As the three of us got closer to the centre of the city, the screams were even louder than ever. Even Sephtis and Lorenzo could hear them, and quite clearly at that.
I could tell it was bearing on their conscious, but having been used to the cries and bloodshed of war, I was just as cold as I was during my days as Major General.
"Lorenzo, is your sister's home straight through the city's centre?" I asked, looking back at him and Sephtis.
"Yes, you have to take a right at the centre, so there is no going around," He replied, peeking over Sephtis' head.
"Alright, then prepare for a fight," I instructed, summoning my spear, I charged forward into the centre of the city. Greeted by lower-ranked demons, I mercilessly drove my spear threw them.
More demons charged at me, but I smacked them away with my spear's handle, then drove the spearhead through other oncoming enemies.
'Hmmm, so this is what a cavalry fight is like. I mean, I read about them in books, but actually being in one is different.'
Looking back at Sephtis and Lorenzo, they thankfully held their own. Lorenzo, having his wounds healed, was using his Halberd to take care of the charging demons.
"Teacher, may I give Lorenzo the reins and dismount to help?!" Sephtis shouted over, barely dodging a flying dagger.
"...Fine, but if you get hurt, it isn't my fault," I replied coldly, spinning my spear to knock two demons out of my way.
The fight was going well, and we were winning. Using some of the martial arts I taught him and his own shadow magic, enhanced speed and strength, Sephtis was making his way through the demons as if they were bowling pins, and he was a bowling ball.
Having now brought out his shield, Lorenzo looked like a proper knight. He was defending against magic attacks with his shield and attacking with his halberd. Whereas I was using my own spear to deflect and attack, while also having to dodge other attacks.
We had the upper hand in this fight, but the only problem was that the people being attacked had scattered, and we were trying not to crush the bodies on the ground and dodge the fire.
"Don't you think it's a little weird?" Lorenzo shouted over as he passed my horse and me, Sephtis crushing demons halfway across the area.
"Think what is? There are a lot of weird things here," I responded sarcastically, laughing at Lorenzo a bit.
"Haha, funny. I'm talking about how we haven't seen their leader. We are absolutely crushing these lower-ranked demons, but the one who is leading them is nowhere to be seen, isn't it odd?"
Seeming to hear Lorenzo's pondering and respond to it, fireballs were launched at us out of nowhere, resulting in me jumping off my horse over towards Sephtis, and Lorenzo using his shield to roll himself away safely.
"You are right, it was a bit odd that I didn't show up, wasn't it?" The attack laughed, announcing herself through the smoke.
As the figure approached, a tall, tan and muscular woman appeared. She had ginger hair pulled back into a high ponytail, bangs framing her face and accentuating her red eyes and making her pointed ears stick out more. She had large horns and was carrying a greatsword resting on her shoulders, a whip at her side.
She was wearing a black and red commander's uniform, the symbol colours of the demon king's army. Matching her clothing, she was wearing a sort of black armour, made of a metal I didn't recognise. Also acting as a sort of armour, her tail was wrapped around her waist, like how Gale Kierans was when I last encountered him.
"And you are?" I asked, pissed off at seeing the two horses I had reduced to ash. Luckily, the bags we had were enchanted with fire-proofing magic, so they stood on top of the two ash piles.
"I am Inubat Sadira, the commander of these idiot subordinates of mine, and a loyal noble subject of the Mighty demon king! So, now that I've told you my name, won't you tell me yours?" Inubat exclaimed, surprisingly having excellent manners, signalling that she must be some sort of noble in the demon realm.
"I suppose that's only fair…My name is Kallisto, and my friends here are Lorenzo and Sephtis. I would say it's a pleasure to meet you, but we are enemies, so that phrase wouldn't exactly fit."
"...Sephtis? Is that what you said?" She asked, I nodded, curious about why she said his name the way she did, "My, oh my! HAHAHAHAHA! So you are still alive after all, huh, you weakling!?"
Looking over at Sephtis, he flinched, the look of fear taking over his expression. He trembled like he saw a ghost, shaking so much you would've thought he was about to experience frostbite.
"Sephtis, you know this demon?" Lorenzo asked cautiously, his eyes narrowing through his helmet as they glowed with suspicion.
"Hah! Of course, he knows me! I was the one who raised the poor bastard; he was one of my worst projects I'd ever committed my time on," The demon commander scoffed, looking at Sephtis as if he was just a mere weapon that had deteriorated over time and no longer holds any value.
"Excuse me?" I exclaimed coldly, my expression darkening with anger, making the she-devil turn her attention to me, "And just who are you to say such horrid things about my pupil?"
"Your Pupil? Heh, well, since you've become someone of value to a former weapon of mine, I suppose it wouldn't hurt telling small fries like you my name. My name is Inubat Sadira! Commander of one of the greatest demon legions under the great demon king!" Inubat announced, her voice booming across the city centre.
I stared at her for a second, thinking of anything from the novel. Though at the moment, I was so angry and her insulting a subordinate of mine, that all I could remember was her fight style and how the protagonist defeated her.
"Inubat Sadira, you will pay a large price for insulting my pupil, and for the past torment you inflicted on him," I warned, glaring at her and releasing some of the aura I had built up from getting used to this body and mastering the techniques.
Before I transmigrated into this body, Lev was already a high-grade spear user and was decently good at martial arts. After I began my training with my own techniques, which involved dead mana and the fire divine power I had gained, I had ultimately become a Master level.
Thus, I now had my own 'aura' of sorts, letting me release it to dominate my opponents and envelope myself when I attacked and blocked. It was especially useful when I wanted to summon bones; I could just control them with the dead mana I injected in them, and move as I wanted with my aura.
"That's a tall claim for such a small man. Tell me, who are you to tell me such?" Inubat asked, tilting her head with a mocking smile, making me more annoyed from the addition of her 'small man' comment.
'Lev, I think I now get why you had mostly heels in your shoe collection. Apologies for all the times I made fun of you for it.'
"My name is Lev Andraste. I'm sure you demons have heard of me by now," I replied, reluctant to say my real name, but this battle would deserve at least that.
"Oh, we most definitely have," Inubat laughed, shaking her head, "Our great King is quite interested in you! Say, why don't you make this easier for everyone and just surrender? I'm sure that with his majesty's interest, he'd be most merciful!"
I could tell she was lying and would kill me even if I surrendered, not only by her tone of voice, but the way her fingers twitched. What made me even more reluctant was the way Sephtis turned towards me, grabbing my arm and looking at me with a face full of desperation.
"Sorry, but I'm afraid that's not an option. My companions and allies would be quite disappointed in me if I did turn to your side," I replied, patting Sephtis on the head in reassurance with a gentle smile.
"Hmmm, it's a shame, but oh well!" She replied, shrugging but then turning back with a wide grin, "I suppose that means I'll just get to have more fun in killing you!"
"Bring it on, you fucking bitch," I returned, my voice cold and distant with anger. I put away my spear back into the inventory space of my ring and instead simply held up my fists, wearing their gauntlets.
"PFFT! You call me such a thing to only use your gauntlets?! How laughable," Inubat scoffed, swinging her greatsword off her shoulder and launching herself towards me.
Naturally, anyone who knew that Sephtis and I had only met just a couple of days ago would be confused. Mostly about why I would get so angry about him being referred to as 'weak.' For me, if he is insulted based upon his strength, then I too am insulted.
Considering Sephtis was now my student, it was only natural for me to feel that way. After all, a student's strength is also a good way to determine the strength and will of the teacher.
Not retaliating with my own words against what Inubat said, I launched myself into the air. Dodging her attacks, I tried to kick her head in, but she blocked my foot with her sword, swinging me away from her.
"Sir Andraste!" Lorenzo shouted over from behind me, mana glowing from his hands, "Would you mind if I cast support magic?!"
"Hmph, do as you please!-" I replied, grunting as Inubat brought down her sword onto me. I blocked just in time, crossing my arms and blocking with my wrist guards.
"Hah! Go ahead and use support magic all you want, it just means I get to play with you lot for a little longer!" Inubat exclaimed, a manic smile on her face as she withdrew her sword to thrust it at me.
I sidestepped her thrust and threw a punch back at her, nearly hitting her, though she dodged it and skidded back. Spinning the hilt of her greatsword in her hand, she adjusted he grip on it to swing it down on me again, but I now knew a better way to counterattack.
As her sword was about to hit me, I jumped out of the way just in time, then spun myself to get enough momentum for a strong kick to the face. Unfortunately, she blocked it with her arm, grinning from ear to ear.
"You know, for all that talk about kicking my ass, you sure are weak!" Inubat mocked, her face having gone full maniac. She then engulfed her sword in flames, the colour was an odd dark red and black, strange for fire magic.
With newfound strength, she swung her sword as if she were pouring most of her strength into this one attack. Surprised, I almost couldn't keep up with the speed of her sword, aiming for my side.
I was just barely able to block the attack aimed at me, but was, in turn, thrown across the centre into a stall.
"Cough cough!" My breath was stolen from me as my side and back were the first to make contact with the stall, then a wall of one of the buildings. My ears were ringing, and I had become dizzy. I hadn't prepared myself well enough for this fight, and I didn't think my enemy was so strong.
There was a shouting voice being heard, something along the lines of "Sir" and "Teacher", though that was a guess; I didn't actually know. My back did take most of the impact, but my head also hit the wall pretty hard.
Accompanying the ringing in my ears and my dizziness, I was having a hard time focusing my vision. Through the ringing, I heard the crunch of gravel. Focusing on that, I was able to just barely see Lorenzo and Sephtis running towards me.
Curious about why they looked so distressed, I tried to sit up, only to then see the figure of Inubat above me. A smile on her face, and her sword raised above her like a baseball bat.
It was all a blur, but the next thing I knew, the sky was above me. The stars twinkled the dimmest I'd ever seen in this world, likely due to all the smoke.
The last thing I saw before closing my eyes and losing consciousness was my own body, slumped against the wall, a strange dark greenish purplish smoke coming from my headless self.