The ground stretched endlessly—a desolate plain under a dark sky, stained with a crimson hue. Death lingered in every direction, ruins scattered across the landscape, remnants of a colossal battle.

And there he stood—Nolan Baker. His heavy armor bore the brutal marks of war: dried blood, dirt, and jagged scars etched deep into the metal.

Beside him, the last of his most trusted stood firm. To his right, Celine—his wife, her face as hardened as his own. To his left, Derek—the man who had been by his side since the beginning of this long, grueling journey.

Together, they stared into the distance, where reality twisted and death itself took form. The enemy of humanity—the embodiment of despair—was finally showing itself.

Descending from the sky, wings spread wide, came Duke Focalor. Six monstrous wings beat against the air as his armored form landed heavily on the blood-soaked earth. Horns curled from his head, and his elongated claws scraped against the ground as he rose to his full, towering height.

This was no ordinary demon. This was Focalor—the fifth strongest demon in existence.

"You dare enter my domain with such arrogance and blind hope," the Demon said. "Do you fools truly believe that your pitiful human forces stand a chance against me?"

Nolan clenched his fists, tightening his grip on his sword.

This journey had never been easy. No sacrifice had been small. And this was far from a trivial gamble.

They had endured crushing defeats, spilled more blood than he could count, and lost too many along the way. The weight of their fallen comrades bore down on him—each one a reason why they stood here now, refusing to back down.

With steady resolve, Nolan spoke. "With the three of us together, we know we can defeat you."

Celine took a step closer to Nolan. "We'll do this together, Nolan. My faith is in us."

He glanced her way as he said. "Thanks, Celine."

Before them, the demon's laughter echoed through the wasteland.

"Bonds and unity?" Focalor sneered. "I've seen stronger alliances shattered. I've watched kingdoms fall and armies crushed beneath greater threats than I. What makes your pathetic bond any different?"

At that, Derek stepped forward and placed a steady hand on Nolan's shoulder.

"We've got your back, Nolan. Always."

The demon, growing impatient, let out a guttural growl. "Enough of this tiresome talk!" Focalor snapped. "Show me the strength of your so-called unity!"

The duel began, and Nolan, the master of the sword, charged with precision and deadly grace. His blade carved through the air with accuracy, each strike aiming to bring down the demon.

Celine, her bow drawn tight, unleashed a rain of luminous arrows, piercing through the dark. Beside her, Derek moved like a blur, wielding twin blades with brutal efficiency, his super speed turning him into a deadly whirlwind.

Yet, despite their skill, the Demon King's strength was overwhelming. After a brutal exchange, both Celine and Derek were left wounded.

"Celine, Derek," Nolan called out. "Take the time to recover. I'll buy us some time."

The demon grinned wickedly, summoning his Wolf Demon Avatar. In response, Nolan called forth his inferno dragon, a towering beast of flames, and the two colossal creatures clashed with a deafening roar.

But Focalor's true attack followed—a burst of dark energy aimed directly at Celine and Derek.

Nolan acted without hesitation, throwing himself in front of the blast and summoning a barrier to shield them. The dark energy struck the barrier with a violent crash.

But at that moment, a sudden pain tore through his back!

What is this?!

He turned, eyes wide in disbelief.

Derek stood behind him, a bloodied blade in hand, buried deep in Nolan's heart.

"Derek?! What are you doing!" Nolan's voice thundered.

The Demon's laughter echoed across the battlefield.

"Ah, such a beautiful sight," Focalor said as his form dissolved into mist, vanishing from view.

Nolan struggled against the searing pain and the paralysis holding him in place. His mind raced, desperate to grasp the reality of what had just happened.

"Derek?! What were you thinking?! What have you done?!" he shouted again.

He had never imagined this. The possibility that Derek—his closest ally—would turn against him had never crossed his mind. But deep down, wasn't there always something? A faint unease he'd buried, ignored?

Could this be the gravest mistake of his life? One from which there would be no coming back?

Derek's expression remained calm as he stepped toward Nolan' front, who had fallen to his knees.

Nolan clutched his chest, gasping as his very soul was being drained by the cursed blade lodged deep in his heart. His strength ebbed away with each passing second, his vision blurring as darkness crept in around him.

"Nolan, we've stood by you through everything. We've fought beside you. We've bled for you. But your ambition…" He shook his head. "It started consuming everything around you."

He took a step closer, his gaze sharp and unflinching.

"Our friends. Our comrades. They're all dead because of choices you made in your endless pursuit of something greater."

His voice hardened. "And the one person I loved most… gone. Because of you. Because of the path you chose!"

Derek's eyes burned with emotion—pain, anger, resentment.

"Your ambition, Nolan? It's bullshit."

Nolan struggled to process it all, his head shaking violently as he gasped out, "Ambition? I've been fighting for our survival!"

But then Celine, who had stood quietly between them, took a step forward. She moved to Derek's side, standing next to him.

Nolan's breath caught in his throat. "Celine?"

"I admired your courage once," she began softly. "I admire your determination. But it became something more... something dangerous. An obsession. You lost sight of the cost of this war—the lives it destroyed." 

Her voice wavered, but she didn't stop. "And in the end, our marriage only brought disaster to my family and my clan. My parents died because of your decisions."

Nolan's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Celine, you too? I did all of this for our future… for our—"

His gaze dropped to her stomach. She was carrying their child.

But Celine only shook her head.

"No, Nolan. You never really understood what I wanted."

Desperation clawed at him.

"I have done everything in my power to make your dream a reality, Celine!"

Her eyes darkened.

"The world I dream of is one where I feel safe. And I don't care about anyone else's safety." Her voice was cold.

Nolan's fists clenched, forcing himself to his feet despite the blade draining his soul.

"This great fight," he said, "is what your parents fought for too. They believed in this future!"

At that moment, Derek stepped closer, wrapping an arm gently around Celine's waist. His hand rested protectively on her stomach as he pulled her into his embrace.

"This is my revenge," Derek whispered, his voice calm, deliberate. "When you fall… she will be mine."

Nolan, gasping from the pain, felt fury rising in him—hot, uncontrollable, a rage unlike anything he had ever known.

"Derek," he growled, his voice trembling with anger. "You dare… after everything...!"

"Your power has grown too strong. Placing that much power in the hands of one man? It's a mistake—a dangerous one. It will lead to disaster."

"That's ridiculous! Are you seriously trying to say this is about fear? Or is it envy, Derek? Are you envious of me?"

"We've made our choice, Nolan. We've aligned with the Demon King to ensure balance. The weaker ones of us will handle the minor threats from the demons, but we refuse to let one man hold the fate of humanity in his hands. Power must be shared—not hoarded by someone who can't see beyond his own ambition."

Nolan's fists clenched, his voice rising.

"Balance? What balance? You've all been seduced by power! Too afraid to see me ascend beyond you. You fear that I'll become the first human to reach the 10th Stage of Gaia Transcendence—to achieve immortality and surpass all of you!"

Derek remained composed. 

"No, Nolan. This isn't fear. This is survival. Humanity no longer needs your kind of salvation. Your methods are unacceptable. You've gone too far."

He took a step closer, and whispered to Nolan. "Death is where you belong now!"

Nolan's body trembled, a storm of anger and disbelief boiling inside him, until it finally burst out in a furious roar.

"Cursed be the day I ever trusted any of you!"

The battlefield of Netheris, once filled with purpose, now stood as a graveyard of broken ideals. War cries had faded into hollow echoes, leaving only the bleak truth: this was not a hero's victory, but the fall of a warrior betrayed by those he once called allies.

As Nolan collapsed to the ground, his strength fading and his vision darkening.

And at that moment, a sudden voice slipped into his mind—a whisper, deep and resonant, vibrating through his very soul.

You have been betrayed by mankind.

What if you work for me?