A few days ago, Selner had come to this side and confirmed what many feared—Astaroth was still months away from full recovery. And she wasn't wrong. Austin could tell. The Demon Lord didn't carry the same terrifying weight his memory held.
Still, one thing was clear—he had awakened. His body, though not at its peak, was whole.
And he wasn't alone.
The Elven King, Zephyrr, had risen too. Together, they now stood as an unbreakable wall between Austin and the Succubus Queen.
Astaroth grinned, voice curling with amusement, "Your face tells me you regret walking into my trap. That's not like you, Hero."
Just his presence in the throne room had shifted the air. His body might be weaker, but his power still rivaled Zephyrr's.
Austin smirked back, though a bead of sweat ran down his temple. "Didn't think the great Dark Lord would stoop to tricks to catch me."
