"The Ice Cavalry and the Demon's Touch."

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"Forget it, none of that matters!"

Even though Minato didn't answer, Esdeath didn't care."With your strength, you're finally worthy of seeing me go all out."

Buzz—

A low hum echoed through the air, and Esdeath's entire presence changed.

Dark clouds gathered across the sky, and the massive royal palace suddenly turned ice-cold.

"What… what is this?"

Najenda and the others were visibly shaken by the scene.

Even Akame and Leone, who had turned into demons, grew serious.

Esdeath had actually changed the weather by herself?

With everyone staring, Esdeath raised one hand. Her white military uniform fluttered as an invisible force burst from her body.

"Ice… Cavalry!"

Whoosh!

In the blink of an eye, the whole palace was engulfed in a white mist. The intense cold seemed like it could freeze everything.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

Thunder rumbled through the palace, sending dust flying everywhere.

And on the ground, countless ice soldiers — half-man, half-horse — stood in perfect formation.

Thousands of them marched forward like endless waves, each wave fiercer than the last.

Even outside the palace, the earth began to tremble.

From afar, the air itself seemed filled with killing intent, soaring straight into the sky — an overwhelming, unstoppable force.

"What… what the hell are those things?"

The palace guards stood frozen in shock.

Tens of thousands of troops… just appeared out of nowhere?

"This move was originally created for war. I've never used it before."

Esdeath was slightly out of breath, but her eyes sparkled brighter than ever."Come on — face my unrivaled army."

RUMBLE—

Tens of thousands of ice cavalry began charging forward in perfect sync, like an unstoppable tsunami.

And in that instant, they rushed straight at Minato with terrifying force.

The entire palace trembled, as if it were about to collapse.

The pressure coming from that charge was like a mountain crashing down on Minato.

"Master, look out!" ×2

"Lord Demon...!"

Akame and the other two girls' expressions changed instantly.

One person equals an army.

This wasn't just a metaphor anymore — it was real.

Was Esdeath even human?

Under the weight of tens of thousands of troops, Minato looked like a mere speck of dust.

"Impressive. In this world, I guess you really are a power beyond the system."

Minato stood calmly. He didn't take a stance, didn't prepare a spell — he simply raised his hand.

Buzz—

A blinding magic circle spread across the sky, and an overwhelming magical force rippled through the clouds.

And then—

The sky changed color.

Everyone stared in shock as bolts of lightning snaked wildly through the air, striking down from the magic circle like thunder serpents.

He hadn't gotten serious in a long time—

But now, Minato was finally taking this a little seriously.

BOOOOM! BOOOOM!

Gigantic mushroom clouds exploded within the palace.The blasts soared into the heavens.

Countless ice cavalry were instantly annihilated, crushed to shards and blown away like snow.

Smoke and dust filled the sky, blotting out the sun.

"…Maybe I went a little overboard?"

Minato grinned as he looked at the destruction.

Not like he had a choice.

There were way too many of those ice cavalry.

No way was he going to waste time taking them out one by one.

He was a man — real men clear the battlefield in one go.

From a distance, everyone hiding under the buildings just stared in horror.

Their minds were blank, like their brains had stopped working altogether.

Whoosh—

A breeze swept through, clearing away the dust and smoke.

Massive craters appeared all across the ground.

All of the ice cavalry… had vanished.

Crack.Crack.

At some point, an icy wall had formed around Esdeath, but now it was covered in cracks—And with a loud shatter, it broke apart completely.

She staggered a little but didn't fall — instead, she stumbled straight into a warm embrace.

Mmm. Smelled good.

She took a deep breath and looked up into those ruby-red eyes."You win," she said.

Her hands, smooth and cold like jade, gently touched Minato's face.

"So… what do I call you now? 'Master'?"

She gave a small, quiet smile.

"If you wanna start now, I won't stop you."

Minato pulled her into his arms and started walking toward another part of the palace.

"Well, you're definitely the domineering type…"

It was the first time a man had treated her like this.Esdeath's face turned red for a second, then she smirked.

This feeling… wasn't bad at all.

"So you're saying… you're actually a demon?"

Inside the palace, after hearing Minato's explanation, Esdeath's eyes narrowed.She glanced over at Akame and Leone beside her.

"And those two — you turned them into demons too?"

"That's right."

Minato nodded."And you'll become one of them soon enough."

Esdeath stared into his eyes and smiled charmingly."Oh? Now that sounds like something to look forward to."

A demon, huh?Interesting.

"You're not even surprised?"

Esdeath shook her head, calm and unbothered.

Sure, she was shocked to learn that demons from legends were real.

But she'd known since she was young — the weak submit to the strong.

And since she'd lost...

Demon?World-ending god of destruction?

She'd still follow him to the end.

And besides—

If she became a demon too…

She might get even stronger than before.

She'd seen it with her own eyes — the power her new master had just unleashed.

Her so-called "invincible" strength?

Meant nothing in front of him.

If anything, she was the one getting the better deal here.

With a flick of her hair, Esdeath spoke firmly:"Master, can we start now?"

Minato stared at her for a moment, then smiled."Knew you wouldn't disappoint."

"With that kind of resolve… then follow me for the rest of your life."

A soft smile played on Esdeath's lips."Of course, my master."

Minato raised his hand — a chess piece, shaped like a castle, floated into view.

"…"

Esdeath blinked.

A chess piece? For turning someone into a demon?

"This is a demon piece. Once I place it into your body, your transformation will be complete."

"I see…"

Esdeath nodded slowly… but then her expression got a little weird.

Wait a sec—Where exactly was he planning to put that thing?

She glanced at herself instinctively… and fell into deep thought.

"....."