The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Chapter 143: The Elven Cry (5) Joining The Fray

Her words cut through the tension like a blade, and for a moment, I considered snapping back with something sharp, something biting. But the truth of her statement lingered in the air, undeniable. The elven kingdom, nestled within the forest, was ablaze, its once-thriving beauty now reduced to an inferno.

The sounds of battle echoed in the distance, desperate and wild, and yet, here we stood, removed from the chaos. Watching.

I narrowed my eyes, thinking quickly. "It's not about doing nothing," I said. "It's about doing the right thing. Rushing in without a plan will only get us killed, and I don't intend to die for their misplaced pride."

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Aurelia tilted her head, her lips curving into a smirk. "Oh? And here I thought you enjoyed a bit of recklessness. You have the power, Dravis. Use it."

Power. I could feel it, thrumming beneath my skin. The dark magic, the necromancy I'd honed over time, the abilities granted by Gilgamesh's pens, and the creatures I commanded. I had more than enough strength to join the battle and turn the tide in our favor. But raw power without precision was chaos. I wasn't going to make that mistake.

I turned to face her fully, ignoring the crackle of flames in the distance. "The elves won't trust us. If we storm in, wielding magic and summoning creatures from the shadows, they'll see us as enemies. The last thing we need is to be fighting demons and elves at the same time."

Her eyes narrowed, though amusement still danced within them. "So, what's your brilliant plan, then?"

A low growl rumbled from the shadows where my devil hobgoblin remained hidden, its red eyes glowing in the gloom. It was restless, eager for battle. I could feel the same anticipation coursing through my other creatures—the undead goblin king, the chimeras, all of them waiting for my command. They were weapons, yes, but they were also tools. And I needed to use them with precision.

"We let them weaken each other," I said, my voice cold, calculating. "The demons are pushing the elves back, but they're not invincible. They'll take losses, and the elves will lose ground. When the demons have overextended themselves—when the elves are too weak to fight back—that's when we strike."

Aurelia studied me for a long moment, her gaze sharp, assessing. The flames reflected in her eyes, giving her a dangerous, almost predatory look. Finally, she nodded. "You're playing the long game. I like it."

I resisted the urge to smirk. "It's not about playing games. It's about winning."

With that, I turned my attention back to the burning forest below. The elven defenders were struggling, their lines faltering as the demonic horde pressed forward. The demons were larger, more grotesque than any I'd seen before—warped and twisted by dark magic, their bodies shifting and mutating with every attack.

Some had wings, others tentacles, and their movements were erratic, like shadows given form. They tore through the elven ranks with brutal efficiency.

The elves, to their credit, fought fiercely. Their archers loosed volley after volley of arrows, their blades flashing as they engaged the demons in close combat. But it wasn't enough. They were being overwhelmed, and I could see their morale faltering.

Aurelia stepped closer, her voice low and teasing. "You're not concerned about them losing? About the demons wiping them out before we even get a chance to act?"

I shook my head. "The elves are proud, but they're not stupid. They'll retreat before they're completely annihilated. And when they do, that's when we'll move in."

She nodded again, her smirk widening. "I'll give you this, Dravis—you certainly know how to make a girl wait for the fun."

Ignoring her, I focused on the battle below. The moment was close. The elves were on the verge of retreating, their formations breaking as the demons pushed further into their territory. Their kingdom was burning, their people dying, and still, they fought on. But it wouldn't last. They couldn't last.

Then, I saw it—the moment I'd been waiting for.

An elven commander shouted something in their native tongue, and the remaining forces began to fall back, moving with the kind of precision and discipline that only came from centuries of warfare. They were retreating, but not in disarray. They were pulling back in an organized fashion, regrouping further into the forest, deeper into their stronghold.

"They're running," Aurelia said, a note of satisfaction in her voice.

"Good," I replied. "Now, it's our turn."

I raised my hand, and from the shadows, my creatures emerged. The devil hobgoblin, the undead goblin king, and the three chimeras—all of them massive, terrifying in their own right. They knelt before me, awaiting their orders, their glowing eyes fixed on the battlefield below.

"We strike at the heart," I said, my voice steady. "The demons are focused on the retreating elves. They won't expect us."

Aurelia's eyes gleamed with excitement as she unsheathed her blade, the metal gleaming in the firelight. "Lead the way, Dravis."

Without another word, I sent my creatures forward, moving silently through the burning forest. The ground trembled beneath their weight as they approached the battle, their monstrous forms blending into the smoke and shadows. I followed closely, Aurelia at my side, her presence a constant reminder that this was no ordinary fight. The queen was here, and that meant the stakes were higher than ever.

We moved swiftly, closing the distance between us and the demonic horde. The demons, focused on the elves, didn't notice us until it was too late.

The devil hobgoblin struck first, tearing through the nearest demons with savage glee. Its massive claws ripped through flesh and bone, sending chunks of demonic bodies flying through the air. The undead goblin king followed, its hulking form crashing into the enemy lines with all the force of a battering ram.

The demons tried to fight back, but they were no match for the sheer brutality of my creatures.

The chimeras darted through the chaos, their mismatched forms a blur of teeth, claws, and wings. One of them—a twisted blend of a lion, serpent, and bird of prey—swooped down on a group of demons, its talons rending them apart with ease.

Another chimera—a serpentine creature with webbed claws and iridescent scales—slithered through the battlefield, its tail coiling around a demon and crushing it with a sickening crunch.

The demons, caught off guard, scrambled to regroup, but their confusion only made them easier targets. I could feel the magic coursing through my veins, the power of necromancy guiding my creatures with deadly precision. They were mine to command, and I wielded them like a weapon.

Aurelia moved beside me, her blade flashing as she cut through the demons with ruthless efficiency. She was a whirlwind of steel and fire, her movements precise and deadly. I could see the satisfaction in her eyes, the thrill of battle igniting something fierce within her.

But as we fought, something nagged at the edge of my mind—a feeling that something was off, that this battle wasn't as simple as it seemed. The demons were strong, yes, but they were also disorganized. Their attacks lacked the coordination I'd seen in other battles, as if they were being driven by something other than strategy.

I narrowed my eyes, scanning the battlefield. The time distortions were still present, the air shimmering with an unnatural energy. It wasn't just the demons. Something else was manipulating the situation, pulling the strings from the shadows.

And then, I saw it.

At the edge of the battlefield, hidden among the trees, was a figure—tall and cloaked in shadows, its form indistinct but unmistakably powerful. It watched the battle with a detached interest, its presence radiating an overwhelming sense of control.

Aurelia followed my gaze, her eyes narrowing as she spotted the figure. "What the hell is that?" she muttered.

"I don't know," I replied, my voice low. "But I intend to find out."

Without waiting for her response, I summoned my creatures, pulling them back from the battle and directing them toward the figure. The devil hobgoblin led the charge, its red eyes glowing with a murderous intent, but as it approached the figure, something happened.

The air around the figure shimmered, and in an instant, the devil hobgoblin froze mid-stride, its massive form locked in place as if time itself had stopped.

At that moment, I immediately know something is wrong.

"What the—" Aurelia began, but I cut her off.

"Time magic," I said, my voice cold. "It's manipulating the distortions."

The figure turned toward us, its face still hidden in shadow, but I could feel its gaze—cold, calculating, and utterly in control. It raised a hand, and the air around us rippled again, the time distortions growing stronger.

"We need to move," I said, grabbing Aurelia's arm and pulling her back. "Now."