Reincarnated with a Military System in Another World

Chapter 216: The Demon Lord First's Attack

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The sky over the Kingdom of Eldoria was painted with the warm hues of twilight. The sun dipped toward the horizon, casting long shadows over the serene landscape of rolling hills and peaceful villages. At the heart of this tranquil scene stood Eldoria's majestic castle, its spires reaching for the heavens, a symbol of prosperity and peace. Inside its high walls, the people carried on with their evening routines, blissfully unaware of the terror that was about to descend upon them.

High above the kingdom, a dark cloud began to gather, swirling ominously. The air turned cold, the sky darkening unnaturally fast as if the sun itself had been swallowed by a sudden eclipse. The distant sound of wings beating against the air could be heard, a low, rhythmic thrum that sent flocks of birds scattering in panic.

The Demon Lord had arrived.

Clad in his obsidian armor, the Demon Lord soared over Eldoria, his crimson eyes locked onto the castle below. The once-great fortress, now a mere plaything beneath him, stood no chance. With a cruel grin twisting his lips, he raised his jagged sword toward the sky, channeling a surge of dark energy. The air crackled with power, the very ground trembling beneath his might.

"Let this kingdom be the first to fall," he declared, his voice booming like thunder across the land. With a swift motion, he brought his sword down, unleashing a torrent of dark magic that erupted from the sky, slamming into the castle walls with devastating force. Stone shattered, towers crumbled, and the once-proud structure was reduced to rubble within moments.

Inside the castle, chaos erupted. Soldiers scrambled to defend their home, drawing their swords and readying their arrows. But it was all in vain. The Demon Lord descended upon them like a storm, his sword cleaving through ranks of knights as if they were paper. Each swing of his massive blade sent soldiers flying, their screams cut short by the crushing impact.

Princess Elinalese, the daughter of Duke Claes stood in the castle's great hall, her emerald eyes wide with horror as she watched the destruction unfold. The guards around her tried to form a defensive line, but they were no match for the overwhelming force bearing down on them. One by one, they were cut down, their weapons shattering against the Demon Lord's impenetrable armor.

"Your Highness, we must flee!" cried her handmaiden, tugging desperately at her arm. But Elinalese couldn't move; her legs felt like they were made of lead. The sight of her people being slaughtered, the proud kingdom she called home reduced to ruins, paralyzed her with fear.

The great hall's doors burst open with a deafening crash, revealing the Demon Lord's towering form. He stepped forward, his presence alone enough to make the remaining soldiers drop their weapons in despair. With a wave of his hand, dark tendrils of energy shot out, binding the guards and throwing them aside like discarded dolls.

Elinalese turned to run, her heart pounding in her chest, but she barely made it a few steps before the Demon Lord's voice echoed through the hall.

"You will not escape me, little princess," he growled, his voice dripping with malice.

A dark tendril wrapped around her waist, lifting her off the ground and pulling her toward him. She struggled, kicking and clawing, but it was like fighting against iron chains. The Demon Lord's red eyes gleamed with cruel amusement as he watched her futile attempts to break free.

"Tell me," he said, his voice a menacing whisper that sent chills down her spine. "Where are the humans who think they can challenge me? Where are their so-called weapons that destroyed my forces?"

Elinalese's eyes were wide with terror, her breath coming in ragged gasps. "I... I don't know what you're talking about!" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks.

The Demon Lord's expression darkened. "Lies," he hissed. "Your kingdom was the first to make contact with those who dared to strike against me. "I can see it in your mind, you were rescued by them when you were caught by the bandits."

"We-we never had contact ever since!"

The Demon Lord's eyes blazed with fury as he listened to the trembling princess's words. He tightened the tendril of dark energy wrapped around Elinalese's waist, lifting her higher into the air until her feet dangled helplessly above the ground. She gasped, tears spilling from her eyes as the pressure around her ribs made it harder to breathe.

"You think I am a fool?" the Demon Lord snarled, his voice filled with venom. "Do not lie to me, girl. I know you have knowledge of the humans and their infernal weapons. Your mind is an open book to me. I can sense the fear you harbor for them... the fear of their power."

Elinalese's eyes widened further, her breaths coming in shallow, panicked gasps. "Please, I don't know anything!" she pleaded, her voice cracking under the weight of her terror. "They saved me once, yes, but I haven't seen them since! I swear!"

The Demon Lord studied her face, his crimson gaze piercing through her soul. For a moment, there was only the sound of her ragged breathing and the faint crackle of energy around them. Then, with a sudden flick of his wrist, he tossed her to the ground like a discarded doll. Elinalese hit the cold stone floor with a cry of pain, her body trembling as she struggled to push herself up.

"You are either a liar or a fool," he growled, towering over her fallen form. "But it matters not. You will serve my purpose, one way or another."

Before she could react, he reached down and grabbed her by the arm, lifting her effortlessly into the air. His grip was like iron, his claws digging into her flesh just enough to draw a wince of pain. He leaned in close, his breath hot against her ear as he whispered, "If the humans care for your life, they will come. And when they do, I will crush them."

With that, he turned and strode out of the great hall, dragging Elinalese behind him. The remnants of the castle guards, those who were still clinging to life, could only watch in silent horror as their princess was taken. The few who dared to move were quickly silenced by a sweep of the Demon Lord's dark energy, their bodies collapsing in lifeless heaps. Outside, the once-beautiful landscape of Eldoria was now a wasteland of fire and smoke. The townspeople, who had watched in horror as their castle was reduced to rubble, were now fleeing in all directions, their screams echoing through the night. But none dared approach the Demon Lord as he made his way toward the edge of the kingdom, his captive in tow.

The sky above them was a swirling mass of dark clouds, punctuated by flashes of lightning that seemed to respond to the Demon Lord's fury. As he reached the outskirts of the city, he stopped, turning his gaze toward the distant mountains. There, in the direction of the human territories, lay his next target.

He raised his sword high above his head, channeling his dark energy into it. The ground beneath him trembled, and a wave of power surged outward, creating a dark beacon that shot into the sky like a twisted flare. It was a message, one that the humans would not miss.

"I will give them a reason to come," he muttered to himself, his voice a low growl. "I will make them watch as I tear their precious savior apart."

Elinalese, her body weakened from the Demon Lord's brutal handling, could only watch in despair as the beacon of darkness illuminated the sky. Her mind raced with thoughts of her people, her family, and the humans who had once saved her. Would they risk everything to come for her now? Or would they leave her to her fate?

"Your cries for help are pointless," the Demon Lord said, glancing down at her with a cruel smirk. "No one will save you. And when those humans arrive, they will see the cost of their

defiance."

With a single, powerful leap, the Demon Lord launched himself into the sky, carrying Elinalese with him. The wind whipped around them as he soared above the charred remains of Eldoria, the once-prosperous kingdom now reduced to ashes in his wake.