On that day, humanity received a grim reminder.
"Hear me, people of this world. The time has come to inaugurate the birth of the Abyss Lord. All will suffer retribution and no one shall leave this place alive..."
The otherworldly voice of the ambassador resonated throughout the Empire. Its tone shed a dreadful sound, disseminating a warning that emphasizes the end of the world.
The naturally pristine shade of the sky eventually got tainted by a blaring crimson color. But it wasn't just the sky. The ground, the properties, and even the rivers were now marred by the blood of those who are fighting for their lives.
Gigantic flames were ignited everywhere, scorching every corner of the town. Meteors were falling down from the sky as if the stars have lost their bearing. It was a rainfall of hell. Even if they were to cast a large-scale barrier, it wouldn't last long from the breach of these heated rocks.
Throughout the Imperial capital, a battalion of Royal Mages was fending off the waves with their magic.
"Fire! Hurry!"
Bolts of flame spread through the ground in an attempt to kill the demonic wolves roaming in their field. But despite their concentrated firepower, it was only a kindle to the monsters in front of them.
"O-One more! Fire!" On their General's command, another volley of offensive spells spurted from their hand but it was still ineffective.
"You got to be kidding me! That's not a monster anymore..." One of the mages muttered in fear.
Indeed. If it is a normal monster, they should've been able to burn it, but the monstrosity that appeared before them is a being that is out of this world. Its pitch-black skin, large fangs, and demonic horns that wedged from its skull scream ferocity that they haven't seen yet.
Now that their part was over, the Demonic Wolves turned to them. Its eyes gleamed with an intense reflection of hate. It slowly approached the battalion, casually seeking and smelling them out. With their magical power depleted, the main course of this meal is finally served.
"R-Run!!!" One by one, each Royal Mage met their end in a cruel state.
Each Demonic Wolf in the area ripped them apart and ate their limbs. One of the mages got his head off in an instant and the other one was scratched to death. The known Imperial Capital of this unified world now turned into a hunting ground for the beasts.
Meanwhile, as the Royal Mages were running for their lives, the Priests from the Church of Yddra initiated their nonstop prayers for the God of Light. They were seeking salvation from this chain of horrors.
As they are fixated on their pure beseech for God, they didn't notice their guests welcoming themselves from the entrance.
"You know, I don't really see any reason to pray anymore when your lives are already over..."
"Who's there?!" The respected Cardinal turned around.
Under the spotlight of their divine light, two masked figures emerged. They were all clad in pure black and no one could discern who they are. All they know is that it was a voice belonging to a female.
"So you're the followers of the Cursed God..." The Cardinal spoke calmly as he eyed them fiercely.
The girls took off their masks and revealed who they are.
"N-No way! You're..."
"It's been a long time, Cardinal Rawkin." The girl delightfully greeted him.
In normal circumstances, this should've been an emotional reunion between the two of them. As part of the Church back in the day, one would wonder why such a pure girl who has the power to wield Divine Arts turn her back on them. Was she a traitor from the beginning? No, that couldn't be it. Did someone change her? It's very possible.
"A-Ah... How did this happen." The Cardinal slowly approached the now grown-up girl that he adopted.
He placed his hand on her cheek, tears were pouring down from his eyes. "Did the Devil do this to you, Bell?"
That's right. The beautiful woman with long black hair and golden eyes that was standing right in front of him was none other than Bellona Meriel. The malnourished girl that he adopted ten years ago...
"Don't worry, Bell! I'm sure there's still a chance for you to change! Do not succumb to that Lord's influence! Under the name of Yddra, she will forgive you and every evil in this world will be vanquished—"
A sharp blade passed through the Cardinal's chest and his own blood splattered across the grand hall of the Church.
"B-Bell? Why..."
"Cardinal! Cardinal!" The followers panicked and attempted to save him but they were stopped by Bell's accomplice.
"Bell..." He wanted to ask why. Why should she do such a thing to her father figure who raised her? Why did she kill him?
It was then he understood the answer to that when he saw Bell's eyes. It was devoid of light. Her expressionless face reminded him that he himself is the reason why she turned out like this. The same emptiness that Bell shed when she lost everyone.
"The moment you ordered the Mages to kill my parents and peers, I knew that you're the only evil that I should vanquish myself..."
Her deep tone impaired all of them, leaving the priests and the followers trembling in deep fear. Bell pulled the blade out of the Cardinal's body and swung it intensely to remove his bloodstain. She thought that it wouldn't be wise to leave someone's dirty blood off of her precious weapon.
"Let's go..."
"Eh? Are we not going to slay them as well?" Her accomplice asked.
"My revenge is done. It's now up to our Lord to do the rest. I'm sure they'll face even more severe punishment than death."
With those ominous words, Bell bid farewell to the Church that she once revered and considered home.
* * *
Imperial Palace, inside the Prime Minister's meeting room.
Several retainers were sitting side by side with the Emperor reigning in the front and the Prime Minister conducting the meeting.
It was obvious from their behavior and expression that they were in a tight spot. They've poked the bear too much and it is now time to pay the price for that.
"Good lord, what have we done...?" A Count from a renowned House expressed his apprehension to the table. Considering that he is a noble, such actions would be considered inclining to cowardice but that is not the case anymore for they are on the verge of destruction.
"Your Majesty, I think it's time for us to flee. There is no way we could win this war anymore..." Another noble suggested.
"Count George, are you saying that we should abandon our Fatherland and escape from our duties?" The Prime Minister narrowed his eyes and questioned him.
"You don't understand, Prime Minister Guchaff. We already lost this war and our lives are in danger now. What do you hope to achieve from fighting that Devil?" He asked.
"He's right, Your Majesty. Our Fatherland can be rebuilt but our lives won't come back. The entire Empire is now bathed in hellfire and most of our forces are dead. I don't see any more hope in continuing this war."
They've exhausted all of their power in the hopes of destroying the other side of the world. But what came back as a gift for them wasn't victory but monstrosity. It goes without saying that what they did was too much. They'd gone so far as to reduce their population and now it's coming back to haunt them. Surely any wise ruler should be able to define the correct course of action from here within.
"Your Majesty..." Prime Minister Guchaff now left the decision to their respected leader.
"Those who want to escape should escape. Those who want to stay until the end should stay. That's all..."
It wasn't an order but a simple choice. His followers are not obligated anymore. A clear depiction that the Emperor has already made his choice on how he will end this nightmare.
"Prime Minister Guchaff, please take my wife and kids out of this place..." He ordered.
"Right away!"
"W-Wait! No! I want to stay with you!" The door busted open, revealing the Empress.
"Sherine... No, you need to get out of here."
"I won't leave you alone! We promised each other that we will see this until the end, that's why...!"
Is it worth it to die with her? The Emperor has thought about that question multiple times but he can't see any worth to it. There's a chance that his wife would take over the Empire or start a new one after this to continue their legacy.
"Take her away..."
"No! Please! Please let me stay with you! Frederick!!!"
The Empress' trembling voice fade out as she was escorted by the guards. Now that his family is out of the picture, it was finally time to deliver the final order.
"Admiral Gerome, gather all of our forces including the Guild's Royal Mages..."
"Your Majesty, what are you thinking?"
"I will lead this war myself." His courageous declaration and intense determination lit up the retainer's spirit. If the Emperor himself would lead the frontlines, then it would be an honor for them to fight alongside him.
* * *
Moments after the final order was issued, all of the Empire's forces now gathered at the entrance of the Imperial Palace. The world was tilted upside down, an earth-shattering force befall them as they prepared for the decisive battle.
"Kill the Abyss Lord!"
"Fire!"
Enormous magic circles conjured in the air followed by a stream of light that burst forth to the sky. Each Royal Mage compressed its magical power to increase its effectiveness.
Their target... The Abyss Lord himself.
Walking above the sky was a dominant figure who ruled the unknown. He was known as the Devil of the Abyss. A descendant of the Cursed King and the Final Calamity Invoker. He was cruel yet kind, he was innocent yet involved in a series of blasphemy. He was just a kid, who fell victim to the world's irrational fate.
Now that he lost everything, there's only one choice left.
And that is... to destroy the world.
"Fire!"
Countless spells emerged from the ground, each hit was possessed by a certain affinity of elements. It was the work of Divine Arts.
However, even with the consecutive bombardment of the Mages, none of them were able to successfully hit the Abyss Lord.
"What's happening...? Why isn't he taking any damage?" Admiral Gerome made a pensive face. No matter how many times their spells hit, nothing changes.
"It's coming!"
"Raise your barriers!"
In a split second, all of the Mages tried their best to cast a fortified barrier. The Abyss Lord raised his hand and the sky turned dark. Ripples of dark energy cut through the space and a massive void tore the dimension beside them.
"Die..." In that single instance, the void that he conjured fired rounds of magic bullets that pierced through the Mages barrier.
"AHHH!"
"R-RUN!"
The Admiral could only kneel down as the Devil decimated his comrades. He saw the Mages getting their head popped, bodies bursting, and limbs being torn apart. A complete madness. An overkill. A tragic end befitting their stature in life.
And then, he was next.
* * *
"He's here. The Abyss Lord has finally descended..." Bell and the others waited at the entrance of the Imperial Palace.
The Admiral's corrupted body can be seen rolling around the field without its head. The carpet made from the blood of those he killed unfolded. His followers bowed upon his descent and greeted him like how commoners would greet a majestic ruler.
He exuded a terrifying aura that pressured even those who were close to him. It is a sign that they shouldn't mess with him even if they are his followers.
"Good work, all of you..." With his compliment, he unveiled himself and removed his mask. What appeared in the center was a young man with dead eyes. He strolled through the gate and entered the palace.
The Emperor faced him, carrying both his armor and sword. Their fierce gaze invoked pressure. Although it was subtle, the Emperor could see in his eyes that he was tired of life yet he continued to pursue the meaning of it. Such a young person who became the Devil was unprecedented but for the Abyss Lord himself, this fate has been settled.
"So this is the price that we should pay for trampling your own little haven, huh?" The Emperor sneered.
"That should be obvious..."
"Don't you think you have done enough? My country no longer has the power to fight so I say that we should settle this peacefully... Wouldn't that be a great offer for you and your followers?"
Bell gritted her teeth and glared at him. For someone who chose to crush their enemy's lair just to offer their cooperation and settlements when they are cornered sounded arrogant to her. The Empire's force crushed their haven and killed many of their families without any mercy. Now that they're on the verge of destruction, they still have the guts to enter a peace treaty with them?
The Abyss Lord understood this, of course. It was obvious that the Emperor's ploy was to settle the war with negotiation after successfully ruining his Empire. It triggered his sense of justice as a ruler himself and it's because of this that he knew that he needs his political knowledge as leverage to bypass this cruel state.
"If you want, we could take your country as our vassal state and we will protect you from the outside world... What do you think? It should be beneficial from a ruler's standpoint, right?" He asked.
"..." The Devil could only stare at him quietly.
"As far as I know, this land has so much to offer—"
With a quick swing of his Crimson sword, the Emperor's left arm flew into the sky and rolled to the ground. The action was so fast that he couldn't even feel the pain at first glance.
"IAAHHHH!!!" Blood gushed forth from his severed arm and splattered through the Lord's face.
"Charge!" It was a forced order. All of the stand-by Mages attempted to seize them. However...
"AHHH!!!"
"N-No! Stay back! GAAH!"
"H-Huh!?" The Emperor questioned his sanity as he saw his strongest force get beheaded one by one.
But that's not all. The fun is not over yet.
"Sire! I brought them back!" Another member of the Abyss Lord's organization landed at the entrance, carrying three bodies in his left hand and three heads in his right.
"—!" The Emperor widened his eyes.
The warrior tossed his wife and kids' head on the ground, rolling until it reached his knee. He was inclined to believe that the Empress and his offspring would survive in this world after this but...
"Ah... AAAAAAAAAHHH!!!" Losing it, the Emperor raised his sword and slashed the Abyss Lord but the blade crumbled into pieces upon contact.
"Your offer is very... interesting. But allow me to apologize for giving you the impression that I give a crap because I don't."
With a snap of his finger, the Emperor's body was cut in half.
"You can't become a good ruler if you can't understand the reminder that my ambassador announced a while ago..."
* * *
The sky returned to its normal hue.
Everything was burned to cinders and the only humans left in the Empire were the Abyss Lord and his group. Though it is questionable whether they could still be called Humans at this point.
The Empire's action angered the one that they shouldn't have angered and this was the consequence of it. They have unleashed the Devil into this world and he will not stop until everything is completely eradicated.
They said revenge is a product of despicable injustice and unpleasant interactions. It's the complete opposite of returning gratitude, far from modesty and more of enmity.
But what if vengeance is equivalent to kindness? What if retribution means casting off everything you had for the sake of equality and heroism? What if vindication signifies peace and harmony?
The boy named Rin Einfried made a devilish grin as he stared at the desolated zone.
Red and black particles surged within his body and fired into the sky, summoning a large beast, similar to that a demonic creature. His vengeful act has just started...
"If cleansing this world requires diabolical means, then I'll gladly become a vicious fiend..."