Chapter 169. Battle of Shanghai (1)
8:50 a.m.
Along with the message announcing the start of the Scenario, a checkpoint installed in northern Shanghai was attacked and completely destroyed.
The attacker’s identity had not been confirmed.
But everyone could guess.
The ‘Heavenly Demon Emperor,’ Asmodeus, had finally appeared in Shanghai.
9:10 a.m.
Experts from both the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions, including Yang Weizheng and Jin Gahui, gathered at the Alliance command center established inside the Black Dragon Society headquarters.
According to the reconnaissance teams, Asmodeus was leisurely advancing into Shanghai along the roads.
His destination appeared to be the Black Dragon Society headquarters.
9:20 a.m.
As agreed beforehand, groups of Contractors specializing in long-range attacks were deployed.
The moment Asmodeus reached the center of an intersection with nowhere to hide, they unleashed a concentrated barrage of ranged attacks, including magic.
The bombardment continued for more than ten minutes.
By the time it ended, the surrounding area had been reduced to ruins.
But Asmodeus remained standing calmly in the middle of the devastation.
Then he raised both arms toward the stunned Contractors.
Black light swept through the area.
At that moment, the Alliance confirmed that Asmodeus also possessed overwhelming long-range offensive power.
9:45 a.m.
Several unconventional operations prepared by the Alliance were put into action.
Constellation Armaments with binding and paralysis effects were used.
They even collapsed buildings and launched attacks using the surrounding terrain.
But while they succeeded in briefly slowing Asmodeus down...
none of it inflicted meaningful damage.
10:20 a.m.
When Asmodeus reached an intersection five hundred meters from the Black Dragon Society headquarters...
Yang Weizheng and Jin Gahui went out to meet him.
“Hmm.”
Asmodeus stopped walking.
He had spotted two men approaching down the middle of the road.
“Yang Weizheng of the White Forest Alliance and Jin Gahui of the Black Dragon Society.”
The leaders of the Orthodox and Unorthodox Factions.
They were prey Asmodeus absolutely intended to hunt today.
“Are you truly Asmodeus?”
“That’s right.”
Asmodeus casually nodded at Yang Weizheng’s question.
Beside him, Jin Gahui frowned.
“You look quite different from the photographs I saw before.”
“Your face used to be much redder, and you had horns on your head.”
Jin Gahui smirked.
“Did you find yourself a talented plastic surgeon?”
“I tore my old body apart and used it as material to create this one.”
“What?”
“Yes.”
Asmodeus spread his arms.
“To create a body fit to become the Demon King.”
Yang Weizheng and Jin Gahui both looked troubled.
“Did you say Demon King?”
“That was the title used for Lucifer, who once led Pandemonium.”
“Correct.”
Asmodeus nodded.
“I intend to take the position of Demon King.”
He opened both arms.
“As you both know, Pandemonium has stagnated.”
"..."
“After the Demon King died, the war of conquest stopped.”
“Everyone retreated into their own territories.”
“At this rate, there will be no progress.”
Asmodeus belonged to the pro-war faction.
He had no desire for the current peace to continue.
“Pandemonium needs a new leader.”
“So I will personally become the Demon King.”
“And to do that... you obtained this absurd level of power?”
“That’s right.”
Asmodeus spoke proudly.
“Yang Weizheng. Jin Gahui.”
“If someone offered you the greatest power in the world in exchange for abandoning your human appearance and becoming a giant pig, would you accept?”
“What?”
“And let us say the success rate was only fifty percent.”
“If things went wrong, you might lose your sanity and become a monster.”
“Or you might simply die.”
Asmodeus smiled.
“If such an opportunity appeared before you... would you accept it?”
"..."
“You wouldn’t.”
“It would be difficult for any living creature in the world to accept such an offer.”
Asmodeus placed a hand over his chest.
“But I did.”
“I made a choice more courageous than anyone else.”
“Courage?”
“That word doesn’t suit a demon very well...”
“Lucifer was more innovative and ambitious than any other demon.”
“If someone intends to succeed him, then naturally he must be capable of acting with courage.”
That was right.
This was Asmodeus’s resolve.
His ambition.
He would become a revolutionary greater than Lucifer.
A mighty Demon King whose name would remain in the history of the entire universe.
For that...
he was willing to accept any risk.
“That is why I accepted Ha Mina’s modifications.”
“The success rate was below fifty percent, but fortunately, I obtained this body.”
“You truly became this strong through Ha Mina’s modifications?”
“When we heard Kang Yujin and Saionji Keito had been modified by Ha Mina, we weren’t sure whether to believe it...”
“There is one thing you should understand.”
Asmodeus smiled.
“I am different from Kang Yujin and Saionji Keito.”
He looked at the two men.
“You participated in public-service activities with Ha Mina before, didn’t you?”
“We... did.”
“When the Church of the Morning Star carried out volunteer work in China, we cooperated with them.”
“You also donated blood at the time, didn’t you?”
Yang Weizheng and Jin Gahui both looked caught off guard.
“The blood extracted from you then.”
“The data gathered from the various examinations conducted before your donations.”
“All of it was used when strengthening me.”
“W-What?”
“You used us?”
“That’s right!”
Asmodeus burst out laughing at their shocked expressions.
“Without even realizing it, both of you were helping Ha Mina!”
Then...
“As a result, I can even do this!”
Asmodeus kicked off the ground...
and drew up internal energy.
This is...!
Yang Weizheng sucked in a breath.
The energy radiating from Asmodeus felt extremely familiar.
This power...!
As Asmodeus charged, Yang Weizheng drew up as much internal energy as he could and extended his arm.
Asmodeus was fast.
But Yang Weizheng’s technique stood at the highest level in China.
No matter how quick Asmodeus was, Yang Weizheng could still strike him accurately.
But what Yang Weizheng felt through his fist was...
[Protective Aura]?!
The fact that a demon was using [Protective Aura] was shocking enough.
But even more astonishing...
the internal energy itself felt similar to Yang Weizheng’s own.
Had Ha Mina truly used secretly gathered data to strengthen Asmodeus?
“Hahaha!”
Asmodeus laughed and began attacking.
Yang Weizheng gritted his teeth and unleashed every technique he possessed.
[A Great Blessing descends from Yang Weizheng’s contracted Constellation, ‘Immortal of the Lamp.’]
[All of Yang Weizheng’s stats increase greatly for 5 minutes.]
His technique is far worse than Kang Yujin’s!
After exchanging several attacks, Yang Weizheng became certain.
This demon was still rough.
He was imitating martial arts, but lacked experience.
In that respect, Kang Yujin was far superior.
But...
“Excellent technique!”
Asmodeus laughed.
“I know little about martial arts myself, but even I can recognize how impressive your technique is!”
“Ugh...!”
“But!”
Asmodeus grabbed Yang Weizheng’s right arm.
Then...
“AAAAARGH!”
Yang Weizheng screamed as unbearable pain tore through him.
His arm had been ripped off.
“I now possess power that surpasses even technique itself!”
Overwhelming strength.
Power that rendered skill meaningless.
Asmodeus possessed it.
“Still, your movements were excellent!”
“I’ll remember them clearly and use them myself later!”
“Uoooooh!”
Hearing Asmodeus’s voice, Yang Weizheng drew up every last bit of power he had.
He was prepared to burn even his remaining life force to unleash his greatest secret technique.
But he never got the chance.
Asmodeus’s fist had already pierced his heart.
Without even having time to summon his Constellation Armament...
Yang Weizheng coughed up blood and collapsed.
[C-rank Constellation ‘Maid of the Chain Stratagem’ feels fear at the demon’s overwhelming might.]
[C-rank Constellation ‘Prince Who Killed His Father’ trembles, believing the world may truly be approaching its end.]
[B-rank Constellation ‘Hunter Favored by the Moon Goddess’ expresses alarm, warning that the situation is becoming dangerous.]
Watching Yang Weizheng fall in an instant, Jin Gahui clenched his teeth.
The plan had been for him and Yang Weizheng to fight Asmodeus together.
Yet Yang Weizheng had gone down before Jin Gahui even had a chance to intervene.
[A Great Blessing descends from Jin Gahui’s contracted Constellation, ‘Victorious Fighting Buddha.’]
[All of Jin Gahui’s stats increase greatly for 5 minutes.]
[A special power is granted by Jin Gahui’s contracted Constellation, ‘Victorious Fighting Buddha.’]
[Bronze Head, Iron Brow Mode activates. Your entire body becomes as hard as metal.]
Jin Gahui immediately manifested his Constellation Armament.
The Ruyi Jingu Bang.
The Constellation Armament of the S-rank Constellation ‘Victorious Fighting Buddha,’ Sun Wukong.
However...
this was not Maximum Manifestation, which would unleash the Armament’s full power.
It was only Limited Manifestation.
Even so, Jin Gahui didn’t feel particularly disappointed.
Even in Limited Manifestation, the Ruyi Jingu Bang was difficult enough to control.
“Hmm. What exactly do you intend to do with that stick?”
Asmodeus mocked him while shaking scraps of flesh from his hand.
Jin Gahui glared at him and shouted.
“Haaap!”
“Hm?”
The Ruyi Jingu Bang was not merely a blunt weapon.
Its length could be changed freely, allowing for endlessly variable attacks.
Asmodeus is less technically skilled than I expected!
I’ll maintain distance, prevent him from closing in, and fight from range!
Jin Gahui repeatedly changed the length of the Ruyi Jingu Bang, using it to obstruct Asmodeus’s movements.
