The blood-red sky cast a red hue over the world, with no trace of bright light reaching the ground, as it would on any other day. There was no sign of life anywhere, only barren land littered with bones and skeletons as far as the eye could see. This place radiated despair as if it were the pinnacle of it. It was Hell.
A very tall tower, nearly reaching the skies, stood at its very center. It was made entirely of black and instilled fear into the hearts of all who gazed upon it. However, it also exuded a majesty that compelled everyone to bow down before it.
This was the Demon King's Tower, the Tower of Death. It symbolized his authority over Hell and the place from which he ruled.
The Demon King stood on the tower's highest balcony, staring at the dark clouds gathering overhead. Hundreds of thousands of troops surrounded it, eagerly awaiting his command.
"Lucifer, are you certain the Quasi Gods will not intervene in this matter?" The Demon King inquired, his gaze turning to the handsome man behind him.
"Yes, my Lord. They may even help us because it is in their best interests. " Lucifer confidently answered.
"How should I proceed?" The Demon King muttered quietly to himself and started to think.
The Demon King had reigned over Hell for hundreds of years. Although his authority was not absolute because he lacked Royal Demonic bloodline, no one dared to challenge his rule because he was the strongest Demon among them all. However, the dark priests of Hell received a revelation about his death a few years ago. They predicted that he would perish soon at the hands of a young demon.
The ruthless hunt in Hell, which resulted in the slaughter of thousands of newborn children, began at that time. Although the revelation predicted the future, it was possible to change it if someone wielded sufficient power.
Following several years of killings, there was only one suspect left. Because the person in question was the granddaughter of the previous Demon King, killing her proved to be more difficult than anything else. It would tarnish his name, sow discord among his subjects, and provide an opportunity for his opponents to wreak even more havoc if it was known that he had killed the kin of the previous Demon King. Killing a Demon with Royal Demonic Blood was an act of defiance against the Demon Hierarchy.
However, if he does not act quickly, she may become the source of his demise.
After some consideration, the Demon King took a deep breath and said to Lucifer, "Make certain that even her ashes are not left."
Lucifer silently nodded and started to leave.
The Demon King gazed at the army standing below. He'd fought hundreds of physical and mental battles to get here. Slaughtered so many people that rivers of blood had formed. His schemes rendered some of Hell's most ancient entities speechless. He wasn't going to give up everything for a prophecy.
"My warriors," his hologram loomed in front of the Tower. "Since the dawn of creation, the Gods and we have been at odds. However, the laws of Zantra prohibit immortals from descending there, so you will be the ones fighting there. Show those insects what it's like to face the wrath of Hell. I'll be looking forward to your victory."
After a brief pause, the army began to yell their war cry. They marched out shortly after, their commanders leading the way. Soon there was no longer a single demon in the vicinity of the Tower.
After a day, Hell's entire landscape trembled. Rain began to fall from the dark clouds that had gathered above. The Demon King was still standing on the balcony, a huge grin covering his face.
Somewhere on Zantra,
The war between the Demon and Human armies was raging on. Karen, the granddaughter of the previous Demon King, also known as 'Harbinger of Death,' led the demon army.
The 'Battle Maiden,' Eliza, led humanity's army against her.
Thousands of demons and humans alike lay lifeless across the blood-splattered battlefield. Even though it was only a prelude to the actual war, both sides suffered significant losses.
Karen and Eliza were fighting neck and neck amidst the battlefield, intent on killing each other. The irony was that they were both evenly matched, with no one gaining the upper hand.
Both armies were exhausted after a full day of fighting.
Just as both sides were about to call a truce and return to their camps to rest, the ground began to tremble. Several cracks appeared on the battlefield soon after. They quickly grew so large that they devoured the bodies of those who had died, dividing the battlefield into several sections.
Dark clouds began to gather over the battlefield shortly after, and the sound of thunder reverberated through everyone's ears.
Karen wore an obnoxious grin on her face. She had a good idea of what was going on, but it was insane to do something like this. ' Unless he had something on which he could rely,' she reasoned.
When Eliza saw Karen's face, she could tell they were in serious trouble.
All the mana in their surroundings began to congregate at various points in the clouds. Eliza was initially perplexed by this, but she eventually sensed it. A majestic and overwhelming force that made her feel like an ant about to be crushed. Her death loomed in the distance, but there was still a chance for her to live. She dashed toward Karen as fast as she could.
Karen quickly realized that she was going to die. She wished she could punch the Demon King in the face once, but that would always remain a fantasy. She drew her sword and took a defensive stance as she awaited the disaster.
Thunder and lightning columns descended from the sky onto the battlefield, accompanied by red fire erupting from the ground. Before anyone could figure out what was going on, the battlefield had turned into a forbidden zone of death.
After everything had calmed down after a day, all that remained was a deep crater of unknown depth.
Karen was on the verge of death when she heard a mystical voice say [Do you want to live?]
The only thing she could say as her consciousness faded away was, "Yes!"
When she was completely enveloped by darkness, an unknown voice said, "It's begun again," but she couldn't hear it.