Level Up Legacy

"Those moved with money are worth less than what they are paid," said the demon with disdain as she raised her fist high. "All should aspire to conquer the heavens and become their lord! The eternal stampede will crush those who falter and bow to others!"

"…money is everything!" said Romeo in an attempt to reclaim control of his men and encourage them. "It is money that puts food on the table and money that lets you grow stronger!"

"If money is your desire, then so be it," said the demon with a smirk as she raised her hand and pointed at Romeo. "However, true conquerors do not receive money; they seize it! If these men knew any better, they would turn their swords against the man with the most money here!"

There was a momentary silence, but Romeo could feel some eyes shift toward him. His heart started palpating faster, feeling like the army that was his support turned into a giant trap for him. Their eyes were filled with greed.

"Do not let the demon possess you!" shouted Romeo as sweat covered his face. "Her words are a poison that corrupts your minds! Attack her before we start fighting among ourselves!"

"A commander who does not lead is not a commander to be followed," said the demon as she gestured for Romeo to advance. "None of these men will be the first to attack unless they see you put your life on the line."

Romeo pressed his lips together as he surveyed the crowd. As the demon noted, none of his men took a single step forward despite his constant commands. However, he suddenly had a thought.

Their job would be done as long as they kept the demon here. Vesper would arrive shortly afterward and prevent anyone from fighting the demon. Their mission was simple: to waste time.

"I would not sit here and wait, foolish human," said the demon with a wide grin. "I would not run, either. As I said earlier, I will greet your master with your skulls."

As the demon renowned her threats, a red mist began to leak from her body and fill the forest. Romeo could feel his heart drop at the unexpected events, and his spine shivered when the demon exposed his thoughts.

Things have reached a point where Romeo can no longer sit and wait. If he did not attack, no one would, and everyone would be killed within minutes. The demon was capable of that. Thus, he decided to do what he could and fight.

Romeo took his sword from the ground before taking his stance. He knew one thing about himself: he was a coward. Vesper knew that too, and so did everyone here around them. However, his ability was the perfect match for cowards.

"I survived not through hard work but fear," said Romeo as he pointed his sword at the demon. "The more afraid I am, the stronger I shall be! I have never been more afraid in my life than now, demon! Prepare yourself!"

Light began to shine from Romeo as it covered his blade. It had a soft azure color, resembling the wind. The knight stomped on the ground, disappearing. However, he did not reappear.

"Invisibility?" muttered the demon with interest as she looked around. "No, this is more than simple invisibility. This is a disappearance, whether it is presence, aura, or shape. You did not lie; this is indeed an ability befitting of cowards."

The demon looked around with suspicion, but the man was gone. Then, without even the smallest reaction from her, a long gush appeared on her arm. Blood leaked from it, and the demon glanced at her wound.

"Interesting. I could not even sense the incoming danger. I never thought I would find someone capable of injuring me, even with my restricted stats."

The demon then raised her arm and began to drink her blood. None of it leaked on the ground, and the red mist healed her. The crowd was appalled at the scene; even now, none dared to attack.

"You fail as a leader," said the demon as she lowered her arm while licking her lips. "If the troops don\'t see your struggle, what\'s the point of fighting?"

"Killing you!" shouted a distant voice before another wound appeared on her body. The demon did not seem afraid but gleeful. Despite her wound, she slammed the ground with her hand. Her red mist gathered and formed a giant spear over ten meters tall before launching toward a distant tree.

Boom!

The tree\'s trunk disappeared from existence, and it began to collapse. The crowd could hear a distant scream as the demon raised her hand again, controlling the giant red spear to dissolve and turn into a web.

"If you touch the mist, you die forever!" shouted the demon with laughter as the giant web covered the sky. The crowd failed to understand what had happened before the azure wind appeared out of nothing and flew away from the mist.

Romeo descended beside his men again, looking ragged. Everyone now understood that he had been attacking the demon from a distance while invisible. It was such a fearsome ability and combination that he even injured a demon.

"As expected of our commander!" said one of the men, admiring Romeo\'s fight. "You managed to injure a demon! No one could proclaim the same!"

"I lost in one move from her," said Romeo with labored breaths. It looked like his soul was leaving his body from that short exchange. "There is no other choice but to fight her head-on!"

Romeo raised his sword with trembling hands as he pointed it at her. Then, his body began to disappear again, but it was a gradual and slow process this time. It was enough to show his heroic aura.

"Even if I die here, I will not let a demon terrorize us any longer!" shouted Romeo with heroism as he rushed forward while disappearing. "Even if I die without being seen, I will fight against those who terrorized humanity!"

His words moved the crowd, and the men unsheathed their swords. The one who admired Romeo earlier raised his sword before shouting, "Follow our commander!"

"AHH!" the army roared as everyone rushed toward the demon, with Romeo in the lead. Romeo disappeared as they approached the unarmed woman, and the fight began.

***

Romeo stared at his men fighting against the demon, each losing a limb or a head. Their numbers were numerous, and even the demon was overwhelmed. His men sacrificed their lives, thinking their leader was fighting alongside them, while he hid atop a tree.

The earlier show was just to rally the men into fighting. However, Romeo never intended to fight with them. He was wise enough to value his life as these morons were carried away with naïve emotions.

"Even if the demon could sense me, there is nothing she could do while I\'m so far away," muttered Romeo with a smirk as he rose from the branch. He was standing atop one of the tallest trees after having sprung for his life. "These men should stall her long enough."

"You are the worst kind of scum," said a voice above him, making Romeo flinch and jump back in fear. His head craned to see someone crouching on the branch above. "I would understand a villain being vile, but not one who deceives men believing in him."

"…how can you see me?" asked Romeo with fear. The man wore black and golden robes, with eyes staring at him disgustingly. In those golden eyes, black lights flashed as he looked at him. "I should be invisible to everyone!"

"My eyes could see what kind of filth you are," said the man as she jumped, landing on the same branch Romeo considered a haven. "Although I want those men to taste the consequences of their actions, seeing what you did made me feel like throwing up. I had to intervene."

"Who the hell are you?" asked Romeo as he grabbed his sword. It was the first time someone could see him after he activated his ability. His fear shot through the room, and it made him disappear from existence.

"I am the man who is going to kill you," said the man as he took out his blade. "However, I cannot prevent you from reviving like she could. After I\'m done with you, I will hand you over to her."

"You don\'t look like her ally, so why are you doing this?" asked Romeo with a pale face as he retreated. "I didn\'t do anything wrong! This is how I survive!"

"Someone just told me that if we follow our desires, we are nothing other than monsters. Even if you did that to survive, which I doubt, you are still a monster. Alas, I kill monsters."