Idle Mage: Humanity's Strongest Backer-Chapter 341 Gathering Intel
'So they sent two this time...'
Ashton's body was surrounded by a pulsating aura of magical energy as he prepared to face off against the two Demon Kings. Their eyes glowed with the dark power of the Ancient Sin, a force that made them nearly invincible in combat in exchange for their sanity and reason.
The first Demon King charged towards Ashton, his claws extended and ready to tear into the Archfey's flesh. Ashton, however, was prepared. With a flick of his wrist, he sent a wave of pure magical force crashing into the Demon King, knocking him back several feet and leaving him disoriented.
The second Demon King took advantage of the distraction and lunged at Ashton from behind. Ashton spun around just in time to dodge the attack and retaliated with a burst of flame that engulfed the Demon King in a raging inferno. But the Demon King was not defeated so easily. With a roar, he broke free from the flames and charged at Ashton once again.
Ashton quickly summoned a shield of magical energy to protect himself, and the Demon King slammed into it with all his might. The shield held on, and Ashton could feel its claws trying so hard to dig a hole into his barrier. Sadly, the demon was bound to fail since even this simple barrier he casted was way above what they could handle.
With a flick of his wrist, Ashton summoned a vortex of magical energy that swept the two Demon Kings off their feet and into the air. They struggled to regain their balance, but Ashton was already upon them. He struck them with a barrage of lightning-fast punches and kicks, each one infused with pure magical energy. The Demon Kings fought back with all their might, but they were no match for Ashton's skill and power.
Finally, with a burst of pure magical force, Ashton sent both Demon Kings flying backward, their bodies slamming into the ground with a deafening crash. They lay there, motionless and defeated, as Ashton stood over them, his body still pulsating with magical energy.
Panting heavily, Ashton knew that this was just the beginning. The Ancient Demons would not take kindly to their minions being defeated, and he would have to be ready for whatever they threw at him next. But for now, he took a moment to catch his breath and prepare himself for the battles yet to come.
...or at least, that's what he wanted them to think.
He's not really tired. Not even exhausted to be completely honest. A tiny bit worn out, yes. But that's due to him detaching another piece of the Netherworld before fighting those two.
With each passing day, Ashton's power grows. He made it look like he struggled against two demon kings but in reality, he could've ended that battle before it even started.
Ashton still has a lot on his sleeves that he hasn't taken out yet. He hadn't even displayed a quarter of his arsenal of magic to the Demons who were certainly watching him from a distance.
He's keeping them as a surprise, for now at least.
Before the Demons completely fade away, Ashton decided to harvest their souls, cleanse them of their lingering demonic corruption and integrate their memories with his so that he can have a glimpse of what the Demon Council was trying to do.
His actions looked like he was purifying their remains though, but that's intentional since he didn't want them to know that he was gathering intel against them in this way.
After sorting the memories he received from the fallen Demon Kings, Ashton somewhat understood where they received this empowerment...
The Demon Council knew that Ashton was a formidable opponent, and they were growing increasingly concerned about his efforts to stop their plans for world domination. They had tried everything to defeat him, but he always seemed to be one step ahead.
After all, he could just come and go as he pleases in the Netherworld. Them, on the other hand, couldn't. What's worse is that Ashton's just making it even more difficult for them since he's detaching the Netherworld from Elstar piece by piece.
That's when they turned to the Ancient Sin, a power bestowed upon them by the Ancient Demons themselves. They knew that using this power would come at a great cost, but they were desperate. They believed that if they could just eliminate Ashton, then they could finally achieve their goal of conquering the world of fey.
The two Demon Kings chosen to face Ashton were among the strongest and most skilled warriors in their ranks. They were also the only ones brave enough to take on the Archfey, knowing that they might not come out of the fight alive.
Well, so much for that really. If they call those two their most skilled warriors, then they are doomed since Ashton defeated them one-sidedly. But again, they don't need to know just how absurdly powerful Ashton is currently since he likes to keep as many trump cards as he could.
After he caused a show, Ashton decided to come back to Elstar...
Ashton had been through a lot recently. His battles in the Netherworld had left him drained and exhausted but differently, and he knew that he needed time to rest and recover. So he took a few days to rest. Not just because he wanted to but also to make his enemies think that they have a chance.
Doing this will make them think that what they're doing was effective, which would urge them to stick to their plans which are completely predictable to Ashton. This also works as a distraction that keeps their attention on him and not what he's doing, which seems to be working quite well if you ask.
Once he felt well enough, Ashton decided to meditate and visit the realm where the El-Tree existed. The El-Tree was this world's World Tree, the origin of magical energies and the pinnacle of Nature's Miracle. It was an ancient tree that held immense power, and Ashton knew that it was important to keep it safe and healthy.
As he entered the realm where the El-Tree existed, Ashton could sense the damage that had been done to it. Due to the existence of the Netherworld, the tree's appearance was wretched, twisted, and gnarled, its once-beautiful branches and leaves withered and dying.
But Ashton had a plan. He had worked tirelessly to remove the influence of the Netherworld from the world of Elstar, and he knew that his efforts would have a positive impact on the El-Tree as well.
With a deep breath, Ashton focused his mind and began to channel his magical energies into the tree. He could feel the power of the tree responding to his magic, and he poured everything he had into healing the tree's damaged branches and leaves.
This won't really do much but he liked doing it anyway.
Slowly but surely, the El-Tree began to show signs of improvement. Its branches straightened, its leaves began to regrow, and its once-withered trunk began to fill with life once again. Ashton could sense the power of the tree growing stronger with each passing moment, and he knew that he had done the right thing but it was still far from enough.
The only way for the El-star to recover was the disappearance of the Demons and the Netherworld.
He knew that the World Tree in the Netherworld was a sinister version of the El-Tree, one that was being used by the demons to sap the longevity and providence of Elstar.
Ashton's goal was to cut down the Netherworld's World Tree, but he knew that it was not yet possible. The influence of the Netherworld over Elstar was still too strong, and he knew that he needed to detach more pieces of the Netherworld before he could take on the NeTherworld Tree.
He opened his eyes and took a deep breath, surveying the realm around him. He could sense the dark energies of the Netherworld encroaching upon the realm of the El-Tree, like tendrils of smoke creeping their way toward him.
Ashton knew that he needed to act fast. He closed his eyes again and began to channel his magic, focusing on creating a barrier around the realm of the El-Tree to keep the influence of the Netherworld at bay.
Still, so long as the connection between this world and the Netherworld remains, this thing will always be in danger.
With a powerful surge of magic, Ashton's barrier sprang up around the realm of the El-Tree. He could feel the energies of the Netherworld bouncing off his barrier, unable to penetrate it.
Ashton opened his eyes and smiled, satisfied with his work. He knew that the barrier would not last forever, but it would buy him some time to detach more pieces of the Netherworld and weaken its hold on Elstar.
As he stood up and prepared to leave, Ashton knew that he had a long road ahead of him. But he was determined to cut down the Netherworld's World Tree and put an end to the demons' plans once and for all. And with the power of the El-Tree at his side, he knew that he had a fighting chance.
