessed that His Majesty might use "non-violent" methods when facing the Hero alone. In addition, the groundbreaking "strategy proposal" of Capana had already planted a seed in their hearts, so their surprise at this moment was far less than that of the Hero's team.

However, within the mental link that is imperceptible to ordinary people, chaos erupted instantly:

"Meow?! They're hugging?!" Aita's thoughts were filled with the curiosity and excitement of a feline.

"Wow~ The progress is much faster than expected~" A hint of amusement flashed in Delta's blood-red eyes.

“Hmm…” Ipsyron murmured softly.

"Huh? Aren't we going to fight anymore?" Zeta's thoughts were simple and direct, with a hint of lingering reluctance.

"..." Sita remained silent, but a sense of understanding and calm emanated from her mind.

Beta's thoughts carried a complex, scrutinizing tone: ...It seems Lord Shadow has indeed successfully 'persuaded' her.

Among them, Kappa was the least likely to conceal her emotions. Although the pink-haired succubus was hidden beneath her robes, through the mental link, everyone could "hear" her soft hum, a mixture of smugness, pleasure, and predictability, along with a strong sense of allure and mockery:

"Hehehe~ As expected~ In the end, you still used my plan, Lord Shadow Demon~ Honestly, you should have just listened to me earlier~"

Her smugness almost overflowed through the mental link, as if the scene of "the demon king embracing the hero" before her was a perfect testament to her grand strategic vision.

The pink-haired succubus's undisguised thoughts were even conveyed to the servants, revealing her straightforward curiosity and desire to investigate.

Lord Shadow, how far have things progressed between you and the Hero?

Judging from their intimate behavior, their relationship is definitely as she thinks—no doubt about it.

The level of close contact... is probably impossible. Lord Shadow wouldn't leave them fighting "fiery" on the sidelines, and more importantly, it's impossible for it to happen so quickly.

Alpha did not participate in the sisters' "heated discussion." The soul fire beneath her mask burned calmly, and her sword-wielding hand lowered slightly, as if she were about to withdraw.

Since Lady Shadow has personally intervened to halt the battle and is in such a... delicate state with the hero, their combat mission has naturally come to an end.

She observed calmly, ready to act at any moment according to Lord Shadow's next instruction.

An eerie silence fell over the entire hall. On one side stood the stunned and bewildered team of heroes, and on the other side stood the ten shadow servants, outwardly solemn but inwardly seething with gossip.