Chapter 24: Massacre in the Sitri Territory
After two days of non-stop flying except for meals, our armies finally reached the Sitri territory.
We can't use teleportation magic by the way.
As soon as the war began magic-users on both sides began setting up anti-teleportation magic seals all over the place, so unless you're a Super Devil like me using teleportation magic is either impossible or will take you straight into an enemy trap.
So we devils are fighting this war the old-fashioned way. Ground combat and air combat, along with long-range bombardment.
The pure essence of war itself.
I won't lie, I kind of like it better this way.
Moving on, the moment we reached the border of the Sitri territory, a number of highly-trained soldiers appeared in the air in front of us.
When they did I signaled for the armies to stop, and they did. Once that happened I flew out with Angelica by my side and the Sitri army sent out several soldiers to greet us.
The moment they saw it was me they relaxed.
"Lord Asterius, welcome." The commander said. "We have been expecting you."
"Yes." I said.
Once I did the soldiers allowed our armies entry into the Sitri domain. We then landed on the ground and marched straight towards Serafall's camp on the eastern edge of the territory, the trek only taking us five hours.
As soon as we arrived Serafall was there to greet us, an air of seriousness about her that people rarely ever see.
"Asterius, welcome." She told me. "But I wish it was under better circumstances."
I waved her off. "It's fine. Once this war is over I will come back and take my time exploring the Sitri territory." I told her.
In doing so I hope to get the Sitri's help in a project I have been wanting to start for a long time, but couldn't. No rather, I wouldn't start this particular project until after the civil war ended.
There are several major reasons why, namely the fact that I need better control of the government to make sure this product is used responsibly. Otherwise we could have an entirely new war on our hands.
But I am going to make sure that doesn't happen.
So much to do, so many people to make my bitches, so little time.
I mentally sighed.
Once I get things dancing to my tune I am going to take a nice long vacation.
Anyway, after the introductions were out of the way Serafall ushered me and the other commands into the central command tent.
Where there was a mock diagram of the upcoming battle ready and waiting. Along with all of Serafall's commanders as well.
The ice-loli walked up to the table and tapped it. "From what our scouts say the Leviathan and Nebiros armies will be within Sitri territory in another day and a half." She explained.
"Are the clan leaders among them?" Esdeath asked.
Serafall shook her head. "No they are not. These are just two deployments from both armies, however they are all highly skilled and highly-trained soldiers. They are the elite warriors from both clans. And both of their commanders fought and survived in the Great War, so they are not push-overs. If we go for a head-on conflict we will win, but the casualties will be quite high. Apparently this army has demonic power users specializing in long to mid-range bombardment."
"I see." I mused, a hand on my chin.
Looking at the layout of the map on the table I pointed to a mountain ridge. "We can attack from here." I said.
Serafall looked at me like I was crazy. "How are we going to do that Asterius. That mountain ridge is filled with nothing but trees, and is a shear drop down once you pass through them."
I looked at Serafall, putting a smirk on my face. "Have you forgotten my powers so easily?" I asked her.
Serafall nodded after I said that. "Yes, that's right. Forgive me."
"It's fine. This is a stressful time for all of us." I said.
"Am lord Asterius." One of Serafall commanders spoke up. "Not to be rude, but why don't we just use that ship you built to blow all the enemies away?"
"We can't." I said. "That ship is on a different mission at the moment, which is just as important to the war." I said.
Which is it. The Iscariot is currently flying around doing aerial bombardments on the supply routes that the Maou faction uses. Another tidbit courtesy of Grayfia.
'I hope she's doing all right.' I thought.
"Ok, understood." The commander said.
"It's fine. There is no harm in asking questions." I said. "Now then, I think it's time we move out." I spoke.
Everyone in the room agreed.
So with that we headed off to greet the enemy.
-----------------------------------------
(3rd Person: POV)
Marching in a practiced formation, the contingents from the Nebiros and Leviathan armies traveled side-by-side, the banners of their clans flying proudly throughout their ranks.
At the head of the army contingent where there two generals.
Both men who had survived the Great War and have been alive for centuries already.
The two of them excluded power and confidence with every step they took. They were the epitome of battle-hardened and battle-tested veteran soldiers. The two of them had lived through countless battles, knew how to read the flow of a changing situation, and also had trust in the legions of soldiers marching behind them, for they had trained a great many number of them themselves.
These two generals were not afraid to do battle in the slightest. They came to the Sitri territory with the express desire to claim it for the Maou faction, killing anyone who got in their way.
If only they knew what was about to happen to them.
Even these battle-hardened warriors would have never taken this mission.
The two armies continued to march, coming up alongside a massive forest filled ridge on their left.
A few moments after they did so the armies heard an enormous rumbling sound. This stopped them in their tracks.
"What the hell is that?"
"I have no idea."
"Where is it coming from?"
The soldiers began to whisper amongst themselves, even the veterans.
As for the two generals they remained calm. Honing their senses they immediately located the source of the rumbling.
It was coming from the ground underneath their feet.
"To the sky, now!" Both generals shouted, their voices amplified with magic so their subordinates could hear them.
The two of them took to the sky, as did many of their subordinates.
A few seconds after they did multiple earth spikes began jutting from the ground.
However hardly any of the soldiers were injured, haven taken to the sky. And the ones that were only had superficial wounds.
The generals nodded at this. They were then about to order their armies to reform and continue forward, through the air for the remainder of the journey to reach the Sitri territory.
But before they could several wooden dragon heads burst forth from the tree-filled ridge next to them and started tearing the soldiers apart.
In a matter of seconds limbs, blood, and guts started flying everywhere as the soldiers of the Nebiros and Leviathan armies began dropping like flies.
"What?!" Both generals shouted.
Meanwhile on the ridge Asterius hummed a tune to himself as he lined up Conquest with the enemy soldiers. He then summoned a bow made from demonic energy and pulled back his string, firing it a second later.
The demonic power arrow flew through the air, and then instantly multiplied itself into over a 1,000 arrows, many of them striking enemy soldiers.
"Form a defensive line!" The Nebiros general shouted.
"Don't fall into disarray, so strong and regroup!" The Leviathan general ordered.
The soldiers from the two armies followed their commands.
Ignoring their fallen comrades for now they formed up and began defending themselves from Asterius's demonic arrows and wood dragons.
But as they did the trees along the ridge began moving, revealing the armies of the Belial, Phenex, and Sitri clans, along with several of their commanders waiting to strike.
Diehauser flew out in front, a sword held high in his hand. "Charge!" He shouted.
He then flew at the first enemy and sliced them in two.
Following him Esdeath went towards a contingent of soldiers with a feral grin on her face. Removing her rapier from her waist holster, it began to emit frost. Closing the distance Esdeath sliced any solider she came across to pieces, their remains freezing upon contact with her blade, due to her clan trait.
"Bitch!" A solider cried. He roared as he flew towards Esdeath from behind, spear in his hand aimed straight at her head.
But before said solider could reach her, an arrow was put through his head, courtesy of Asterius.
Esdeath summoned a communication circle near her left ear, connecting to Asterius.
"Lord Asterius, why did you do that, I knew of that cockroach even before he announced himself. I was ready to sever his head." Esdeath complained, dodging a kick aimed at her leg.
She kicked her opponent straight in the gut, sending them into the ground, dead upon impact.
"I know Esdeath, but this is war. So I am being safer rather than sorry." Asterius said. "Also keep up the good work." He told her.
Hearing Asterius praise her Esdeath got a small blush on her cheeks.
Meanwhile the two generals were keeping the soldiers of the Anti-Maou forces at pay, using their skills to kill as many enemy soldiers as possible.
The Leviathan general swung his blade at a Phenex solider. But before he could kill her, flames rained down on him from above.
Courtesy of Ruval himself.
"Lord Ruval." The female soldier said.
"Go and leave this place. Assist your comrades. I will handle him." Ruval instructed his subordinate.
"Yes sir." The female solider said. she then flew off.
Meanwhile the Leviathan general looked up at Ruval. "Impudant brat, take this!" He shouted. He then summoned several magic circles around himself and fired off powerful torrents of water toward Ruval.
Although he is only a branch member of the Leviathan clan he is still highly proficient in their clan trait.
The Leviathan general was confident his attack would defeat Ruval. After all he felled many angel, fallen angel, and other creatures alike during the Great War. There is no way he will lose and die here.
Or so he thought.
Ruval summoned powerful flames around himself. He then shaped them into a Phoenix motif, and sent said construct towards the Leviathan general.
The flame Phoenix burned through all the water, and reached the Leviathan general, coating his body in flames.
"Agh!" The general sceamed.
Ignoring him Ruval flew towards him, sticking a fire-coated hand straight through his chest. Turning up the temperature of his flames Ruval burned the Leviathan general too a crisp from the inside out.
Dealing with one of the enemies leaders in two minutes flat.
Once he finished he flew off to help his allies and his subordinates.
As for the Naberios general he decided to go for a different approach.
Having located Asterius who was leisurely sniping his soliders and his allies he started to fly towards him, drawing a blade as he did, intending to sever his head.
But before the general could even get within 50 meters of Asterius, a purple mist surrounded him.
The Naberios general paid it no mind however. He flared his demonic power and blew the purple mist away. He then got ready to start making his way towards Asterius once more.
But right before he could the Naberios general grabbed his chest, keeling over in pain. Sweat began racing down his entire body.
"Fufu, so how do like the pain dirty old man?" Elletear asked the general.
A smile on her face she floated next him, causing him to look at her.
"You fucking little cunt!" The Naberios general shouted at Elletear. "I'll....kill...ki" Before the general could even get a full sentence out he coughed up a lot of blood.
Seeing this Elletear's cheeks started to turn pink and rosy. "Yes, that's the stuff. This poison I crafted causes the victims own immune system to attack their blood and organs, causing a complete rejection of everything inside of them. Basically they are town apart from the inside out." She explained, her voice getting heavy with panting as she did.
"...ck....y...." The Naberios general gargled as his eyes, ears, and nose stated bleeding.
Seeing this Elletear's face started drowning with ecstasy. She is enjoying herself, but she knew that she had to wrap things up. She had to backup her alies and friends after all.
So taking her left hand Elletear aimed it towards the Naberios generals head and used a demonic power bullet to blow it off. His headless corpse falling towards the ground.
The soldiers in the vicinity saw all of this. Some has their mouths agape in utter shock, while others got intense shivers down their spines and turned to get ready to fly away from Elletear.
They would rather fight anyone else in the battlefield but her.
"Oh my, and where do you think you are going?" Elletear said, turning to face the soldiers who had just watched her slaughter their commander like it was nothing at all. "No, no, no," she said, waving her finger back and forth. "Running away is no good. You have to stay and fight. You are soldiers after all, so let's have at it?"
The soldiers hearing Elletear's words began flying away from her as fast as they could.
"Fuck this!"
"Stay away from me!"
"Someone, anyone else, please kill me!"
The soldiers shouted in horror and fear as they flew away from Elletear.
Seeing this she put a sadistic smirk on her face and lick her lips. "Oh my, giving me a workout are you? How very naughty. It looks like you lot need to be punished." She spoke.
Elletear then started flying towards the fleeing enemies, purple slug forming on her body.
Sniping down another four soldiers in one minute Asterius looked across the battlefield and saw everything was going according to his plan.
First he had Descartes use his earth magic in a feint attack to get the armies to take flight. Then using his own power he created wood dragons to assault the enemy, and also moved the trees to allow his own allies to come out and attack with ease.
He also sniped many enemy soliders.
'I think I've done enough for now.' Asterius thought.
He put Conquest back in his storage space.
As he did an enemy solider began flying straight towards him. But before they could touch him, Esdeath appeared and used her sword to sever their body clean in two.
She then landed by Asterius side.
Once she did he gave her ass a slap.
"Kyah!" Esdeath cutely moaned. "Lord Asterius, not here. Not with all these people around." She said.
"Later then." Asterius said, flashing Esdeath a charming smile.
She melted under his gaze.
Asterius had known for quite a while that Esdeath was attracted to him, but with the war on the horizon he decided not to go after her. At least until everything was in place. However for the past decade he had constantly been teasing her.
They even had sex once, but he still had not asked her to be his woman.
He wanted her to beg for it.
For Esdeath, a proud and powerful woman to beg him to make her his.
She still had not done it, but Asterius was getting close to making her. He knew that within his heart. The blue-haired devil was already a harem member in his eyes, as well as the eyes of his other lovers.
That's why they didn't complain when Asterius slept with her.
In fact he had some leeway in that department, but he's not the type to sleep with everything with a pulse.
He isn't a Greek god after all.
No, Asterius carefully chooses who he sleeps with.
Esdeath being one of the lucky few.
Turning away from his harem member and lover Asterius observed the battlefield, a smile on his face.
All around him the Naberious and Leviathan soldiers were screaming in terror and fleeing for their flies, while the Belial, Sitri, and Phenex armies crushed them to dust.
This wasn't a battle anymore, but a slaughter.
"Music to my ears." Asterius said, listening to the final breaths of the enemies. Raising his hands in the air he acted like he was conducting a musical symphony.
And in a way he was.
Asterius was conducting a symphony of death.
In the history books the battle on this ridge at this date and time would come to be known as: The Massacre in the Sitri Territory.
A cautionary tale, that shows that even the most experience and battle-hardened soldiers can be slaughtered like live-stock.
It's a lesson any warrior needs to take to heart.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone