(MC POV)
Ok, maybe that was a little bit dramatic, but the look of surprise on the demoness and her thralls' face made it worth it.
But…
Why is a small group of three hundred monsters making so much noise?
I turned around, planning to just take a peek and...
WHAT THE HELL?! WHY IS THERE AT LEAST A THOUSAND OF THEM STANDING BEHIND ME?!
Last I remembered, the lich only had a group of twenty or so skeletons soldiers. So why are there at least a few hundred skeletons standing around her? And... Are those Abyssal Knights I see?! What the hell has she been doing?! Was she going around on a mass massacre or something?!
And woah, woah, woah…
The squid face guy too… Why are there like another ten of them behind you?! Did you like find them wandering around or did you actually breed?!
The orcs and kobolds as well... Weren't there supposed to be barely fifty between each of you? So explain how did that number reach a few hundred for you guys?!!
Not to mention the bearowl, or owlbear or whatever that thing is… It has a family now. Like, I can see who I assume to be its mate and the little versions of itself spread out in front and chirping. Guess it got quite busy for the guy.
The floating eye thing is still alone at least… But the fact that the number of eyestalks it has has almost tripled in number did not sit well with me either.
The hydra too, the number of heads it has also doubled in number, it's like a whole snake nest over there.
And where in the world did that giant behemoth find more of its brethren?! There's three of them now! THREE!!
Putting them aside, the most important thing is that the two foxes seem as fluffy as they were before… No wait, they seem… Fluffier? Like their fur looks much more pristine and almost like they're glowing some what?
Not sure if I should be worried about that?
I will also tactfully ignore the increase in variety of monsters like those two giant blobs of slime, that fledgeling drake over there, the three distinctly female giants, that group of lizardmen and... WHERE THE HELL DID THEY GET A LEVIATHAN?!
I didn't even know they could survive outside of water and yet here was one just floating in the air, its serpentine body wriggling back and forth as though they were still submerged in water.
As big as it was, the foxes were still twice its size, so I'm assuming this particular Leviathan is merely a hatchling as well.
Or it has the power to shrink itself which makes it even more frightening.
These things, if left alone, can grow to continental sizes and are almost impossible to kill once they reach adulthood.
I'm actually surprised that they exist on this Plane in the first place, I've only read about them after I ascended to the Spiritual Plane and even there I have never seen one up close.
I glanced towards the foxes, "Ok… What the hell is with this number?"
The white one tilted her head slightly, "Apologies, Divine One. These were the best that we could get within this time."
"Yep, yep! We rounded everyone that could fight as soon as we got your call, Master!" Her sister chirped happily.
"Are the numbers not to your satisfaction, Divine One?" The squid guy asked, worry evident in his voice. "There are actually more but they aren't exactly very cooperative at the moment, it'll take some time to convince them to join us at the moment."
I don't even want to know how you're 'convincing' them…
"Tch… I told you you should have just given all those bandits to me instead of growing your kind." The Lich groaned. "I would have made more knights in just three days."
"Hold up…" I interrupted with a raised hand. "I'm seeing ten Abyssal Knights… You're telling me that you came across more than a thousand bandits?"
"Why yes, Divine One," The Lich confirmed. "Quite a lot of them came from... What do you humans call it? Dong country? There's still a lot of them that we have yet to root out, please forgive us for the tardiness in that regard."
That is completely news to me.
I mean, I knew we had refugees coming from there but I never thought where they actually went after they came here, guess now I know.
I don't even think I want to know how the squid guy is 'growing' more of his kind either, judging by the Lich's words, it can't be anything good for the bandits.
"And the other monsters?" I asked, looking pointedly at the newcomers.
The white fox whined, "Did… Did Divine One not instruct us to take care of the monsters and bandits?"
I'm pretty sure I did say that.
"I did, didn't I?" I confirmed.
"So, we took them in! Added the willing to our numbers! Those who wouldn't cooperate were killed off!" The other fox finished.
Oh.
That's what they thought when I said to 'take care of them'?
Well… I guess whatever works I suppose… That means the monsters there should be mostly under control already, right?
"Are you done ignoring me?" Someone asked behind me.
Oh right, I actually forgot about our current situation.
I turned around to see the demoness inspecting her nails casually while floating up in the air, even going as far as using a nail filer to trim it.
"You seem awfully nonchalant about the fact that I actually do have an army," I pointed out.
"Oh? I admit I was a little surprised to see you summon them in the beginning. But numbers mean nothing to me really, when I can do something like this."
She released the wave of energy that had turned those Dark Sect members into fountains of blood.
Before that wave could reach us though, I snapped my fingers and released a wave of my own, cancelling hers out a metre away from us.
I wiggled my finger at her, "Ah, ah. Not with me around you don't. Still think your little thralls stand a chance?"
She sneered, "Interesting… I really do want to break you open just to see what's inside of you. Fancy a little wager?"
"Oh? What do you have in mind?"
She flicked the nail filer away, letting it burn into nothingness, "Your little group of freaks against my thralls. Your group wins, I'll leave your continent for last while I conquer the other lands first. I win and you take my initial offer of being my pet."
"Hey boss, jus say 'da word an' we'll gut 'er for ya!" The orc boss grunted beside me.
"Yeah, yeah! We'll use her as our chew toy!" The leader of the kobolds growled.
I smiled at them before turning back to her.
"I got a better idea little Lily, how about I beat you and you leave our entire Plane alone? Fair enough?"
"Audacious one aren't you? Calling me so familiarly… You actually think you can overpower me? No… You aren't even aware of our power difference, are you?"
"I don't think you get to come into my home Plane and talk like you own the place. I suggest you just pack up your little toy boys and leave. I'm even generous enough to let you keep these guys."
She leaned forward, resting her chin on her hand, "You really don't understand your position, do you?"
"I can say the same to you, actually. Not sure if you have heard but, I did say I have no qualms in hitting a woman."
"Oh? Not very chivalrous are you?"
"Never said I was."
"Kyahahaha! How interesting! Let's see you live up to your threats then!"
I grinned and started walking forward.
There was silence for a few moments where everyone just got confused at me walking casually towards her without a care for the other thralls standing before me.
Two of her thralls leapt at me, roaring a battlecry with their fists clenched and poised for a punch.
Before they even got close two me, two very fluffy tails smacked the two of them away to crash into the wall, allowing me to continue my pace unmolested.
Lilith's thralls roared in rage and charged, prompting my monsters to do the same.
A few of them tried to block me but they were tackled away by the orcs and kobolds.
Another tried to throw some dark spear at me but one of the Hydra's heads just snapped him up and tossed him away before his spear could even fully materialise.
A particularly large sized thrall charged towards me, his body encased in solid rock armour filled with spikes.
He got within a metre of me before the squid guy flung him away with his telekinesis, straight into the group of waiting Abyssal Knights that skewered him with their claymores, easily breaking his armour apart.
I stopped just in front of Lilith, the demoness visibly less than elated to see me standing in front of her while her thralls were being throw left and right behind me.
"I suppose I'll admit that--"
I flew forward and punched her in the abdomen, sending her flying to crash into the wall behind.
Well damn, two times in one day, she really needs to learn how to keep her guard up.
