The demon world is home to a vast array of creatures, but there are essentially two main types of demons: pure demons and demon-kin. Pure demons are of untainted demonic origin, while demon-kin are born from the chaotic nature of dark magic. Finding a truly pure demon in today's world is nearly impossible. Most of the inhabitants of the demon realm are demon-kin.
Dark magic is inherently chaotic, which makes it difficult to classify subspecies. New subspecies seem to emerge with each generation. For example, a child might be born to parents without the gift of charm, yet still inherit it.
There are a few subspecies, however, that have withstood the test of time. These subspecies are considered the most versatile and volatile. While they still retain the basic abilities tied to their heritage, they evolve into more powerful forms, making them the most formidable users of dark magic.
The demon realm is in a state of decline. Because of this, the current demon king has decreed that finding more hospitable land is essential. He ordered an invasion of a territory to the northeast of the demon realm. Gurei, a dark elf general, understood the need for new land, especially since the demon realm's resources were sparse, but he found the idea of attacking another nation to be brutal.
The demon realm is protected by invisible domes that shield the demon population from constant attacks by monsters. These domes were believed to have been established by the realm's founder, although their exact origin remains unknown. While the domes offer protection, they also make it difficult for plants and animals to thrive within. As a result, demons must venture outside the domes to gather food, which exposes them to dangerous monsters. To alleviate this, the demon king decided that occupying new territory was the only solution.
To carry out this plan, the demon king conscripted soldiers, beginning five years ago. Gurei had known the demon king since he was twelve, long before he ascended to the throne. Back then, the demon king was a kind and caring individual who took Gurei in when his own people, the dark elves, rejected him. Over the years, Gurei had grown close to the demon king and knew him to be someone who always put others' needs before his own. However, five years ago, everything changed. The demon king began speaking of war, a shift that unsettled Gurei. Yet, trusting in his leader, Gurei followed the king's orders. Since then, the demon king had assembled a formidable army, with generals and foot soldiers alike.
The army consisted of five generals: a witch named Victoria, a succubus named Venus, an Archanian named Norn, a werewolf named Derick, and Gurei himself, a dark elf. Known as "Grey" to others, Gurei stood as one of the most powerful generals. Beneath them were 8 lieutenant generals, 16 colonels, 40 lieutenant colonels, 350 captains, 1000 lieutenants, 3000 staff sergeants, 7000 sergeants, and about 138,000 foot soldiers. They were also supported by 5000 intelligent monsters and several elite soldiers, bringing their total numbers to approximately 150,000.
Though their army was large, the demons often relied on monsters, both from their own realm and the forest of monsters, to bolster their attacks. Their primary target was a human kingdom called Bermone, which the demon king had insisted be attacked first. Gurei was still uncertain of the king's reasons for choosing Bermone, but he trusted that it was for the greater good. To minimize casualties among the demon soldiers, monsters were used as fodder to support reconnaissance missions.
Gurei's elite team recently launched a two-pronged attack on a border stronghold, accompanied by a few thousand monsters. The first attack had failed when a group of adventurers, two of whom were particularly powerful women, had decimated their forces. Although Gurei hadn't seen the women firsthand, he had heard stories of their strength. For the second attack, Gurei made sure to time it carefully to avoid these powerful adventurers.
The second attack was a reconnaissance mission to identify any other notable forces. While they encountered some strong individuals, none were as formidable as the two women. A knight stood out for his exceptional combat skills, and two mages were also notable, one of whom had displayed powerful and unique magic. Intrigued, Gurei moved closer to observe the mage, but before he could learn more, a wave of destructive energy surged through the battlefield. The monsters, no longer under Gurei's control, stampeded uncontrollably.
Realizing that the mage was in danger, Gurei rushed to save her. When he finally laid eyes on her, he was struck by her beauty. She had smooth, tanned skin, dark purple hair with silver tips, and violet eyes. Her curvaceous, slender figure exuded a quiet seduction. Gurei decided to capture her, planning to use her to uncover the secrets of her magic and her people.
Upon his return to the demon realm, Gurei was met with disappointment. His failure to complete the mission had not gone unnoticed. The generals convened with the demon king, and Gurei awaited his judgment.
"Good evening, everyone. I hope you haven't waited long for me," the Demon-King greeted.
"Not at all, your grace. We are here to serve," Victoria replied, her voice laced with sarcasm.
"Yes, as she said," Venus chimed in.
"So, how is the plan to seize the Bermone Kingdom progressing?" the demon king inquired.
"Everything is going well, except for Grey's part," Victoria answered.
"It's not like he failed the mission, Vic," Venus defended.
"But he did lose a lot of monsters and wasted valuable resources," Victoria snapped.
"And on top of that, he came back with a human woman. He should have killed her, like I did with those adventurers," Victoria added coldly.
"Not everyone is as ruthless as you, Victoria," Venus retorted.
"Please, everyone, let him speak," the demon king intervened.
Victoria grudgingly stepped back. "As you wish, your grace."
Gurei cleared his throat. "Although I used up a significant amount of resources, I did learn a great deal. There are two extremely powerful women at the border stronghold. They may not be purely human, so we should take that into account."
"Two women?" Victoria scoffed.
"Victoria, please. It's not far-fetched. You are a powerful woman yourself, so let him finish," Venus intervened.
"Thank you, Venus," Gurei nodded, then continued, "Aside from these two women, there is a knight and two mages, one of whom is now in our dungeon."
"Speaking of the women, why did you bring her here?" the demon king asked.
"I brought her back to uncover any weaknesses in Bermone's defenses. She also uses magic in a way I've never seen before. We could gain valuable knowledge from her," Gurei explained.
"How do you propose we gain this knowledge?" the demon king asked.
"You could let me torture her," Victoria offered coldly. "I'm quite good at it. She will speak in no time."
"Victoria, his grace asked Grey, not you," Norn interjected.
"I'll need a few days with her. I'm sure I can make her talk," Gurei insisted.
"Alright, General Grey. You are to undertake this mission. But if you fail, you will be the one to execute the woman and be demoted from your rank," the demon king ordered.
"Serves you right," Victoria muttered. "Though I think you deserve a harsher punishment if you fail."
"Thank you, your grace," Gurei replied.
"Gurei, please leave the room. We have important matters to discuss. You are now on probation. We'll decide if you're still fit to undertake major missions," the demon king concluded.
"Of course, your grace. Please excuse me," Gurei said, bowing before exiting the room.