The Dark Forest is known as one of the most dangerous areas in the Demon Realm, and one of Phantasmal King's executives, the Ten Demons, the gigantic Lamia, Tiamat, who has made such a place her home, tilted her head at the sound of footsteps and something being dragged.
The footsteps coming her way were not those of a monster. Even though the Dark Forest is home to some of the most dangerous monsters in the Demon Realm, no monster would be foolish enough to think of approaching Tiamat, who is far superior to them.
The Dark Forest is a place where lost Demons sometimes enter, but the footprints she hears this time are coming from deep within the forest, where there should only be a necromancer there, who also lives in the Dark Forest like her, but she's someone she has almost no interaction with.
Thereupon, as if to confirm Tiamat's thoughts, a robed woman with a huge coffin came from within the forest... It was the necromancer known as the Martyr of Death, Rasal Marfik.
[...How surprising. When was the last time you were seen coming out of your cave again?]
[Unnn? It's that Lamia I've seen several times huh. Well... I'm going to leave now that I've completed my research, so whatever is left in my cave is yours to do with as you please.]
[Research? I don't really understand... but congratulations are in order, I suppose? However, how sorrowful. As for what's sorrowful, it's that "this is the first decent conversation we've had" before we part ways...]
[Fuuu, if I remember correctly, you're one of the Six Kings' executives, right? If that's the case, I think we'll eventually meet again.]
Tiamat and Rasal share residence in the Dark Forest, but they have almost no interaction because Rasal spends most of her time researching in her cave, which she only goes out once every few hundred years or so.
Two or three times, Rasal had given her items she no longer needed... though there would often be times when a lot of corpses were thrown along with it, but there was almost no conversation between the two.
If anything, Rasal doesn't even remember Tiamat's name... Well, because of the thin relationship between them, a relationship in which they simply live in close proximity, Tiamat's tendencies didn't surface.
[Is that so? More importantly, it seems that you remembered that I was one of the Six Kings' executives. That makes me both happy and sad. There's a possibility that I could have become friends with you...]
[I've forgotten your name though.]
[...How sorrowful.]
[Well, that's that. Goodbye.]
[Yeah, we'll meet again sometime.]
Although she herself didn't realize it, Rasal successfully dodged a mine and exited the Dark Forest, and after Tiamat lightly saw her off, as if she had lost interest, she began to sing as usual to the graves of her kin.
Incidentally, just as Kaito felt she had a beautiful singing voice, Tiamat is indeed a good singer. However, she basically only sings requiems.
Therefore, she didn't participate in the Harmonic Symphony, for she thinks that a requiem is not appropriate for that event...
[...Come to think of it, I haven't asked her what she was researching.]
The Northernmost tip of the Demon Realm, the Land of Death.
On this snow-covered land, Rasal walks leisurely carrying a huge coffin. After years of continuous research... Generated by the proliferation of the dead through the "Perpetual Cycle of Death"... it resulted in the completion of the "Infinite Necro-Soldiers".
She has created the ultimate power as a necromancer. Even without a corpse, even without making use of the souls of the departed, she is now able to create an unlimited number of undead.
What she had created is undead, not life, but Rasal has stepped into a realm that is forbidden even for a necromancer.
Therefore, she's in a good mood. She was convinced that, with no exaggerations, she had reached the height of being the most powerful necromancer in the world...
Rasal has reached the perfection she had envisioned as a necromancer... Then, what's next? All that's left is for her to brandish the power she had gained as she pleased.
[Kukakakaka! Now, let's begin! Hear me, you fool who claim yourself the Death King, for it is time you learn your lesson. Know who it is that truly deserves the title of the King of Death!]
In an exultant mood, Rasal arrives in front of an unusual castle standing alone in the Land of Death. There, she suddenly placed her huge coffin in front of her.
When the lid of the coffin opened, a tremendous amount of magic power was released, shattering the huge gate.
[Now then, let's go.]
[...Unfortunately, those who break down our doors to get in will never be considered as guests.]
[...Hohhh...]
Receiving Rasal as she stepped into the castle's premises was a woman wearing a white pointy hat... Polaris, and upon seeing her, Rasal's eyebrows raised a bit in admiration.
(I see, so it's her... Indeed, she had what it takes to call herself a King. In terms of pure fighting capabilities, she may be slightly better than me. This would have been a big deal... but before my Infinite Necro-Soldiers, there's no difference between us!)
Rasal, who had never seen Isis, mistook Polaris for her. And while she was aware that Polaris was at or slightly above her own level of strength, she believed that she had a good chance of winning.
Just as she was about to hold the huge coffin in her hand and start the battle though, a voice clearly called out to them.
[...I heard a loud noise... Did something happen?]
[Isis-sama! It's an attack! This guy suddenly broke the gate and———- Eh?]
With her stance at the ready, Polaris tried to warn Isis... but the scene before her left her speechless. That is because, the intruder who until a few moments ago seemed to be completely ready to fight... was now kneeling on the ground with a beautiful dogeza.
Isis looked at the situation with a curious expression on her face, but Polaris, unable to keep up with what was going on, also looked blankly at the intruder... In front of both of them was Rasal, shaking and sweating profusely as she rubbed her head against the ground.
(T- This is the real Death King? ...She's completely the real deal!?)