C20. Despair and Hope

**Bella POV**

 (A few minutes after Arthur jumped in the pit.)

"Imani~! <Fortress >!" Imani screamed and smashed the large shield into the ground. Where she blocked the large beam released by the goat-head demon lord. Alanna and Fia charged with the remaining knights planking the demon's side.

"Amazing…" I looked at the trio synergy with amazement. I was convinced Arthur is the highest tier among the Super NPC. He is a superior NPC specialized at teaching others, yet his background lore, status information I read, and his actual skills.

'A huge contradiction! Weird.'

I looked at them before starting casting unlike the <Perish >. The rest of my skills need to be chanted to increase the effectiveness of the spell I cast. I waited and saw the opening after Alanna used her skill to give the target a 1-second knock-up. (A/N: What a raw strength…) 

Chance!

"***** <Flame Blast!>" I cast my favorite spell and hit the target, but the goat-head demon lord opened his head before eating!

!!!

'How come I forgot the basic information! The goat-head Demon Lord has a special skill [Spell Devour]!'

A novice mistake and forgot the crucial information about the Goat-head Demon Lord. Where he can eat magic spells cast by his enemies. The problem was all spells he consumed boosted his mana and health recovery depending on the quality!

"RAHAHAHA! Good MEAL!" The goat-head demon lord laughed before releasing a large fire breath. Imani used the shield to protect all attacks head-on. The good news, Imani's master gives her a shield(artifact) capable of resisting the dragon's breath.

"Hiyaaa! Not in my watch, bad guy! Imani~! <Fortress >!" Imani blocked the attack before she used the counter-skill. The skill she learned from Arthur returning the attack made the rest of the knights look at her in surprise.

I looked at her and took a deep breath after I witnessed a perfect counter. The spell bounced back, and the demon was damaged by his attack. I took the opportunity and cast one of my trump spells!

'50 percent chance to bypass the enemy magic resistance is my only chance.' I gambled with all my luck including the chance his 'Spell Devour' is currently in the cooldown process.

BOOM!

"**** *** <Frost Nova!>"

The Goat-Head Demon Lord screamed after receiving his attack and his body started to freeze, but the spell I cast was enough to freeze him, but I estimated the Demon Lord's magic resistance. After I saw his smirk, I knew our doom was already pending.

"It's a shame…" I muttered as we waited for our death after I realized the futility of resisting the goat-head demon lord, yet I saw the trio still struggling for their survival waiting for their master's arrival.

"RAHAHAHA!" The demon lord laughed as he blocked Alanna and Fia's attack, but each time he countered them Imani appeared using the shield he used either the fortress or counter skill to block and returned the damage.

'I smiled bitterly in frustration… The girls fight for their survival… What about us? About me? Nooo!'

I took a deep breath and moved forward after the demon used the terrain advantage. The girls lost their balance and stumbled to the ground. The Goat-head Demon Lord wanted to end them and before I could cast a spell someone took the risk.

 "**** <Wind Boost>!"

"ZONNA!" I cried after I saw her pushing Imani away from the attack without hesitation. 'NOOO!'

BOOOOM!

"ZONNA!"

"IMANI!"

"Yari~! Yari~!"

"!!!!" I looked in the dust after it cleared. I saw the man wearing a bird mask and covering himself with the mage robe blocking the demon lord attacked barehanded expressing his lazy features.

'Who is he?' I thought and used my appraisal skills to see his information.

==

NPC Name: Blank

Title: God Slayer | Dragon's Slayer | Apex Predator

Age: ??

Gender: Male

Race: High Human

Threat Level: 3 Skull - Extremely Dangerous

Professional Class: Battle God

Sub Class: Locked

*

Reward & Punishment: N/A

*

Background Lore:

A mysterious man who walked on the road of change. Where he may become a hero or villain depending on his mood. He who can change the world and lead the World to the Era of great prosperity or damnation.

Beware he is watching you. 

==

*Gulp*

'The Hell?!' I was terrified especially after I saw the last phrase from his lore and felt his gaze like. He is looking at me even without his mask I can tell from his gaze. I had a single thought, 'He found a new prey.'

"Hello! Hello! Dev. Dev. Can I quit and restart them?" I muttered and heard a voice interrupting my thoughts. I heard a smooth and cold voice from my head, I freaked out and looked around and heard the voice. Where I saw him looking in my direction and the goat-head demon lord felt insulted for the man wasn't paying attention to him.

"DIE!"

"Tsk! Tsk! How rude… <Weapon Telepathy>"

SWISH! SWISH! BAM! SWISH!

"Wow…" I looked at him with great admiration as I witnessed him dancing with the demon lord though the former was playing around with the latter.

"Are you tired? Be a good boy."

"MORTAL! DON'T MOVE!"

"Yeah! Yeah! a mortal… So you're my pet? In the mortal world, there is a certain hobby called pet lover. You asked me how to know the person is a pet lover. Heh… He is playing with his pet… Right, Buddy?"

"RAAAAH!" The Demon Lord screamed in anger after the mortal called him a pet!

I looked at them and stood up with a dumbfounded expression.

"…"

**Arthur POV**

(A few minutes after Mc jumped in the pit.)

SWISH!

"GAH!"

Sigh!

"I hope the girls are doing fine." I looked at the Chimera corpse and decided to keep it. As I planned to recreate them and perform a living transfusion a common practice of Combat Alchemist from the FW game.

"!!!" I looked at the map and started moving.