(Magical shells engraved with formulas, I see.)
I narrowed my eyes at the incoming projectiles, identifying their true nature in an instant.
They were marvels of engineering, designed to maintain a stable trajectory while being accelerated to extreme speeds. To make matters worse, they were imbued with a powerful holy attribute. They were remarkably advanced weapons.
It appeared the Empire was capable of deploying these in significant numbers. My spies had failed to mention them; their existence must have been suppressed with absolute secrecy. For my subordinates to have overlooked them, the Empire's internal information management must have been flawless.
As the shells closed in, I dissected their constituent magic formulas. In a heartbeat, I calculated their general effect and destructive potential. I had excelled at this even in my past life; the brief window before impact was more than enough time for me to reach a conclusion.
Typical defensive magic wouldn't hold; it would be shattered instantly. Furthermore, their velocity made them nearly impossible to evade for most. The design was meant to force the target into a defensive posture, only to punch straight through—a ruthless but efficient philosophy.
An ordinary mage would be dead before they even realized they were being targeted. The scorched wasteland below was a testament to Grom's struggle against this bombardment.
I could have simply teleported out of their path. I could have blocked them by increasing my magical output, but there was no need for such brute force. Instead, I decided to test the performance of these cannons.
The fact that the Empire held such a secret weapon was undeniable, and it stood to reason they might be hiding more. Learning their characteristics and vulnerabilities now could prove vital in the future.
(For now, I'll deal with this.)
The shells were almost upon me, mere moments from crushing my body.
I manifested my magic power in front of me, spinning it into hundreds of thousands of individual threads. I focused on giving them a high degree of elasticity, weaving the bundles into a shimmering mesh that I anchored in the path of the incoming volley.
An instant later, the shells plunged into the magical net.
The anchored net billowed outward, absorbing the raw momentum and impact of the projectiles. Sparks flew as the shells spun against the resistance at high velocity. Despite the violent creaking of the mana, the net held firm.
When the net reached the limit of its expansion, its tension snapped back, hurling the shells in the opposite direction. Spinning end-over-end, the projectiles streaked back toward the Imperial Capital.
They scattered across the outer wall, detonating in a series of violent explosions that brought sections of the fortifications crumbling down. In a stroke of irony, one of the cannons took a direct hit and erupted into flames. I saw screaming soldiers, wreathed in fire, tumbling from the wreckage.
It seemed those cannons required manual operators.
"Truly, as expected of the Demon King-sama! A magnificent counterattack!"
Grom's head popped up from a fissure in the earth, his voice filled with adoration. Being a skeleton, he was incapable of changing his expression, but his reverence was palpable. It was a somewhat pathetic sight for one of my executives, but I turned my attention back to the results of the exchange.
The cannons that had fired were now glowing red-hot and venting plumes of white smoke. Their magic formulas had failed, leaving their internal mana pools in disarray. Judging by their state, they weren't capable of rapid fire.
They likely compensated for that lack of speed through sheer numbers. The cannons that hadn't been part of the first volley remained silent and stationary. Their formulas were intact, meaning they were still capable of firing, but they were likely hesitating out of fear that their shots would be reflected as well. No doubt there was total chaos behind those walls right now.
The magical net I had used for the reflection was in tatters, its structure too unstable to use again. If I were hit with another volley of that magnitude, the net would surely break.
(Impressive power. I have to give them that.)
The Empire’s possession of such weaponry was an oversight. High-speed projectiles imbued with the holy attribute were clearly designed specifically to kill me. Even though I had successfully repelled them, the concept was sound.
Only a few months had elapsed since I had begun my reign as the Demon King. Had they truly developed these in such a short time? The performance felt too polished for a rush job.
Rapid-fire issues aside, those cannons were highly effective weapons of war. Should my army face these without executive intervention, they would be decimated before they even reached the walls. Such peerless weapons couldn't be mass-produced easily.
(Had they repurposed an existing magical artillery project specifically to kill a Demon King?)
Based on the available information, that seemed the most plausible conclusion. Historically, the Empire was a nation built on conquest. Given their past aggression against the Forest of the World Tree, their obsession with warfare was well-documented. It wouldn't be surprising if they had been developing these for years.
I intended to uncover the truth once I was inside the capital. If I raided their research facilities, I was bound to find documentation, perhaps even evidence of connections to other nations.
(...It might be too dangerous to send the army in just yet.)
I stared at the cannons, considering my options. If the Empire possessed other unknown weapons, charging in blindly despite our string of victories would result in significant casualties.
Conversely, using large-scale magic to simply erase the capital was out of the question. The loss of human life would be too extreme, and there would be nothing left to salvage. While it would demonstrate the Demon King's terror, it was a poor move for long-term stability.
I could not allow the Empire to be destroyed. My goal was to strategically cripple them, forcing them into alliances with other nations to oppose me. I was not seeking the world's end, after all.
Therefore, I would infiltrate the capital alone. The Demon King's Army would remain in the occupied territories to establish a new border and secure our gains. By seizing strategically and economically vital zones, I could ensure the Empire's decline was controlled and gradual.
And, of course, I would seize those cannons. They were fascinating pieces of technology that I wanted to bring back to the Royal Capital for study. They would be quite useful to us.
Having reached a decision, I gave Grom his orders.
"I will attack the Imperial Capital alone. You are to return and oversee the defense of the Royal Capital."
"Ha! As you wish! And what of the forces currently in the rear?"
"They are to stand by. Tell them to remain vigilant."
"Understood!"
Grom crawled out of the crack with brisk movements. Ejecting flames from the soles of his feet, he streaked into the sky and vanished toward the horizon.
I turned back to the Imperial Capital. It was eerily quiet; the army hadn't mobilized, and no further shells had been fired. They were likely observing me, perhaps planning to pivot to a siege defense now that their secret weapon had failed.
Sure enough, a series of multi-layered defensive barriers began to shimmer across the outer wall. The capital was locking itself down.
(If you intend to shut yourselves in, then allow me to proceed without hesitation.)
I circulated miasma and magic power throughout my body. I would have preferred to invade alongside my army, but the situation had shifted. I would prioritize the lives of my subordinates. It was a small price to pay for the safety of my forces.
Their inability to handle this wasn't due to weakness, but rather my own failure to accurately assess the battlefield. I would rectify that oversight here and now.
Keeping a close watch on the cannons, I activated my teleportation magic and vanished toward the heart of the Empire.