Chapter 436 Are We In Hell?

Chapter 436 Are We In Hell?

If I needed proof that the King really cared for Tiara, then the fact that she didn't even hesitate and jumped straight into the portal was proof enough.

I would have jumped in with her as well but there was one thing that I needed to deal with first.

"Katsuki!" I cried out, running over to my Inugami maid.

"Unggh... I'm alright Mistress... Forgive me for my tardiness..." She groaned, pushing herself up to lean on her elbows.

Her clothes had been enchanted so it absorbed most of the damage, though there was now a hole burned through it above her chest. The skin underneath it looked a little red but at least she looked fine.

Just in case, I used [Close Wounds] on her anyway.

I also healed Odeta who tried to insist she was fine as well before turning towards the portal that was still hanging there ominously.

"I guess we should jump in there?" I asked.

"Ha ha! Ready when you are, Sister Aster!" Odeta grinned.

"As am I, Mistress," Katsuki assured me.

With the two of them by my sides, we jumped into the portal together.

The first thing that I noticed when coming out of the portal was the heat. It was like walking into a sauna with the heat on full blast.

When I looked around, I pretty much saw what I would have guessed to be hell with the lava and fire everywhere.

Right now the three of us were standing on top of an outcropping on the face of a cliff, looking down on a giant rock that was floating on top of a pool of lava.

At one end of the rock was the King currently engaged in combat with a small army of imps that was swarming all around her.

[Name: Infernal Imp

Race: Demonic Servant

Stats:

20 Strength

40 Dexterity

10 Endurance

20 Magic]

Huh, so I was right in assuming that these things were subordinates of the demons. They're weaklings but there's like an army of them so they make it up for their lack of strength with overwhelming numbers.

"Odeta, Katsuki!" I called out to them.

They did not need any more prompting than that to jump in to aid the King's fight while I followed behind them.

Odeta smashed through the crowd, throwing the imps off into the lava.

I almost thought that the imps were immune to the lava but they started screaming out in pain as they burned which showed that they were not.

Katsuki started leaping around the battlefield while tossing around her throwing knives and slashing her daggers around, cutting through the swarm effortlessly before the imps could even react to her presence.

King Justinia also managed to use that opportunity to catch her breath, allowing her to use her Valour Skill [Sacred Blade] to cut down the remaining imps quickly.

Seriously, that skill looks damn OP... I wonder if she's willing to teach me that?

Anyway... I didn't even get to do anything before all the imps were obliterated.

The King swiped her sword to get rid of the imps' blood before turning to me, "Aster, I sincerely apologise for getting you involved in this..."

I waved my hand, "Don't be, I knew what I was in for when I volunteered myself for this."

The King sighed, "If you wish to marry Tiara, know that you have both mine and Levianne's blessing."

I almost choked on my own spit, "Erm... I think we should concentrate on saving her first..."

She nodded before pointing with her sword, "You are right, of course. The demon took her towards the castle over there."

I looked at where she was pointing and indeed, there was a castle built on top of another cliff overlooking another pool of lava.

"Wow... So... I think I should have asked this first but... Is this Hell?" I asked.

King Justinia gave me an odd look, "Hell? I don't know what that place is but I believe this is one of the dimensions where demons have occupied for themselves."

Err... What? Dimensions? Demons occupied?

Ok, I guess that's more things to learn but I guess now is not the time for that...

I looked around and found a small path that led towards the direction of the castle, though calling it a path was stretching it considering it was just a tiny trail that was hanging above the lava pool below.

Seeing that no one else here has the ability to fly... I guess we're just going to have to use that path...

"Are you all ok with that?" I asked, pointing at the small path.

Katsuki nodded, "You do not need to worry about me Mistress, I can navigate that path without any issues."

King Justinia also nodded, "This won't be my first time walking on such a narrow path as well."

"Wahaha! I would like to say that I'm fine, but I don't think I have a good sense of balance though!" Odeta admitted proudly.

Right... I guess I'll be carrying Odeta then.

I went to her and picked the Amrap up in my arms, causing her to let out a surprised squeak as I did so.

"E... Eh? Sister Aster? Wahahaha! So you're going to carry me?"

"Well, how else would you get across this path safely? I'm not going to risk you falling into the lava."

"Bah! It's just lava! I can take it!"

I patted her head, "Yes, yes~ I'm sure you can~ But let's just go with this way, ok?"

"Wahaha! I don't mind! It's nice to be carried by Sister Aster sometimes!"

Honestly... I think the sight of me carrying a girl about one and a half times my size must be quite comical to see and I wished I had a mirror right now.

Deciding that it was better that I don't comment on it, I just nodded at the other two before flying up into the air with Odeta in my arms.

True to their word, the two of them were running along the narrow path quite easily despite the threat of falling into the lava on either side of them.

Just when I thought that things were going quite well, a screech came from above and I looked up to see a few winged imps flying towards me.

Oh great.

"Looks like we have company, Sister Aster! Let's go!" Odeta cheered, pumping her fist in the air.

"No, no, wait. Go where? I have my hands full carrying you, how am I supposed to fight those things?"

"Huh? Just fly us close enough then I'll punch them! Isn't that why you're carrying me like this?"

Err... Does Odeta seriously think that a princess carry is so that both her hands are free to punch someone coming after us?

You know what, I'm not even going to say anything.

"Alright! Hold still, Sister Aster!!" Odeta requested.

One of the imps was already charging towards us with its claws outstretched and I had to go against my instinct to dodge out of the way.

Odeta simply cocked back a fist and punched at the imp the moment it got within range, snapping its head back and breaking its neck with a single blow.

The dead imp dropped lifelessly down to be consumed by the lava below, its body disappearing in the molten magma with a wet 'plop'.

The other imps were obviously enraged by this and charged towards us all at once.

"Alright! Let's show these little freaks how we fight, Sister Aster!!"

Oh what the heck.

I flew straight towards the imps with Odeta in my arms, the Amrap looking straight at the imps without an ounce of fear.

The first one to reach us tried to bank away out of Odeta's reach but I tilted myself to catch up to it, allowing Odeta to grab the imp by its neck.

There was a sickening crunch as she crushed the imp's throat in her hands before tossing the body at another imp to knock them out of the sky and drop into the lava below.

Another tried to attack me from behind but it did not expect me to flail my tail at it, smacking the imp across the face and stunning it in midair.

I spun back around and allowed Odeta to swing her fist at it, knocking that one out of the sky just like she did the first one.

The last two imps tried to attack me from both sides but one of them was suddenly struck by a throwing knife from below.

The imp flailed for a moment before dropping into the lava below as well, its body burning up into cinders as the lava consumed it.

I looked down and gave Katsuki a nod of thanks before turning to face the final remaining imp, the demonic servant pausing in its assault as it realised just how outmatched it was.

It seemed like it decided taking us on was not worth it and wanted to run away, but of course there was no way I'm letting it go in case it went to call for reinforcements.

I gave Odeta a warning to hold on before shooting after it, easily catching up to the fleeing imp with a few beats of my wings.

The imp only had time to let out a surprised squeak before Odeta snatched up the imp from below us, her hands crushing the imp's wings and letting it fall down to the lava below.

Hmm... I guess that's one way to fight in the air?

It still feels weird to be carrying Odeta like this though...