Reincarnated with a Military System in Another World

Chapter 143: Failure



Valeria reappeared in a desolate stretch of wilderness, far from Akarios Island. The moment her feet touched the ground, she stumbled, gasping for breath as the weight of her injuries took its toll. Her body was broken, blood dripped from deep wounds. The once-powerful dark energy that had surrounded her flickered weakly, barely holding on.

She collapsed to her knees, clutching her side where a particularly deep gash had opened. Pain surged through her, a reminder of the Hellfire missile that had struck her face and the relentless assault from the AC-130. The fear she had felt during the battle lingered, gnawing at her pride. She had never been pushed to the brink like this before, and the thought of her near-defeat filled her with a burning rage.

The landscape around her was barren-rocks and dirt stretched out endlessly, with no signs of life. It was a place where she could hide, at least for the moment, and recover. But she knew she couldn't stay long. The humans would continue their pursuit; they had learned too much about her weaknesses.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

Valeria groaned, forcing herself to stand. Every movement sent jolts of pain through her body, but she gritted her teeth and pushed through it. She raised her hand, attempting to summon her magic, but the dark energy sputtered and died before it could form. Her power was fading faster than she could regenerate it.

"Curse them," she spat, her voice hoarse. "Curse these mortals and their weapons."

She staggered forward, each step more difficult than the last. Her body screamed for rest, but she knew she couldn't let herself fall again. Not yet. She had to find shelter, somewhere to hide from the prying eyes of those who sought to destroy her.

As she stumbled across the rugged terrain, her mind replayed the battle over and over. The Patriot missile had been the first strike, but the drone-the Reaper-that was what caught her off guard. And that damned AC-130... it had torn through her defenses like nothing she'd ever encountered.

She clenched her fists, anger simmering beneath the surface. "They've evolved," she muttered to herself, her voice low. "They've grown stronger... but they haven't beaten me yet."

A sudden wave of dizziness hit her, and Valeria collapsed against a large rock, her vision blurring. She could feel her body struggling to regenerate, but it wasn't fast enough. She needed time-time to heal, to gather her strength.

She closed her eyes, forcing herself to focus. Slowly, carefully, she began to channel what little energy she had left. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it was there. Her body trembled as the dark energy flowed through her, knitting together the worst of her wounds. It wasn't enough to fully heal, but it would buy her a few more moments of strength.

Her eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with renewed determination. She wouldn't fall here, not in this wasteland. The humans had struck a blow, but they hadn't won. Not yet.

"I will return," Valeria whispered, her voice filled with quiet fury. "And when I do, they will all pay for this."

With one final effort, she pushed herself away from the rock, continuing her slow, painful march forward.

Three days later.

Valeria returned to the Demon King Castle. Her body, still aching and bruised, had been sustained by the life essence she had drawn from the wildlife she encountered along the way. It wasn't much—simple creatures like wolves and deer-but it had been enough to stop the bleeding and restore some of her vitality.

The massive gates of the castle creaked open as she approached, her presence sensed by the dark magic that infused every stone of the fortress. Two of the castle's guards, lower-ranked demons clad in black armor, stood to attention, their eyes widening at the sight of her battered form. They had never seen Valeria in such a weakened state.

"My lady," one of them stammered, "what happened to you?"

Valeria's eyes flickered with irritation. "Summon the Demon King. Now."

The guard hesitated for a moment, taking in the blood-streaked robes and the flickering aura of dark energy that barely clung to her. She didn't need to say it twice. The demon bolted into the castle, leaving his comrade standing awkwardly at the gate, unsure whether to offer assistance or remain silent.

Valeria stumbled inside, ignoring the weight of her exhaustion. Her body still screamed for rest, but there was no time. The humans had grown far too powerful for her to take lightly now. She needed to regroup, replenish her strength, and strategize. Her near-defeat had been a painful reminder that the mortals had found a way to exploit her moments of weakness, and that was something she could not afford to ignore.

She reached the throne room where the Demon King was seating on the throne.

"You return in a state I have not seen before, Valeria," the Demon King said, his deep voice reverberating through the room. "I trust you have a good explanation."

Valeria fell to one knee, her head bowed. "My lord, the humans... they have grown far stronger than we anticipated."

"Is it the humans that killed Ursa?" The Demon King asked.

Valeria remained on one knee, her body trembling from both exhaustion and the anger that still burned inside her. "The same humans, yes."

The Demon King leaned forward slightly, his glowing eyes narrowing. "And you were almost killed by them, am I right?"

"No, my lord. They caught me off guard, but I escaped before they could deal a fatal blow."

The Demon King remained silent for a moment, his glowing eyes boring into her as if assessing the truth of her words. His towering figure exuded an air of dominance, and in this moment, Valeria felt more vulnerable than ever before. Not just from her wounds but from the piercing gaze of the Demon King himself.

"You, Valeria, one of my strongest generals, nearly brought to the brink by mere mortals?" His tone was cold, and the disappointment was unmistakable.

Valeria clenched her fists, her pride stinging with each word. "They have evolved, my lord. Their weapons... their tactics... are unlike anything we've faced before. I underestimated them, and I won't make that mistake again."

"It's normal for us demons to underestimate humans as it is a law that humans are weaker than demons. Looks like we have to focus on that group of humans huh?"

"My Lord, please give me one more chance, I will not fail."

"You will not fail..." the demon king said.