Conquest of Dahaluk Kingdom 2

“They look like they’re ready,” Arjuna said, keeping his guard up as he stared at the demons surrounding the Dahaluk gate.
“Just as I thought… someone must be meddling with them,” Pusmoko said, his eyes narrowing as he peered deep into the gate.
“No time to think,” Dion raised his right hand.
A magic circle formed above his head — circular in shape, with triangles and smaller overlapping circles, glowing in a vivid rose-red light.“Hyperspeed auto targeting lance,” Dion chanted.
An orange spear, the color of copper, appeared from thin air and shot toward the demons.
“Hey, don’t be like that! First it was Pati Wuruh, and now you! When are we going to get our turn?” one of the Aryapanggulu royal soldiers complained.
“Well, first come, first served. Besides, this is battle,” Dion replied.
“Alright, let’s get down! If we stay on the Gavian’s back, we’ll never get our turn!” another Aryapanggulu soldier shouted.
Before the spear struck one of the demons near the gate, the Aryapanggulu soldiers leapt down from the Gavians’ backs.They didn’t want the spear to land on the demons — not even on a single one.
“Charge!” one soldier roared.
“They’re really fired up,” Sudirja said, surprised as he watched his troops.
“Yeah, that’s just how they are,” Arga replied curtly.
“We should get down too! Don’t tremble even if our enemies are aided by the dark foes of our past!” one of the Tirtawijaya royal soldiers shouted.
“Hah, my men are catching their enthusiasm. Well… it’s good, sure, but if they regret their decision later, then what?” King Samhari sighed.
Not wanting his soldiers to suffer regret afterward, King Samhari intended to help them — though he wouldn’t jump in without preparation.
He raised his right hand.
A magic circle formed above his head — circular, patterned with a rose, glowing beautifully in a deep lapis lazuli blue.“Kan ayom roso kerso asmo rupo,” he chanted.
His clothes transformed — armor emerged, covering his body. It looked majestic and elegant in gold, with a lion’s head crest in the center of the chest.
“Even if it’s made from shadow particles produced by manneon, that armor’s still made of gold, right?” Sudirja asked.
“Yup,” King Samhari replied.
“Good thing we’re not in the Termodeflad mist forest,” Sudirja muttered.
The king puzzled — why did Sudirja say that? Still not understanding, he looked down at his armor… but he was none the wiser.
Trying to recall, he focused on one word in his mind, searching for the connection between Termodeflad and gold. After a split second of thought, he got it.“Ah, right,” king Samhari said. “You— making me think like that… I almost forgot to help my soldiers because of you.”
King Samhari leapt down from the Gavian’s back and ran toward his soldiers to aid them.
“Your Majesty, you’d better stay on the Gavian’s back, so you remain safe,” one of his soldiers suggested.
“Better I help than watch you regret it,” the king Samhari replied.
The Jagrapati demons were also thinking of joining in — wanting to help so that Dahaluk’s conquest would end quickly.
“Looks like we’ll help too,” Pusmoko murmured.
“Yes, I’m thinking the same,” Pati Wuruh added.
“You want to help too?” a Gavian soldier asked.
“That’s right,” Puspo Geni nodded.
“No, no need! You’re too strong!” an Aryapanggulu soldier shouted.
“We won’t do what Pati Wuruh did earlier!” Pusmoko shot back.
“…Alright then,” the soldier replied with a resigned sigh.
They rushed toward the demons, swords clashing against their tough bodies.
The truth was, the bodies of Dahaluk’s demons weren’t as hard as the Jagrapati demons.
Even so, their swords still couldn’t cut or injure them.
Retreat never crossed the Aryapanggulu soldiers’ minds. They had only one thought: conquer Dahaluk, no matter the cost.
The Tirtawijaya soldiers’ thoughts differed slightly but shared the same direction: do not be conquered by the darkness of the past.
Of course, the demons didn’t just stand there — they counterattacked.
No one retreated — not out of fear, but to keep distance.
But none of them even thought of doing that; instead, the demons’ blows struck their armor.
Their armor was damaged, but not badly.
It didn’t break — it only made them uncomfortable.
But that didn’t shake them.
They kept fighting with blazing spirit.
Until one soldier managed to sever a demon’s arm — its right arm.
But he’d forgotten something: his own defense.
His open posture showed how overjoyed he was — so much that he neglected to guard himself.
The demon lunged with its remaining arm. There was no time for the soldier to react.
All he could do was close his eyes, waiting for the others to finish off the enemy… and help him.
By all rights, he should have been dead — or at the very least…—mortally wounded. But neither happened.
Pain? He hadn’t felt it—
When he opened his eyes, there was a figure standing before him.
Facing away from him.
It wasn’t human — the figure had a wolf’s head, with two pairs of goat horns atop it.
“If I’m not mistaken… Pusmoko,” the soldier said, carefully observing the demon in front of him.
“Rare for a human to remember my name,” Pusmoko smiled at him.
“You think I’m senile or something!?” the soldier snapped.
“I was gonna say that, but no time for jokes,” Pusmoko replied. “Want to finish this one yourself, or should I just wipe out all the Dahaluk demons for you?”
“No way! Then I wouldn’t get my share!” the soldier refused.
“Alright then~ want me to hold it so you can kill it without effort?” Pusmoko teased.
“You think I’m some baby Predator still learning to hunt!?” the soldier barked.
“Fine then~” Pusmoko replied.
He stomped his right big toe — the demon was blasted backward.
“Get out!” the soldier shouted.
Pusmoko leapt up, and the soldier’s sword struck the demon’s neck.
Still too tough to cut through.
“Want me to—”
“No!” the soldier interrupted.
With all his strength, he tried to slash the demon’s neck.
He was exhausted, but his mind urged him to keep going — not out of desperation, but sheer enthusiasm.
At last, he severed the demon’s neck.
The body crumbled into dust and vanished.
Of course, it wasn’t a permanent death — only under certain conditions could a demon be truly killed.
He wasn’t satisfied — not just for killing one demon, especially since Pusmoko had helped, making it feel less like his own victory.
He charged toward another demon.
His sword struck the demon’s shoulder — his overwhelming energy was obvious from his uncontrolled but powerful swings.
“This guy’s greedy as hell,” the soldier who was supposed to be fighting that demon sighed.
Naturally, the blow didn’t kill the demon instantly.
But he kept pushing, full of spirit — until he severed one of its arms.
The soldier originally facing that demon seized the opportunity, unwilling to waste the moment.
He lunged at the demon, swinging for the neck.
Too tough to cut.
But he didn’t give up.
They attacked together, their strikes crossing like the blades of scissors —
—until the demon’s head was severed.
They kept doing this to every demon present —
—until none remained.