Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil-Chapter 1966: Demon Army’s Counteroffensive

"…My… my liege," Sifrona muttered, her voice hoarse and broken.

She couldn't smile, but a strange relief flooded her chest.

And yet, right behind that relief was a worry.

Why did you come?

She had fought Shir. She had seen his strength with her own eyes. He wasn't just some arrogant and pampered demigod. No matter what kind of tricks he had used, the current Shir was easily stronger than four Demon Earls combined.

But that wasn't all. His Templars—those reserved for special use—were terrifying as well. They weren't ordinary soldiers. They were trained, battle-hardened monsters in their own right.

And then there was the altar.

Even though she didn't understand divinity too well, she knew something was about to go horribly wrong for Eren's demonic army.

Shir was constructing that altar in a hurry, pouring resources and accumulated faith energy into it nonstop. He wasn't just trying to win a battle—he was preparing a sacrifice. A grand ritual.

She had realized it too late.

The demigod of the Raashim Temple didn't want to fight Eren and his army head-on. He wanted to trap him here. Wipe him and his entire army out in one swoop using God Raashim's divine might.

Earlier, she had taunted Shir, saying Eren wouldn't come back. Not because she didn't believe in him—but because she thought she knew him.

Eren had the heart of a ruler. He wouldn't throw his life away just to save someone. That's what she believed. That's what gave her the strength to accept death.

But how could she know that Eren had other plans?

"…You shouldn't be here, my liege," she whispered again, coughing up more blood. Her body trembled as she reached up with her bloodied hand, gently grabbing Eren's collar.

"That altar… its construction is almost done. It's not just that demigod… there's something worse coming. He wants to kill all of us. You… you need to retreat… please…"

Her voice faded into silence. She didn't want him to die. Not like this. Not because of her.

Her head leaned against his chest as her body lost more strength. But even through her pain, she could feel it.

His heartbeat was steady. Strong. Unbothered.

Perhaps… She was thinking too much. Eren probably wasn't here for her. Not really. The Young Demon Emperor had already made up his mind over something else.

Sifrona again felt a heartache. This time, it was because she realized that Eren didn't prioritize her safety.

It was a strange feeling for her. She wanted Eren to leave the Labh Salem's seas without caring about anyone in the demon army a moment ago. But after knowing that he had come back, she wanted him to care for her.

***

At the same time…

Eren didn't know that he had turned Sifrona into his die-hard fan and worshipper. He pressed his lips together tightly as he looked down at Sifrona's broken form.

Her body was a mess—torn, bleeding, trembling with pain. Her breath was shallow, and her heartbeat was faint. Even though she tried to stay strong in front of him, he could tell… she was right on the edge of death.

Eren closed his eyes. His mind went quiet for a second. Then he activated a special mark, connecting to someone from his army.

In the next moment, a dark ripple spread beside him, and a tall, graceful figure stepped out of the shadows.

It was an Empusa.

She had Nina's face—gentle and beautiful—but her lower body was that of a long serpent, covered in smooth scales that shimmered like polished obsidian. Her eyes were calm, glowing faintly with a green hue.

"Heal her," Eren said casually.

The Empusa Nina didn't speak. She simply nodded and reached out with her arms.

Eren gently handed Sifrona's body to her.

If it had been anyone else… and if Sifrona's injuries were not caused by someone like Shir… he might have used his own Skills to heal her. After all, Eren could use powerful healing Skills himself that he had copied from Nina.

But this time, it wasn't so simple.

Shir was an S-Ranker—one whole Rank above him. And not just that, he was a demigod strengthened by divine faith. His mana was different. It stuck like poison and resisted being expelled.

If Eren tried to forcefully remove it, he might just make things worse.

Sifrona didn't have time for him to experiment with her. That's why he sought the help of a true healer.

This Empusa wasn't just some random creature. She had been created using Nina's soul essence, infused with the very abilities and powers that could make Nina one of the best healers in Labh Salem.

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Furthermore, Nina had recently become a Grandmaster, and this Empusa had inherited all of her upgraded healing powers and then some.

Without wasting another second, Empusa Nina laid Sifrona down on the broken stone slab near the pillar.

With a flick of her fingers, a bright, glowing magic circle formed above Empusa's head. It spun slowly, radiating green and gold light. This was Nina's signature healing Ability– Instant Reset!

In the next moment, blue smoke started rising from Sifrona's wounds.

Shir's foreign mana… was being pulled out of her body, forcefully extracted by the Empusa's healing spell. It hissed in the air before vanishing into nothing.

Then came the real miracle.

Sifrona's skin began to heal at an incredible speed. The holes in her shoulder and thigh closed up. The blood stopped pouring. Her breathing steadied. Her energy returned like a wave flooding back to the shore.

Even her severed arm—which had been hanging by a few tendons—was regrown within seconds, fresh and unharmed. It was unbelievable.

Eren watched silently, arms crossed, his expression unreadable. He knew that if he had come even ten seconds later, Sifrona might have died.

But now… Now she was whole again.

It took less than twenty seconds for the Empusa to completely heal her. And when it was done, Sifrona sat up slowly, blinking in confusion as she looked at her own hands, then her arms.

Her clothes were torn. Her body was stained with dried blood. But other than that… she felt full of energy. Her life force was strong again.

She looked up at Eren, her lips parting in disbelief.

"My liege…"

Eren looked at her and gave her a small smile. He then turned back toward the battlefield.

"Get ready," he said.

"Things are about to get pretty wild here. Our demon army will start the counteroffensive."

There was still a bit of a play scene needed before the main act.

===

AN: Eren meets with Nina inside Dreamscape in chapter 1901. He creates an Empusa from her soul essence in chapter 1906.