Defeating these so-called knights wasn't difficult, and soon the group advanced into a rather grotesque hall.
"This thing must be the Demon King, right? It's hard to imagine that someone would transform themselves like this. Those creatures we've seen, those twisted humans, were all his creations!"
The Demon King soon came into view, but the group refrained from charging in immediately. Even now, seeing him in person was surreal. According to Ludleth, the so-called Demon King was actually the former king of Lothric himself.
In other words, the father of Lothric's two princes had once been so obsessed with dragons that he attempted to transform himself into one. And, in a way, he succeeded, as he had become something beyond human.
And because of him, much of the kingdom's population had been infected, even the wyverns. This was the result of reckless experimentation, which had left him looking like a monstrous apparition, far removed from humanity.
The Demon King resembled not so much a dragon as a fully mutated giant lizard. Some parts of his body were twisted beyond recognition, appearing neither human nor dragon, a ghastly product of his own experiments.
If such changes could grant longevity, it's likely many would make the same choice.
After all, not everyone was blessed with the elves' long lifespan, which other races could never match. However, the Demon King had already noticed their presence.
Upon sensing the intruders in his lair, he assumed they were more assassins, a suspicion that had grown stronger after multiple assassination attempts since his transformation.
He had killed every would-be assassin so far, and seeing this new group now, he prepared to do the same, rising to his feet and lifting his enchanted staff.
The Demon King wielded a combination of melee and magical abilities.
"Tiona, Tione, do it!"
Finn called out as soon as he saw the Demon King stir. Although the Demon King hadn't fully become a member of the dragon race, his experiments had granted him some draconic traits, making the dragon-hunting greatbows highly effective against him.
Hearing Finn's command, the sisters sprang into action, launching two large arrows before the Demon King could fully turn to face them.
"You wretches dare to attack me with such weapons!"
The arrows struck true, exploiting the Demon King's draconic attributes. Normally, a creature of his strength would be unaffected by such weapons, except in vulnerable spots.
But since he possessed draconic traits, the dragon-hunting greatbows were like a curse upon him. He struggled to defend against them as the sisters continued their relentless assault, carefully aiming, one for his right eye, the other for his left.
After all, blinding his eyes was their priority. Meanwhile, Riveria and Lefiya unleashed magic attacks, but the Demon King quickly grew furious. With a swing of his staff, shards of ice began erupting from the ground, spreading across the room.
This was a move typically used in the second phase of the game, yet here he was, deploying it right from the start. It gave him a resemblance to a crystal lizard, with ice crystal attacks emerging from below.
Because the ice shards rose directly from the ground, most of the group couldn't block them. Even Gareth, with his massive shield, could hardly withstand it, as the shield couldn't guard against attacks coming from below.
The team was forced to scatter, and at that moment, Finn drew two long spears and activated a skill to launch them in quick succession.
As Finn dodged the Demon King's wild attacks, he continued hurling the spears with precision. The Demon King, unable to react in time, was struck in both eyes.
These spears, imbued with dragon-slaying attributes, had been crafted specifically for this battle. With Ludleth's intelligence, they had come well-prepared, ensuring that nearly all their weapons could be infused with dragon-slaying attributes. Finn hadn't held back, and it was paying off.
"Ahhh!"
A blood-curdling scream echoed through the hall as the now-blinded Demon King thrashed in rage, deprived of his sight and struggling to adjust to the sudden loss.
Though his other senses were enhanced, they were insufficient to compensate in such a short time. Unable to regain his composure, he succumbed to madness. Tossing his staff aside, he dropped to all fours, lashing out like a frenzied lizard.
This primal tactic was his desperate attempt to keep them at bay. However, it was no use. Finn and the others kept their distance, launching a barrage of arrows. The arrows pierced his joints and muscles, embedding themselves until the Demon King's body looked like a grotesque pincushion.
Loki Familia was well-stocked with arrows. Although costly, these custom-made dragon-slaying arrows were a worthy investment, considering the twisted soul they'd gain from slaying this deformed boss, it's a reward that made it all worthwhile.
Soon, the Demon King was a staggering monstrosity, stumbling blindly across the arena like a cornered beast.
"All right, everyone, let's pull back and give him room to burn out!"
Finn instructed, watching the blood spill freely from the Demon King's wounds. It wouldn't be long before the creature was too weak to continue.
They merely needed to wait him out until he was on the brink of collapse, then strike the finishing blow.
Meanwhile, the Demon King, lost in fury and blinded by rage, paid no heed to his blood loss. All he could think about was killing these intruders.
Yet, his strength was waning. Blood poured from his wounds, draining what little life force remained. His powerful body, though resilient, was no match for this relentless bleeding.
Soon, weakened beyond recovery, the Demon King would have no choice but to succumb.