The Fake Saintess and the Elf Warrior

Faced with Tatia's declaration and the immense power she was gathering, Udoni withdrew his arms, assuming a full battle stance.

"...It's not that easy."

People who haven't revealed their cards

It wasn't just Tatsia...

"What....??"

What surprised Ma Yajie even more than why the other person appeared out of nowhere was the other person's attire.

Hideous as a demon, beneath a grotesque helmet was a massive suit of black iron armor over two meters tall, with a black cloak draped over its shoulders. Boots and footplates made of the same material rested on the iron plate he held as his only hope for saving Mayera.

"What? What? You nosy girl!"

The same cruel, cold, and emotionless voice still emanated from within the armor. Yet, within that coldness, there seemed to be a hint of familiarity...

However, before Ma Yajie could ponder the source of that familiar feeling, the armored figure spoke again.

"Meira is my daughter. I'm taking her away; that's my family matter. What right do you have to put on this self-harm show? Look at your hands, look at what they've become."

For some reason, there seemed to be a hint of heartache in her words. Her foot, still planted on the metal plate, refused to move.

This action was less of a sign of hostility and more of a protection for Malyajie, who was still trying to pick it up...

"You...you mean...your daughter...?"

But compared to all that, and compared to the condition of her own hands, Ma Yajie was jolted by a single keyword in the other person's words.

"Yes. Mayera is my daughter. I have the right to dispose of her as I see fit."

"So...you are...."

"...That's right, I am the Demon King."

The strongest being in the world stood before an ordinary girl who had absolutely no fighting ability.

"...You are Xiao Ai's...mother...it is you...who kept Xiao Ai locked up at home for so many years...it is you, and now you're going to take her away from me again..."

In this situation, Malyajie simply trembled all over, bowing her head as she spoke. Then, the Demon King emphasized again...

"I've said it before, Meera is my daughter. How can taking her back be considered taking her away?"

"I don't care!"

"Swish"

Even though Marya knew nothing about combat, she was acutely aware of the vast difference in strength between the two sides. Forget the Demon King, she couldn't even defeat the lowest-ranking monster...

Knowing this, Malya still took action.

With her left hand, she picked up an iron rod from the ground and pointed it shakily at the Demon King. To this being who treated her daughter merely as a tool, Malyajie roared out her unwavering stance with an unprecedented volume.

"Even if you are Xiao Ai's mother, my daughter will absolutely not give her to you!!!"

To prevent her tragedy from repeating itself on the one she loves most, and to avoid parting from her beloved forever again, the weakest girl steps forward and challenges the strongest demon king.

Operation Mayella (Self-Sacrifice)

How many fierce warriors and powerful figures had he fought against? So many that even the Demon King himself couldn't remember.

When asked this question, the only answers that came to mind for the Demon King were powerful monsters and experienced adventurers. Although they differed in race and strength, they all shared one thing in common: they were all "strong."

Whether before or after becoming the Demon King, only the strong dared to stand before him. Only those with sufficient strength could confront him head-on.

Compared to those people, the girl standing before him at this moment was undoubtedly the weakest. Even compared to those who trembled at the mere mention of his name and cowered in fear at the mere thought of his presence, this girl was still the weakest.

What's more, the battle hadn't even begun, and she'd already torn herself to shreds, bleeding profusely. The Demon King had never seen such a fool before.

But it is precisely because of this that this weakest girl possesses qualities unlike any of the demon lords he has ever fought. The demon lord also believes this.

Otherwise, she wouldn't have specially arranged such a "trial" to test the girl in front of her.

"..."

With mixed feelings, the Demon King looked down at the girl whose body had begun to sway.

Even if I do nothing and just leave her alone, she'll soon die from blood loss and wound infection...

"ah!"

However, the girl did not intend to simply wait for death.

She let out a fierce shout, which sounded like a battle cry, and swung her rusty iron rod at the demon king's leg.

With a clang, the iron rod fell to the ground. The Demon King made no move. It was the recoil from Malya Jie swinging the iron rod herself that knocked it from her hand. This girl's strength was indeed that weak.

"Ouch... It's not over yet!"

Unable to bear the tingling and numbness in her arm, she collapsed to the ground with a thud. But she still managed to prop herself up on her arm and crawled and rolled to where the iron bar had fallen, picking up the rusty iron bar once more.

"Give Xiao Ai back to me!"

As she shouted this, she struck the Demon King with a completely harmless blow...

What is it that sustains this girl?

Even disregarding their skill levels and stats, the sheer difference in appearance alone is enough to reveal the vast disparity in their strength...

Even disregarding her appearance, her title of "Demon King" alone has deterred countless enemies far more powerful than this girl.

This girl should know perfectly well in her heart that she has no chance of winning...

So why did she do that?

In truth, the Demon King already knew the answer to the question perfectly well. She simply hoped to hear...

I just wanted to get the answer I wanted from the girl's words.

"Girl"

So, the Demon King, speaking in an as cold tone as possible, asked the girl who was frantically whipping her incredibly sturdy armor with a broken iron rod.

Do you know who I am?

"I know! You are the Demon King... and Xiao Ai's mother!"

"Do you know that if I wanted to kill you, you would already be dead?"

"I know!"

"Then why do you still...?"

"It has nothing to do with those things!"

"Snapped!"

Finally, after repeated impacts with armor that was many times stronger than itself, the iron rod could not withstand the strain and broke in two with a crisp sound.

But Malya Jie still held the broken half of the iron rod in her left hand, panting as she raised her arm, which had become incredibly heavy.

"Because what you did was wrong... I have no reason to back down in front of you!!"

"...Was what I did wrong?"

"when"

A much fainter sound than the previous tapping echoed from the Demon King's armor. Malyajie, panting heavily, knelt on one knee.

Her vision was now blurred from blood loss and extreme physical exertion. She was ultimately not suited for combat.

However, she did not fall; she continued to fight against the most powerful being in the world, in her own way.

"Even if...even if Xiao Ai is...your daughter...she is not...something that you should...control at will!"

Using the broken iron rod for support, Malyajie swayed as she stood up again.

"My father... treated me the same way... I am very grateful to my father for raising me... but... what my father did to me... was wrong!"

Finally, the girl spoke the answer she had been searching for.

"Because my father did something wrong, he was killed...! I don't want my tragedy to be repeated in Xiao Ai's life... nor do I want you... to make the same mistakes as my father!"

"Was I... wrong?"

"Yes! You imprisoned Xiao Ai, deprived her of her freedom, blocked the sunlight from shining on her, and denied her future... What you did was undoubtedly wrong! Xiao Ai is free! You have no right to arbitrarily take away her life and happiness!! This has absolutely nothing to do with how powerful you are! So... so!"

She raised the iron rod again and struck the demon king.

"For Xiao Ai... I will never back down!"

"when!"

A slightly louder sound than the previous attack rang out from the Demon King's armor.

Of course, this was to no avail. The Demon King simply sighed.

Then, he slightly hooked his index finger.

"boom!"

The sound was far louder than the sound of Ma Yajie's iron rod striking the room; a deafening roar, many times more powerful, exploded throughout the room.

"Wow!....."

Ma Yajie was also startled by the sudden loud noise and instinctively covered her eyes.

The different temperature felt like it was seeping into the room.

"Wh-what?"

She slowly opened her eyes, but was suddenly blinded by a light. It was sunlight.

With that loud bang, the ceiling of the room was smashed to pieces, leaving not even a speck of dust behind, and sunlight streamed directly into the room.

"...Don't try to fob me off with those high-sounding platitudes."

Although what Ma Yajie said made sense, and it was indeed one of the mistakes she had made.

But that alone is not enough.

What the Demon King truly wanted to hear was not this kind of excuse of using so-called grand principles to intimidate people.

With another snap of her fingers, even the flesh that Maya had just painstakingly tore at and sacrificed her right hand to destroy was quickly removed from Maya's body, leaving the naked Maya lying helplessly on the ground.

"You say I've blocked out the sunlight? You say I've taken away her freedom? Then I'll give her the sunlight, I'll give her freedom. How about that? Will you obediently go back then?"

"....."

Seemingly unprepared for the Demon King's response, Malyajie was momentarily speechless. Taking this opportunity, the Demon King continued...

"You all went to great lengths to come all the way from the capital just to tell me that my methods of educating Mayera were wrong? You must have a lot of free time. Wrong people and wrong things happen all over the world every day, every hour, every moment. Are you going to go and correct them one by one?"

"........."

"Stop spouting those clichéd platitudes. Malthus's daughter, confront your own hearts. Tell me, what is the true purpose of your visit?"

"...For Xiao Ai..."

"For her, what?"

"To save her..."

"call out"

A beam of magic grazed Mayajie's side hair, pierced through the wall, and flew straight into the valley. Then, a loud bang, accompanied by an earthquake-like shock, came from afar.

The Demon King twirled his fingers, which were still emitting black smoke, and said viciously to Malya Jie.

"If you dare to tell such empty lies again, next time I won't miss..."

"..."

"...Look at your body."

Although the power of that attack was enough to flatten a small town, the actual damage it caused to Mayajie was merely the loss of a few strands of her hair. But now, Mayajie seemed completely incapable of answering the Demon King's questions.

Because she had severed the carotid artery in her right hand with a piece of metal, it was bleeding profusely, and her entire body was covered in abrasions, bruises, and cuts. All of this was the consequence of her own actions. The fact that she was still alive was a miracle in itself.

"Martis's daughter, why did you go to such lengths? I want to know, what was your purpose in doing this for Mayera?"

"...Yes, perhaps I was just... running away just now..."

However, Malya did not lose consciousness. Nor was she afraid of the powerful attack that had just grazed her face and could have instantly vaporized her. She simply re-examined herself and asked herself some questions.

She slowly raised her head, and through her hair, her gaze became even more resolute and direct than before.

"...Because Xiao Ai saved my life..."