Now, after making the grand declaration that I would end this battle all by myself, I, the old man, find myself in a position where I can’t back down.

Well, to be honest, with this cheat-like power of the Demon Lord, I do think I can overwhelm the human forces. Moreover, from what I’ve heard beforehand, it seems that the so-called Hero isn’t nearby. If I handle things alone, it means that none of our allied demons will have to kill any of the humans.

Oh, by the way, if the Hero does show up, you bet I'm ready to flee. I mean, I barely have any combat experience yet, so it’s impossible for me to face him. Sure, I’ll try my best to attack and give others a chance to escape, but if it looks hopeless, I'll use teleportation magic to escape.

I do want to stop the war between humans and demons, but I’m not about to risk my life to do it. Self-preservation is the essence of an old man like me.

“Stop right there!”

As I steadily approach the human camp after declaring that I would end this battle on my own, about ten human soldiers block my path.

If my only goal were to defeat them, I could just charge in and blast them with magic. But since I want to convey my intentions, I’ve decided to walk slowly and talk to them first.

“Please inform your higher-ups that we desire a ceasefire.”

If we can understand each other’s words, whether they’re demons or humans, we should be able to communicate. A ceasefire is the best option. Of course, saying, “If you don’t agree, I’ll force you to,” isn’t the right approach.

We should always start by seeking dialogue.

“Ah, sorry, but we’ve got no plans for a ceasefire or surrender.”

“We’re gonna wipe out every last demon. Tough luck for you.”

“The only ones we’re keeping alive are the pretty girls we’ll take as our playthings. So don’t worry too much, alright?”

“……………”

Huh, this is strange. We understand each other’s words, but the meaning isn’t getting through at all.

“Are you absolutely sure that’s your final decision? If you haven’t confirmed this with your higher-ups and are acting on your own, I’m sure you’ll regret it later.”

Sometimes in the heat of battle, lower-ranking soldiers act on their own. If they haven’t reported this to their superiors, they’re bound to regret it later.

“Regret? Nah, this is an order from the top.”

“Nice armor for a demon, though. I’ll be taking it for myself later.”

“Hey, that armor’s getting split between all of us! He might look strong, but against this many, he’s toast. Let’s cut him down already!”

What are they, bandits? Well, I suppose that’s just how war works.

In any case, it’s clear these guys won’t listen to reason. I’ll just have to press on until I find someone more reasonable.

Demon Lord Intimidation!

“Gah…”

“Urgh…”

The soldiers surrounding me all collapse at once. During my combat training with Libera and Debra, I learned that with enough experience, I can adjust the strength of my skills.

By maximizing the intimidation skill, I can not only make them tremble in fear but also render them unconscious from sheer terror. These soldiers, being grunts, fainted instantly. It’s a useful skill that allows me to neutralize enemies without harming them.

As I move forward after subduing the soldiers with my Demon Lord Intimidation skill, even more soldiers appear.

“Fire!”

“Fireball!”

“Stone Bullet!”

“Water Lance!”

This new wave of soldiers attacks me from a distance with arrows and magic. While these attacks likely wouldn’t hurt me, I decide to block them just in case.

“Barrier Shield!”

The arrows and magic aimed at me are all blocked by the barrier. Despite the number of projectiles, not a single crack appeared in my shield. I guess the attacks from Jillbear were way stronger than this.

“What the hell?!”

“Impossible!”

Shocked that none of their attacks even reached my armor, the soldiers are frozen in place as I continue walking forward.

“Gah!”

“Ugh…”

And as soon as they enter the range of my intimidation skill, they collapse one after another. Seeing this, it seems the enemy has finally gotten serious, as even more soldiers begin to rush at me all at once.

But the long-range attacks are still blocked by my barrier, and the soldiers wielding swords and spears faint as soon as they enter the range of my intimidation.

A few stronger ones manage to stay conscious, dropping to their knees without collapsing completely. But in that state, they can’t attack me either.

“…The Demon Lord’s power is way too much of a cheat.”

I couldn’t help but mutter to myself, and it’s true. I’m just walking, and people are dropping like flies, while cheers from the allied demons grow louder behind me.

If I were a young high schooler, I’d probably be cocky by now. But as an old man, I intend to stay grounded and not get drunk on power. In fact, the sheer strength of the Demon Lord’s power is kind of intimidating, even to me.

“Monster!”

“This is impossible!”

“Hey, we’re outta here! Let’s retreat!”

Seeing the scene, the enemy soldiers finally begin to retreat.

I could let them go, but since this is my first battle as the Demon Lord, I should make a big impression.

“Stone Wall!”

I raise massive earthen walls around the human camp, trapping the retreating soldiers inside.