(Those individuals are truly despicable and inviting their own demise!)
Zero thought disdainfully.
Zero already knew the complete truth behind the decision to send Hiro and the others. While the stated reason may have been to help them grow stronger, the truth was that some people actually wished for them to die.
However, there were also others who genuinely believed that they needed to experience such a war in order to exponentially grow and assist in maintaining peace for humans. Without a convincing reason, those with malicious intent toward Hiro would never have succeeded in sending them to the battlefield.
Naturally, Hiro's companions—Lisa, Zion, and Sylvia—would accompany him since they always worked together. They didn't want to abandon him, and they also believed that they were contributing something valuable to humanity.
Furthermore, there was their collective hatred towards the Devils. Hiro had always despised the Devils due to the incident involving his parents, and the others didn't hold a better opinion of them either, considering they had been invaded by Devils resulting in the deaths of many students.
Although, as Professor Mia had mentioned, Zero knew that Hiro and the others would be assigned to a relatively safe area.
But when the Devils received information that human geniuses were gathered in that region, do you think that they will just sit back and watch? No, they send their forces to that area and cut the problem before they become a threat.
That is one of the reasons that Zero thought that people around the MC were unfortunate. Though not his fault, MC does end up attracting troubles like this and endangering others' lives.
However, Zero also knew that this plan would only backfire. Hiro would indeed grow stronger in this circumstance and gain an influence in the army. He would only become a great obstacle in their path.
"If so, then the war with Devils must be at a stalemate?"
Zero asked.
If The Authority could deploy fresh graduates to train, that means that there was no great threat from Devils.
The Devils had been pushing forward relentlessly, seemingly intent on destroying humanity and even managing to invade human territory from one side. The war seemed to have escalated to its peak.
But unfortunately, that group of devils who had managed to enter the human domain were annihilated and the other side of human borders were not invaded by the Devils.
From that point on, humans attempted to capitalize on their great victory, but the Devils stationed to guard the area proved to be no joke. They were prepared, and the advantage gained from annihilating one group of Devils was almost non-existent.
So, the war had returned to a stalemate.
The two sides would occasionally engage in battles but on a small scale involving only 50 to 100 humans and devils.
Mia nodded in acknowledgment.
"At the moment, it appears that the war is at a standstill. However, it may not remain that way for long, and I will soon need to join the war as well," Mia replied.
She also glanced at Amelia and Zero. If it came to that point, Amelia would undoubtedly be called upon. She was the most powerful weapon against the devils, after all.
And Zero! If he returned home, there was a high chance that he would also be deployed. He might even be sent earlier for training, just like Hiro and the others. Although that all depends on what Zero decides to do.
Zero pondered for a bit!
Thinking about the situation, Hiro and others would spend at least three months in the army and fight with Devils most of the time.
However, he was not sure about now. One of the conflicts that Hiro faced was because of Nexus Scepter but he had already destroyed it. Hiro would no longer need to deal with his teammates losing their minds and having to fight with Devils.
Though Zero believes that the MC would still go through similar things. They would need to deal with a large number of Devils that are going to come to take his head.
They would be safe even though they might face difficulties. So, Zero knew that he wouldn't need to go and watch over them. They could defend themselves and they also have the luck of MCs.
Though on the other hand, Zero had free time to decide what he needed to do. He can always go to dungeons and train harder. But with all the training he had done in the Tower Of Obelisk, he didn't think that he could learn anything inside the dungeon. Only if he gets extremely precious treasures would there be a worth.
Anyway, Zero didn't plan to go to any of the dungeons for now!
"Other species must be happy that the war is being dragged on for so long."
Zero said.
Even if the conflict with the Devils was resolved, there were still other species that viewed humans as dangerous species. If the war were to continue, both the Devils and humans would experience a significant loss of power, and other species might seize the opportunity to expand their territories into the domains of humans and Devils.
Currently, the possibilities were endless, and despite Zero's knowledge of the future events throughout the novel, he remained uncertain. Just as the Devils invaded Ace Academy at a faster pace than depicted in the novel, anything could happen.
"For now, it appears that other species are observing the unfolding war. If not, they might have already launched an attack against the Devils or humans," Mia replied.
"Are the Devils being cautious because of the other species?" Amelia asked.
In the past, the Devils did not concern themselves much with the consequences of their actions. They would initiate attacks without considering other species. One of the reasons for this behavior was that, apart from humans, other species were not perceived as a threat.
However, due to the ongoing conflict between Devils and humans, these two species were growing weaker while other species were growing stronger.
Furthermore, unlike in the past, other species had formed an alliance to counter humans and Devils. Individually, these species were far inferior to humans and Devils, but their collective strength posed a potential threat.
"Yes, but not solely for that reason!"
Mia answered.
"Then why?"
Zero asked curiously. Such information was not even in the novel, just that Devils were awfully taking their time with the war and didn't just launch one attack after another.
"It is confidential and information is not really reliable but some of the informants told us that because Devils are having internal conflict!"
Mia answered. As she was Rank-S, she had access to much of the information from The Authority.
"Internal Conflict!"
( Devil having conflict? Is Lilith in trouble? )
When Professor Mia mentioned the internal conflict among the Devils, Zero's mind immediately turned to Lilith, and a sense of worry washed over him. She had returned to the Devil's domain, claiming she had some matters to settle.
Zero thought that it might be something to do with Xalvar and he told her that he would be the one to take care of him. But Lilith shook her head and said that she had something else to handle.
At that time, Zero didn't worry too much since Lilith was quite powerful, and it was also impossible for him to bring her into the human domain.
However, now his concern grew.
( Should I infiltrate the Devil's Domain? )
Zero contemplated the idea. With his Dark Energy and proficiency in Mana Manipulation, it might not be difficult for him to disguise himself as a Devil. The only obstacle would be acquiring something to change his appearance, as the Morphic Mirror had been destroyed.
"Although that might not be the reason either," Mia added, breaking Zero's train of thought.
"The number of Gates seems to have troubled the Devil Domain as much as it has affected the Human Domain and other places."
Gates, which possess the ability to trap individuals within dungeon-like locations, have been on the rise recently, causing headaches for humans. The frequency of Gate appearances has escalated from one or two per year to one or two per month.
This issue is not exclusive to the Human Domain; other realms are also grappling with the same problem, with the Devil Domain being no exception. It is widely believed that even the Devils are struggling to cope with the escalating number of Gates.
"Gate! That can't be the reason, right?" Amelia exclaimed. She believed that a problem like the Gate wouldn't stop the advancement of the Devil army. They had never cared about the weak and would only see the Gate as a test for the strong to survive.
"It may not have been a concern before, but the number of Gates has increased significantly, and the monsters inside the Gates are also very powerful. Even some Rank-S individuals have died there! So, it seems that even Devils may need to address this problem," Mia explained.
"Furthermore, I heard a rumor that one of the Rank-SS Devils was killed in one of those Gates."
(Those individuals are truly despicable and inviting their own demise!)
Zero thought disdainfully.
Zero already knew the complete truth behind the decision to send Hiro and the others. While the stated reason may have been to help them grow stronger, the truth was that some people actually wished for them to die.
However, there were also others who genuinely believed that they needed to experience such a war in order to exponentially grow and assist in maintaining peace for humans. Without a convincing reason, those with malicious intent toward Hiro would never have succeeded in sending them to the battlefield.
Naturally, Hiro's companions—Lisa, Zion, and Sylvia—would accompany him since they always worked together. They didn't want to abandon him, and they also believed that they were contributing something valuable to humanity.
Furthermore, there was their collective hatred towards the Devils. Hiro had always despised the Devils due to the incident involving his parents, and the others didn't hold a better opinion of them either, considering they had been invaded by Devils resulting in the deaths of many students.
Although, as Professor Mia had mentioned, Zero knew that Hiro and the others would be assigned to a relatively safe area.
But when the Devils received information that human geniuses were gathered in that region, do you think that they will just sit back and watch? No, they send their forces to that area and cut the problem before they become a threat.
That is one of the reasons that Zero thought that people around the MC were unfortunate. Though not his fault, MC does end up attracting troubles like this and endangering others' lives.
However, Zero also knew that this plan would only backfire. Hiro would indeed grow stronger in this circumstance and gain an influence in the army. He would only become a great obstacle in their path.
"If so, then the war with Devils must be at a stalemate?"
Zero asked.
If The Authority could deploy fresh graduates to train, that means that there was no great threat from Devils.
The Devils had been pushing forward relentlessly, seemingly intent on destroying humanity and even managing to invade human territory from one side. The war seemed to have escalated to its peak.
But unfortunately, that group of devils who had managed to enter the human domain were annihilated and the other side of human borders were not invaded by the Devils.
From that point on, humans attempted to capitalize on their great victory, but the Devils stationed to guard the area proved to be no joke. They were prepared, and the advantage gained from annihilating one group of Devils was almost non-existent.
So, the war had returned to a stalemate.
The two sides would occasionally engage in battles but on a small scale involving only 50 to 100 humans and devils.
Mia nodded in acknowledgment.
"At the moment, it appears that the war is at a standstill. However, it may not remain that way for long, and I will soon need to join the war as well," Mia replied.
She also glanced at Amelia and Zero. If it came to that point, Amelia would undoubtedly be called upon. She was the most powerful weapon against the devils, after all.
And Zero! If he returned home, there was a high chance that he would also be deployed. He might even be sent earlier for training, just like Hiro and the others. Although that all depends on what Zero decides to do.
Zero pondered for a bit!
Thinking about the situation, Hiro and others would spend at least three months in the army and fight with Devils most of the time.
However, he was not sure about now. One of the conflicts that Hiro faced was because of Nexus Scepter but he had already destroyed it. Hiro would no longer need to deal with his teammates losing their minds and having to fight with Devils.
Though Zero believes that the MC would still go through similar things. They would need to deal with a large number of Devils that are going to come to take his head.
They would be safe even though they might face difficulties. So, Zero knew that he wouldn't need to go and watch over them. They could defend themselves and they also have the luck of MCs.
Though on the other hand, Zero had free time to decide what he needed to do. He can always go to dungeons and train harder. But with all the training he had done in the Tower Of Obelisk, he didn't think that he could learn anything inside the dungeon. Only if he gets extremely precious treasures would there be a worth.
Anyway, Zero didn't plan to go to any of the dungeons for now!
"Other species must be happy that the war is being dragged on for so long."
Zero said.
Even if the conflict with the Devils was resolved, there were still other species that viewed humans as dangerous species. If the war were to continue, both the Devils and humans would experience a significant loss of power, and other species might seize the opportunity to expand their territories into the domains of humans and Devils.
Currently, the possibilities were endless, and despite Zero's knowledge of the future events throughout the novel, he remained uncertain. Just as the Devils invaded Ace Academy at a faster pace than depicted in the novel, anything could happen.
"For now, it appears that other species are observing the unfolding war. If not, they might have already launched an attack against the Devils or humans," Mia replied.
"Are the Devils being cautious because of the other species?" Amelia asked.
In the past, the Devils did not concern themselves much with the consequences of their actions. They would initiate attacks without considering other species. One of the reasons for this behavior was that, apart from humans, other species were not perceived as a threat.
However, due to the ongoing conflict between Devils and humans, these two species were growing weaker while other species were growing stronger.
Furthermore, unlike in the past, other species had formed an alliance to counter humans and Devils. Individually, these species were far inferior to humans and Devils, but their collective strength posed a potential threat.
"Yes, but not solely for that reason!"
Mia answered.
"Then why?"
Zero asked curiously. Such information was not even in the novel, just that Devils were awfully taking their time with the war and didn't just launch one attack after another.
"It is confidential and information is not really reliable but some of the informants told us that because Devils are having internal conflict!"
Mia answered. As she was Rank-S, she had access to much of the information from The Authority.
"Internal Conflict!"
( Devil having conflict? Is Lilith in trouble? )
When Professor Mia mentioned the internal conflict among the Devils, Zero's mind immediately turned to Lilith, and a sense of worry washed over him. She had returned to the Devil's domain, claiming she had some matters to settle.
Zero thought that it might be something to do with Xalvar and he told her that he would be the one to take care of him. But Lilith shook her head and said that she had something else to handle.
At that time, Zero didn't worry too much since Lilith was quite powerful, and it was also impossible for him to bring her into the human domain.
However, now his concern grew.
( Should I infiltrate the Devil's Domain? )
Zero contemplated the idea. With his Dark Energy and proficiency in Mana Manipulation, it might not be difficult for him to disguise himself as a Devil. The only obstacle would be acquiring something to change his appearance, as the Morphic Mirror had been destroyed.
"Although that might not be the reason either," Mia added, breaking Zero's train of thought.
"The number of Gates seems to have troubled the Devil Domain as much as it has affected the Human Domain and other places."
Gates, which possess the ability to trap individuals within dungeon-like locations, have been on the rise recently, causing headaches for humans. The frequency of Gate appearances has escalated from one or two per year to one or two per month.
This issue is not exclusive to the Human Domain; other realms are also grappling with the same problem, with the Devil Domain being no exception. It is widely believed that even the Devils are struggling to cope with the escalating number of Gates.
"Gate! That can't be the reason, right?" Amelia exclaimed. She believed that a problem like the Gate wouldn't stop the advancement of the Devil army. They had never cared about the weak and would only see the Gate as a test for the strong to survive.
"It may not have been a concern before, but the number of Gates has increased significantly, and the monsters inside the Gates are also very powerful. Even some Rank-S individuals have died there! So, it seems that even Devils may need to address this problem," Mia explained.
"Furthermore, I heard a rumor that one of the Rank-SS Devils was killed in one of those Gates."
