The Red Hand

"So, our little Demoness turned down my generous offer after all?" Akagi said as she took a sip of wine from a glass while sitting on a raised tatami mat. She'd had the ninja turn one of the rooms in the base into an audience hall and it was decorated much like the one she used at the estate, complete with incense that was constantly burning, albeit with black flames stead of orange ones. "Though that was to be expected. I would've honestly been surprised if she did submit to my demands." She chuckled.

{If anyone actually submits to me right off the bat, THAT would be a bigger shock, to be honest.} (Akagi)

"From what our intelligence gathering has ascertained, it seems that a large number of Demon troops are encamped outside of Targul at the moment." Nima explained as she sat before her master. "Reports from our agents within the Demon Kingdom state that these forces were going to be used as part of a punitive expedition to eradicate the Cult of Vikes, and I suspect that those forces may be turned toward us instead as a result of our encounter in the Palace."

"Hmpf." Akagi scoffed as she took another sip. "If those fools send an army against us, then all we need to do is crush it." She smirked, knowing that if they took the bait it would play perfectly into her plan. "Perhaps that will send a message to the rest of Enoris? Though whatever the case, we should be prepared for anything comes our way, be it mortal or divine. What do we know of the troop quality and makeup? I doubt they're any real threat but its good to be informed."

"Nemino's team has reported that there are approximately eighty thousand troops around the Capital, and the Copy Slime that has taken the place of Count Boze has confirmed that at least twenty thousand more are currently on the way. It seems that the Princess Regent was waiting for the different Noble houses to assemble their provincial armies before launching this attack." She continued. “They seem to be a collection of mostly infantry and collection of cavalry, both land beast based and flying. Nemino observed some kind of wyvern-based aerial force being brought in recently, though it appears there are only a few dozen of them.”

"That's quite a decent number of troops, especially in a world like this." Akagi knew from history that assembling such a large number of forces was never cheap or easy, and it was likely that the Demon Kingdom wouldn't want to keep them active for long, lest it take a massive economic hit.

{Soldiers tend to always cause problems for the local area, even ones that are professionals. Murder, theft, and general criminality tend to follow large formations of military units, and I'd imagine that Demons are no different than Humans in that regard.} (Akagi)

"How long until those provincial forces arrive?" Akagi asked as she took out her Kiseru and lit it. “Do we have an estimate?”

"At their current speed, we believe that they will arrive at Targul within a week, maybe two if weather delays them." Nima said as she looked at her data pad. "After that, it would only take three or four days to march here, though we expect them to take some time to reorganize before beginning their march so I'd put any such battle at between two weeks to a month from now." She figured that was Akagi's next question.

"Good. Then we've got plenty of time to assemble all the pieces and make all necessary preparations for war." Akagi laughed as she took a puff.

{Though calling it a war may be giving the Demons too much credit. Any battle will end up as a slaughter. If they're truly foolish enough to march on my then I have no qualms about drenching the ground in their blood, thems the rules after all.} (Akagi)

"Shall I recall the other ninja and prepare a defense?" Nima asked if she should bring everyone home to take part in the coming battle.

"Go ahead and bring them back gradually, but keep our surveillance capabilities at a minimum level until just before their arrival." Akagi grinned. "They'll take part in the fight but I'd like to use such an opportunity to allow Silfana to prove her worth, and I'd imagine that Imp would love the chance to have them test out some of their new toys. I know Alice has been working on upgrading her soldiers, but we'll save those for what comes next." The Puppeteer had been working with Imperial to improve upon the soldiers that she'd made for Libra, and the results were looking promising. They were still mindless, but their offensive capabilities had been augmented substantially, making them formidable opponents. "Send a message back home and see how many Alice and Imperial have made. By now, it's probably in the thousands, so it should be a good enough sample size for any testing purposes. I want them ready for some post battle actions I have planned, and as for the coming battle with the Demons... Lets have the ninja handle most of the mundane forces while Silfana deals with their leadership and any special units they may have."

{We could even turn it into a competition of sorts! See who stacks the bodies the highest!} (Akagi)

"I shall speak with both of them myself and get the additional forces inventoried and ready for deployment on your order." Nima nodded before flicking her finger across the data pad. "That then brings me to the next item on our agenda."

"The punishment of Amdamell, right?" Akagi said lazily, not particularly interested in the finer details of that operation. "Allow Black Company to do as they see fit, but impress upon them the need for restraint. I don't want the Capital destroyed and raised to the ground. The purpose of the attack is to instill fear and chaos, not commit a massacre."

{At least, not yet.} (Akagi)

"And the matter of succession?" Nima wanted to know what instructions she should give Black Company regarding Amdamell's Royal Family. “Shall we leave them alive or put a more pliable person in charge?”

"Remove the King and Prince from the equation." Akagi causally gave the order for Regicide. "They had the chance to give in to our demands and failed to do so despite that Princess' constant nagging, and thus, they have forfeited their lives."

"As you command, so it shall be." Nima bowed. "I will ensure that the people of this world regret their foolish devotion to the Gods and rue the day they opposed your will, My Lord."

"I have no doubt that you will, Nima." Akagi's use of the cat's name sent an electric jolt through her body. “You have my complete confidence.”

{ANYTHING FOR YOU, MY LORD! WE SHALL SMITE ALL WHO OPPOSE YOU!} (Nima)

After finishing her discussion with Nima, Akagi traveled to another one of the pre-fabricated metal buildings that was being used as a prison, where the voice of a man yelling could be heard from the outside.

"How dare you do something like this to a Noble of the Demon Kingdom?!?" The real Count Boze protested his and his family's incarceration. He'd been partially shackled within the cell alongside his wife and daughter and anti magic runes had been carved into the cell to block any attempt at magical escape. "I can assure you that you've made a terrible mistake and it's only a matter of time before you're brought to justice! The other Nobles won't stand for this!"

"Yeah, yeah..." Nemino and Shimari were currently on guard duty, mostly as a way to give them a break from field ops. "You've said that whole schpeal like ten times already, and I can assure you that the eleventh isn't going to make it any more true." He said as he flipped through a magazine. “So just shut up and keep quiet, lest I rip out your throat to end your chirping.”

“Why you stupid-” Count Boze was interrupted by his wife.

"Please, just let our daughter go! Sophie has nothing to do with this!" The Count's wife, Margareta, pleaded. The three had been locked up since their bodies were copied by the Copy Slime, and they'd only recently awakened due to the exhaustive toll the slime put on them.

"Mama..." Sophie gripped onto her Mother's skirt. The three of them were wearing magic sealing cuffs, and since they weren't very physically strong they were placed behind simple steel bars. “I want to go home...”

"While I take no pleasure in harming children, I'm also not so soft-hearted that I allow them to skate." Akagi's voice caused Nemino to snap to attention and bow. “Tis a practical policy decision, I'm afraid. One born of cold hard pragmatism.”

{Not to mention that I always find it detestable when people beg for their child's life when they wouldn't even give a second thought to such a request if the shoe was on the other foot.} (Akagi)

“My Lord!” Nemino jumped to his feat and saluted the Demon.

"Go back to relaxing. You know I don't care about all that formality in a setting like this." Akagi sighed.

"Of course..." Nemino said as he sat back down, slowly.

"And hello, Shimari." Akagi smiled as she waved at the puppy girl, who was clearly trying to make herself small. "Good job helping your boyfriend out on his missions. I can give you ear scratches if you want. It tends to be the beastkin's favorite reward, and I know from first hand experience how happy ear pets can make you."

"N-No, I'm good..." Shimari gave a wry smile. Akagi had known all along that she was here and didn't really care as long as she didn't cause any issues. “But thanks...”

"Those eyes..." Count Boze glared at Akagi. "I'd know those disgusting things well. You're a Demon!"

"I didn't know we'd captured Captain Obvious?!?" Akagi laughed at her own joke. "Though all kidding aside I suppose that I shouldn't be surprised that a member of your race knows what a proper Demon looks like, though." Demons and members of the Demon race were blood-connected, though when and how they split off was unknown. Most members of the Demon race knew Demons personally and many had close relations with them.

"Why are you doing this?" Boze asked, disgusted. "You should know that Demons taking such direct actions in the material world is generally not allowed! The Dukes will take notice of your actions, and they are most certainly more terrifying than the Gods when angered." He figured that Akagi was merely a rogue Demon trying to garner power, something that had occurred before and usually resulted in the offending Demon being done away with.

"I'm not really concerned about what those lesser Demons want." Akagi waved him off. "If they try anything, then I'll crush them like the Gods."

{If need be I'll march into whatever fiery hell they call home and plant my ass firmly on the biggest throne they have.} (Akagi)

"Fool. That you say such nonsensical things proves that you are nothing more than an idiot." Boze scoffed. "You will be crushed like so many other rogues before you, and it will all be due to your own hubris."

"Oh, is that so?" Akagi shifted her jaw before turning to Nemino. "Nemino, bring out the art piece." At her command, he entered a nearby cell and pulled the petrified form of the half-naga out, placing it next to Akagi.

"Erina!" Sophie exclaimed, worried about the petrified girl. “She's...”

"Is she a friend of yours?" Akagi commented. "No, that can't be. From what I was told this girl was just another slave for you to torment and abuse." From what she was told by the Copy Boze, the family enjoyed using the half-naga's petrifying gaze on people that irritated them, and they decorated their garden with many such statutes.

"Ummm..." Shimari wanted to interrupt, but was hesitant.

"Go ahead." Akagi motioned for her to speak.

"Can you fix her? I just kinda reflected her petrification back at her as a reflex..." Shimari felt bad since the half-naga was forced to do the Count's bidding due to her slave collar.

"Yeah actually, that's an easy fix." Akagi reached into her inventory and took out a purple potion. “One of these will set things right.”

"Oh... Will a petricure actually work?" Shimari felt stupid that she hadn't thought of using one herself since she figured it wouldn't be of use in the real world.

{That... That would make too much sense...} (Shimari)

"Probably." Akagi shrugged. "I've never tested it, but if it worked in game, it should work IRL."

"W-What are you planning to do with her?" Boze asked, sweat dripping down his forehead.

"Hmmm, well, I've got a Spirit who can turn people to stone with just her gaze and three Demons who forced her to use it on innocent people." Akagi smirked. "So you tell me what I plan on doing."

"No!" Margareta screamed, seeing the writing on the wall. "Please, don't hurt Sophie! Punish us but leave her alone!"

"Mama, I'm scared." The young Sophie was only around tenish years old, but she was well aware of what happened to those Erina looked at.

{I don't want to be turned to stone! Erina was always nice to me!} (Sophie)

"Perhaps I should have her turn the Count and Countess to stone before having your daughter happily smash you to pieces." Akagi laughed sadistically. “After that she can sweep up your pieces and throw you into the sea!”

"Akagi, that's-" Shimari froze as Akagi glared at her. The message from the Demon was clear; keep your mouth shut.

"N-No..." Boze backed up, tripping over his own two feet. "You... You wouldn't! You can't!"

"Ohhhhh trust me, I both can and will." Akagi replied curtly. "And I shall." She laughed demonically as she poured the petricure onto the statutified Erina. "Wakey-wakey widdle snakey, it's time for revenge." As the liquid dripped down the petrified half-naga, it began to shiver and shake before cracks began to appear on the surface of her petrified body.

*CRACK* *CRUMBLE*

"Oh, and the best part about all this, well best depending on your perspective on the matter, is that petrified people are aware of their surroundings when turned to stone." Akagi gave a sadistic smile as a chunk of stone fell off Erina's face, allowing her right eye to open and glare at the family. "Now, what do you say we have a little fun?"