Demonmir had opted for a multi-pronged strategy in his relentless pursuit of his arch-nemesis, Eren.
Eren's alliance with Beelzebub had rattled him deeply, and even the restless fragment of Samael's demon soul within him urged him subconsciously to seize the earliest opportunity to eliminate Eren and Argo once and for all.
It could be said that Demonmir had spared no effort in his mission to eradicate every trace of Eren's existence. He had meticulously orchestrated every aspect of his plan, poised to strike at Eren's very core.
As soon as Eren made an appearance on the battlefield, Demonmir was resolved to take matters into his own hands and personally end the profound enmity that had festered between them.
***
"Welcome, dear guests," Grandmaster Amory suddenly materialized before Langdon, leading his contingent of Rankers from the City of White Raven.
"We insist you stay here… Forever! The Grim Pillar Town shall become your eternal resting place," Amory uttered cordially as if he was addressing the guests in his inn while puffing on his pipe, releasing wisps of smoke into the air.
The embers from his smoking pipe glowed brightly with each inhalation, casting an eerie light upon his aged visage under the moon's clear illumination.
Amory's assembly included Tuan Aag, Bianka Bluedust, Will Evaan, Drin Dawn, Silvera Rehrook, Ray Rinehart, Seraf – the formidable Mega Mandrake monster – along with several others. It became apparent that this was not merely a routine patrol but a purposeful interception team prepared to thwart Langdon's advances.
Langdon's eyes widened in astonishment as he comprehended the might of the enemy Rankers now confronting him. "How...how did you know we were coming?" he stammered aloud, his gaze shifting from his foes to the traitorous member of his own party. This was more of a self-directed question than a query to his adversaries.
In the span of a heartbeat, Langdon realized that someone within his ranks had betrayed him, but it was already too late. Almost instantly, friendly fire erupted as one of his comrades, supposed to be an ally, struck him from behind with a powerful blow, causing a gaping hole in Langdon's chest.
The ordeal didn't end there. Two additional members of Langdon's team turned on their own, launching a swift assault that caught Langdon and a few loyal allies off guard, rendering them defenseless.
"Well… This one's finished," the man whose hand was now drenched in Langdon's blood commented casually as he withdrew his hand from the lifeless body. There had been no spell involved; the man had ended Langdon with sheer physical force.
"Hehe. Excellent job playing your part, kid. Even I was convinced for a fraction of a second," Amory remarked, directing his praise to the man who had executed Langdon.
The perpetrator of Langdon's demise was none other than the Boar Berserker, Steve Austin.
Amory also marveled at the fact that Steve could kill someone like Langdon with his bare fists alone. The title of Boar Berserker suited him too well.
He responded to Amory's comment with a chuckle before acknowledging two accomplices from Edinburgh's central administration, who had similarly dispatched their own comrades. "Those guys were impressive as well. Hahaha. What can I say? Eren's planning runs deeper than Demonmir's," he remarked, reflecting on the intricate scheme.
Among Langdon's team were Harja Mel and Darven, the two fiends created by Eren within Sansara World 1.0. In their fiendish forms, they unleashed their true potential for swift elimination.
The trio, composed of these two fiends and the Boar Berserker, swiftly dispatched three of their comrades. With ruthless intent, they advanced toward the surviving members, determined to complete their task. Amory, observing the terrified expressions of the central administration Rankers who had come to assail Eren's city, released a weary sigh, punctuated by a touch of theatrical flair.
Amory, his pipe held leisurely between his lips, spoke with a mix of pity and disdain as he gazed upon the gruesome spectacle.
"Ah, these unfortunate souls. Their leader, Demonmir, is entirely clueless about what he has messed up with. Demonmir is like an innocent baby with his neat magic tricks when I picture him against Eren.
That brat Eren fucks every enemy he has ever had just at the right time, nuts in them, before throwing them to vultures. Then he'd ask the vultures to pay him for feeding them.
Tragically, these hired helps shall meet their demise for their boss's blunders. Quite unfortunate. I should offer prayers to these lost souls."
Grandmaster Amory remarked in a "saddened" tone.
As Amory observed the Boar Berserker and the two fiends, Harja Mel and Darven, methodically dispatching the remaining central administration Rankers from Edinburgh, a macabre scene unfolded.
The star-powered nightly ambiance cast a haunting glow upon the pools of crimson, lending an eerie reflection of the moon upon the dark, blood-soaked earth. The night air reverberated with agonizing screams, and the gruesome tableau of violence stretched far and wide.
Of course, the information provided by Darven, Harja Mel, and Steve enabled Amory and his team to anticipate and prepare for Langdon's backup squad of Rankers. As such, the City of White Raven had dispatched a dedicated unit to counter Langdon's reinforcements.
As the night wore on, the gruesome toll of death continued to mount, and the once-piercing screams and agonizing howls reached a fevered pitch. By the night's dreadful conclusion, two of Demonmir's closest subordinates, Heram and Mael, had met their demise, their deaths executed in a seemingly nondescript fashion, as though mere background characters were being swept aside to make way for a fresh narrative and a new scheme.
Demonmir had been under the illusion that his infiltration into Edinburgh's central administration was a feat unmatched, unaware that Eren possessed even greater capabilities in the same department.
This was, in essence, a contest between two deep schemers – Demonmir and Eren – a contest that Eren had decisively won in the span of a single night.
AN: Darven and Harja Mel became Eren's fiends in chapter 1138. They were chosen to become a part of Edinburgh's central administration during Eren's graduation ceremony.
Demonmir's subordinates Mael and Heram were mentioned in chapter 1379.
Eren asks Steve to join Edinburgh's central administration in chapter 1016. Steve officially joins it in chapter 1218.
