"Better safe than sorry when dealing with minions of the Demon Lord. "
"We don't know what level of creature we might encounter. We have to give it our all. Besides, the Archbishop also recommended this course of action, so I'm just following orders."
"If that old man says so, then should we mobilize the army?"
"There's no need for that. If the battle reaches such a level, others won't be able to intervene anyway. Bringing an army would only burden us. Also, only a few higher-ups in our church are aware of the appearance of the Demon Lord's minion. We're not planning to make this public to avoid panic. So, forget about mobilizing troops."
"Fair enough. We'll take care of it quietly. But Winter Forest is massive; how will you find the minion? The forest itself has a natural interference field, making it hard to expand our sensing area."
"Don't worry about that. Archbishop gave me an item once used by the Demon Lord. It can reportedly resonate with the nearby Shadows energy. With this, we should be able to locate the minion quickly."
Saying this, Anze slowly took out a gemstone from his spatial ring, emanating a faint golden glow.
Membeli had no reason to doubt the words of his old comrade-in-arms.
"So, when do we leave?"
"No time to waste; we leave now."
"Alright then, let's save the world one more time!"
---
In Membeli's heart, the safety of the continent was of the utmost importance. When Anze proposed to eliminate this significant threat of the Demon Lord's minion, King Membeli immediately agreed to set out. After meeting with the Supreme Heretia of the Fata Magic Tower, the three guardians of the present-day continent fully geared up and headed for Winter Forest.
---
And then,
In this extremely cold northern land, the Dragon King encountered an unforgettable dark figure…
And,
A swarm of bloody-red butterflies that looked like they were messengers of death.
It goes without saying,
The golden gemstone Anze brought had a remarkable effect. Relying on Membeli and the other two unparalleled experts keen perception, along with the gemstone's inherent ability to resonate with the Shadow energy, they quickly located the point in the vast Winter Forest where the concentration of the Shadow energy was at its peak.
That was precisely the location of the demonic deity's follower.
After confirming the enemy's coordinates,
Dragon King and his two companions unleashed their boundless and immense power. Previously, due to the sheer strength within them, they would never dare to use their power indiscriminately within their respective territories. But it was different now; in the lifeless Winter Forest, unleashing their power wouldn't cause any significant destruction.
Accompanied by a towering aura, the three unparalleled experts abruptly entered the icy plains of the northern part of the Winter Forest.
And there,
On that vast icy plain, they found the target of their journey.
However,
Upon seeing the Minion of Demon LORD, the trio were momentarily stunned, not knowing what to do. Even Membeli, the largest of the three and the Dragon King, narrowed his dragon pupils in surprise; his light golden eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief...
'What'
'What?'
"She is... the minion of Demon Lord?!"
Even Membeli, who has seen it all and carries the title of Guardian of the Continental Order, couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment at this moment.
The reason for such shock,
Was because the appearance of this minion was vastly different from what he had imagined.
Rather than the grotesque monster with sharp fangs and claws, and a nauseating visage as Membeli had imagined,
Reflected in his draconic eyes was a breathtakingly beautiful young girl with black hair.
…
At this moment,
That black figure was quietly sitting at the edge of an ice cliff.
The young girl had enviable, satin-like long black hair, with the tips as red as blood. Her flowing hair added a bewitching allure to her demeanor.
Her eyes were captivating, her nose delicate, her skin as white as snow, and her red lips were like a lone plum blossom in the snow, exuding a sultry arrogance. Her ruby-like, clear and bright eyes seemed to possess a soul-stirring magic...
Her slender and graceful figure, her soft arms like lotus roots, her beautiful and round legs, her finely sculpted calves, all adorned with delicate and smooth skin, she truly was a sight to behold. Her fairy-like face, along with such a perfect figure, was truly like a goddess descending to earth.
Even though she was wrapped in a crudely made animal skin coat, it could not hide the beauty that tugged at one's heartstrings.
Even Membeli, who had seen countless beauties, couldn't help but show a stupefied expression.
"Who...who is she? Why is she here?"
Membeli couldn't help but mutter.
Although the appearance of such a striking, goddess-like woman in the lifeless icy plains raised many questions, Membeli felt a hint of self-doubt beginning to sprout in his heart.
'Did we get the wrong enemy?'
'Is this girl really the demonic deity's subordinate, the kind of monster we imagined?'
'Shouldn't a minion of a Demon Lord be a brutish, menacing creature? How could it be such a beautiful young girl?'
Such thoughts involuntarily sprang up in Membeli's mind.
However,
As seasoned warriors who have weathered countless storms, Membeli and his two companions quickly came back to their senses and dismissed the thoughts they had just entertained.
"No, no, something is definitely off about this girl!"
After sensing the aura surrounding the black-haired young girl, Membeli's dragon pupils suddenly contracted.
The previous doubt in his eyes vanished in an instant, replaced by an indescribable sense of gravitas and a look of someone facing a formidable adversary.
Because,
The girl's stifling aura was indeed the legendary Shadow Force...
This girl was the source of that Shadow Force, the cause behind the atmospheric anomaly in the Winter Forest.
"So this girl is truly the Demon Lord's minion?"
If so,
'Are we to eliminate her?'
Though Membeli disliked the idea of destroying something so beautiful, he would show no mercy for the sake of World peace, given his role as a guardian.