"…This is exhausting."

I muttered, lying face down in full armor on the luxurious bed prepared for me in one of the rooms of the Demon Lord's castle.

"I might've overdone it, running around the battlefield without a single break. Well, at least I managed to stop the fighting everywhere."

After halting the battle at the first warfront, freeing the captured demons in a nearby town, and delivering the human captives to the temporary lodging where Madre was stationed, I joined Libera and visited three other ongoing battlefields without rest.

Seeing the actual carnage made me desperate to stop the conflicts as quickly as possible. So, I pushed myself to move from one battlefield to the next without delay.

While I did manage to halt all the fighting, the scenes of war I witnessed were utterly horrific.

"Still, my abilities are… incredible."

At the other battlefields, where fighting had already begun, I ordered the demons to retreat. Then, I created barriers and walls using magic to forcibly divide the battlefield, halting the combat between humans and demons.

Afterward, I charged alone into the human camps, using my Demon Lord's Intimidation skill to render them unconscious and take them captive.

Among the captives was a hero of sorts—someone akin to the Flame Emperor Augus I saw earlier. Yet even they were subdued without issue.

Given that I easily overpowered my Four Generals, it’s not that these so-called "heroes" are weak. It’s simply that my power is overwhelming.

"No sign of the Hero, though…"

The Hero—the one who supposedly possesses extraordinary power—was absent from the battlefields I visited. After defeating the previous Demon Lord, it seems they’ve stayed out of the fray. I couldn’t gather much information about them.

Maybe the Hero doesn’t feel the need to appear, now that the humans have the upper hand. Or, perhaps they were injured in their battle with the previous Demon Lord. I hope it's the latter.

"Rescuing those captives was good, but not having healing magic is tough…"

In the human town I stormed, I managed to free the captured demons. However, some were in far worse condition than the girl I rescued earlier.

High-level healing magic in this world is rare, capable of treating only minor injuries unless used by a skilled practitioner. If I had healing magic, I could likely heal even life-threatening wounds or lost limbs.

This issue wasn’t exclusive to the demons. Among the humans held captive in demon villages, there were also many who had been injured. For them, I used transfer magic to bring them to safety, where Libera could heal their wounds.

"I left the rescued demons in the care of their villages, and the humans with Madre at the lodging. Hopefully, this will prevent any immediate clashes."

The demons I saved were entrusted to their communities, with the village chiefs able to contact me via telepathy if anything arose.

Similarly, Madre can reach me through the same means. If the human captives attempt to escape or plot rebellion, I can teleport in and suppress them immediately.

Still, the conditions at Madre’s facility are far better than those at the demon villages. They’re getting proper meals, and I’ve instructed Madre to avoid corporal punishment, so I hope they’ll stay compliant.

"And after what I demonstrated today, no one’s likely foolish enough to attack again so soon."

After resting, my next task is to visit another human settlement and negotiate a prisoner exchange between the captured demons and the humans I hold. If they refuse, I'll simply abduct the demons and release an equivalent number of humans in exchange.

Given how poorly prisoners are treated on both sides, I can’t afford to waste time on slow negotiations. I want to save as many as possible, as quickly as possible.

Additionally, I need to relocate the humans in demon villages to Madre's facility. Though I've ordered their safety, the demons' animosity towards humans is deep. The sooner I separate them, the better.

"Before the Hero or any other powerful humans show up, I need to make as much progress as I can. Once they realize a new Demon Lord has been summoned, they’ll likely deploy even greater forces."

Until that happens, I’ll focus on saving captives, gathering intelligence on the human military, and preparing for what's ahead. If time permits, I also need to assess the demons' internal affairs, including agriculture and resources.

"Damn it… There’s too much for an old man to handle. Still, no point rushing. I’ll take it step by step and see this through."