The hourglass, its sands now spent, indicated a moment of transition. With a flicker of otherworldly energy, everyone within the kingdom was transported to the grand grounds of the castle. As the crowd materialized, a low murmur swept through the masses.
Diablo, rising into the air with imposing wings outstretched, silenced the commotion with a thunderous shout. "Silence!"
A hush fell over the palace as Kuroi stepped forward. "Those who wish to remain under my rule, proceed to the seating area in the stadium," he declared, his voice resonating with authority.
A group, including those saved in the jungle encounter, made their way to the designated seating area. The rest of the assembly, uncertain and restless, whispered among themselves.
"For those who wish to challenge, head to the waiting area at the corner," Kuroi continued, eyes scanning the crowd. Eight parties emerged from the gathering and moved to the appointed spot.
"Those undecided, I ask you to stay until the battles unfold. Witness our strength, and then decide," Kuroi added, his tone steady. "If you still doubt my worthiness, you're free to leave." The remaining crowd settled into the spectator stands, anticipation thick in the air.
The eight challenger parties introduced themselves one by one.
The first party included two mages, two warriors, and a healer. They boasted "We are the best Rank A adventurers from the south, The Penta brothers" they declared with confidence.
A duo of formidable orcs, humongous in size, wielding battle axes, exuded an air of intimidation. " We are The Legendary Axe Brotherhood. Fear the Orc lords, peasants!"
A group of four knights with number 2 of clubs, diamonds, hearts and spades respectively on their white shiny armor declared, "We are the deuce from the Kingdom Deckaris, one of the most elite of all the soldiers."
A group of four sages, each wearing a robe of different colour representing different aspects, introduced themselves. The sage in Deep blue robe said "I am the Sages of Magic", the sage in Pink robe introduced himself "I am the sage of Love", the sage in Deep Red said "I am the sage of Hate", and the last sage who was wearing Orange robe said " I am the sage of Faith." They claimed to be the best students of Sage of Wisdom, the greatest sage ever.
Finally, three miscellaneous adventurer groups stepped forward, introducing themselves as, The Shadow Reapers, Celestial Guardians, and Phantom Legionnaires in quick succession.
The last challenger, a solitary figure, removed her hood to reveal her face. The revelation surprised everyone but Diablo and Kuroi. "I am Valeriana Eldermist, the Queen of Vampires. The first, strongest, and eldest of all vampires. I once brought humanity to the brink of extinction. I would like to challenge his rule."
Diablo took charge, announcing the rules. Each challenger party would face one of Kuroi's groups in one-on-one battles. A party would lose if all its members surrendered or were incapacitated. The sitting area would be protected by a barrier to ensure the safety of non-participants. Diablo looked at Kuroi while conjuring a big horn, seeking Kuroi's approval. Kuroi rose, his commanding presence filling the space. "Let the trial of demons begin." With a resounding blast from Diablo's horn, the battles commenced in the castle's grand arena.