The moment Leo stepped through the swirling portal, he felt a wave of disorienting energy pulling him into the abyss. His body seemed weightless, and yet the immense pressure surrounding him was undeniable. The chant had worked; the diamond necklace—glowing crimson as he spoke the ancient words—had opened the gateway to the Nether World. It was a place that, up until now, existed only in hushed whispers passed down through his family, especially by his mother. Now, standing on solid ground, Leo took in his new surroundings with wide, wary eyes.
The Nether World was unlike anything he could have imagined. A never-ending horizon of jagged, black rocks stretched far beyond what the eye could see. The sky was not sky at all—it was an oppressive red void, swirling with crimson and violet hues, occasionally crackling with silent bolts of black lightning. The air was thick with heat and pressure, as if the atmosphere itself weighed down on his chest with every step. There was no wind, no movement, just a heavy stillness that pressed into the ears. The absence of oxygen didn't affect Leo as much as it would a normal human. His half-demon blood allowed him to survive the stifling environment, though he knew his time was limited. He had to act quickly before the Nether overwhelmed him.
Leo strode forward with determination, his breath steady but shallow. His mission was clear: he needed to seek help, find someone—or something—within the Nether World that could aid him in dealing with Raizen. Raizen was no ordinary opponent; even Luna, his aunt, had told him stories of the demon lord's power. Leo had always dismissed them as exaggerations, but after hearing about Kenta's death and feeling Raizen's presence, he knew those stories were rooted in truth.
But where to begin?
The landscape offered no clues, no signs of life, only the oppressive vastness of an inferno-like desert, littered with decayed remnants of long-forgotten battles—ancient bones and rusted weapons half-buried in the ash-covered ground. Time in the Nether worked differently. A day here could span weeks or even months in the human world. Leo suspected he had already been here for hours, though the stillness of the place made time feel irrelevant. He had to be careful. The last thing he needed was to lose his sense of self.
He wandered through the barren terrain for what felt like an eternity, his footsteps echoing unnaturally, as if the Nether itself amplified the sound. His mind began to wander, replaying the events that led him here. The thought of Kenta, lying lifeless after that frantic phone call, gnawed at him. His cousin had always been there for him, caring for Leo even when he had no obligation to. And Kenta's sister—still in a coma, helpless in her hospital bed. The guilt tore at him. He had to stop Raizen before the demon lord became a threat to his friends and family. He had to take action before it was too late.
Exhausted, Leo eventually seated himself on a large, flat rock. The weight of the Nether, both physical and mental, was getting to him. He didn't know how much time had passed, but he knew it had been long enough to affect him. His heart pounded in his chest, but his mind began to slow, thoughts swirling like the red void overhead. He closed his eyes, hoping to focus and regain some clarity.
Weeks passed. Leo lost track of the time entirely. His body was starting to give out—his half-demon physiology had its limits, and the oppressive atmosphere of the Nether was pushing him to them. His energy waned, his muscles ached, and his mind began to fray. Sitting atop that rock, Leo began to doubt his decision. Had it been a mistake to come here alone? Was he really capable of facing Raizen? He hadn't even tapped into his true demonic potential. The thought was as terrifying as it was infuriating.
Then, just when his resolve was at its breaking point, a shadow passed overhead. At first, Leo thought it was another illusion, one of the many hallucinations the Nether had been feeding him. But then the shadow circled back, blocking out the red haze above. Leo blinked through the oppressive heat, his mind sluggish as he tried to make sense of the approaching figure.
A demon.
The creature swooped down gracefully, her black wings spreading wide as she landed softly on the scorched ground before him. She was tall, with a lithe, humanoid figure, but there was no mistaking her demonic nature. Her eyes glowed a faint red, her skin was an unnatural shade of pale, and two horns protruded from her forehead, curving back toward her crown. She seemed both terrifying and beautiful, an ethereal presence in the desolation.
Leo instinctively tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him. The demon woman moved swiftly, grabbing him by the arm before he could collapse. Without a word, she reached into a pouch at her side and pulled out what looked like a shriveled root—a plant that seemed to pulse with life despite its withered appearance. She offered it to him.
"Eat this," she said, her voice firm but oddly familiar.
Leo hesitated for a moment, but he was in no position to argue. He took the root and bit into it, grimacing as the bitter taste filled his mouth. Almost immediately, he felt a surge of energy flood through his body. His limbs tingled, his mind cleared, and the oppressive weight of the Nether lifted, if only slightly. He breathed deeply, feeling his strength return.
When he opened his eyes again, the demon woman was kneeling beside him, watching him intently. He blinked in surprise, recognizing her face—his aunt, Luna. It had been years since he'd last seen her, and she looked almost unchanged, save for the small traces of her demonic heritage that now stood out more clearly.
"Luna…" Leo whispered, still recovering from the shock. "It's really you."
Luna smiled softly, her wings folding behind her. "Yes, it's me. I'm glad you had the patience to wait for me. It took me a while to find you, but I sensed the signal from the diamond necklace. It's good to see you alive, Leo."
Leo nodded, still catching his breath. "I came here for a reason… I need your help."
"I know why you're here," Luna said, her expression darkening. "Raizen has returned. The seal that held him for 2,000 years has been broken. His presence is already felt in the Nether. The very ground is trembling because of it. Volcanoes erupting, storms raging—he's disrupting the balance of everything."
Leo's heart skipped a beat. "So it's true… I didn't want to believe it."
Luna stood up, offering her hand to help him to his feet. "Come on, we can talk more on the way to my home. It's a long journey, and we don't have much time."
Leo took her hand and stood, his legs still shaky but much stronger than before. Together, they spread their wings—his barely used, but hers moving with the grace of a seasoned flyer—and they took to the skies. As they soared through the red void of the Nether, Luna began to speak again.
"You don't know the full extent of Raizen's power," Luna said, her voice carrying easily over the wind. "I've felt his aura before, and it's unlike anything you can imagine. He doesn't just destroy his enemies; he erases them. Entire civilizations have crumbled at his command."
Leo frowned, the weight of her words pressing down on him. "Have you… have you ever fought him?"
Luna hesitated for a moment, her eyes distant. "Yes, once. Long ago. I was foolish enough to challenge him when he first arrived in the Nether. I thought I could stand against him. I was wrong."
Leo's curiosity piqued. "But you survived. How?"
She looked at him, her eyes filled with a sadness he hadn't seen before. "I survived because the Demon King, my husband, sacrificed himself to send me away. Raizen's power was too great… we were betrayed from within, and the Nether was left without a ruler. I've been in hiding ever since."
Leo didn't press further. He could see the pain in her expression, the weight of her memories. They flew in silence for a while, the desolate landscape of the Nether passing beneath them like a never-ending wasteland. After what felt like an eternity, they finally arrived at Luna's home—a grand castle built into the side of a towering, black mountain.
As they landed at the entrance, Leo felt a strange sense of nostalgia. He hadn't been here in years, not since he was a child. The memories flooded back—running through the halls, playing with his cousins, listening to stories about the Demon King and the Nether's history.
But something was wrong.
As they approached the grand entrance, a chill ran down Leo's spine. The air was thick with a palpable tension, and the familiar halls seemed darker, more foreboding. Luna sensed it too, her wings tensing as she stepped cautiously forward.
When they entered the main hall, they stopped in their tracks.
Sitting on the throne, in the very center of the room, was a figure they hadn't expected to see. The aura of power radiating from him was unmistakable. His presence froze the very air around them, and in that moment, both Leo and Luna realized the truth.
Raizen had already arrived.
The ancient king, once sealed away for 2,000 years, now sat before them, his eyes glowing with a terrifying energy. He had returned, and the world—both Nether and human—was in grave danger.
The silence in the room was deafening. Leo's heart raced as he tried to comprehend the gravity of the situation. Raizen's gaze locked onto him, and for a moment, everything else ceased to exist.
This was it. The battle for their world had just begun.