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Episode 2 part 1:"Demon King Has Emerged Once More!"
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The Winchester home glowed with the warmth of Thanksgiving. Plates scraped. Glasses clinked. Laughter slipped out between bites of turkey and gravy.
Alan leaned back in his chair, tapping his fork against his plate as the TV played some silly holiday show in the background.
Alan: "China was good… Spending a few months there taught me a lot."
His voice carried a calm pride. Diana smiled, cutting into her turkey, the knife scraping lightly.
Diana: "I'm glad you had fun, son."
Ben sipped from his glass, finally relaxed for once—shoulders loosened, jaw unclenched.
Alan reached for another slice of turkey—
The TV flickered. The screen buzzed. A loud pop cracked through the speakers.
The room froze.
The cheerful holiday special vanished, replaced by a pale news anchor trembling in her seat, earpiece shaking as she touched it with an unsteady hand.
News Anchor (voice cracking):"L-Ladies and gentlemen… I—I don't know how to say this. A crisis is unfolding right now in the capital. The Statue of the Demon King… it's—it's cracking. Parts of it have already fallen."
Diana's fork slipped, clattering against the plate. Alan stiffened, breath catching. Ben's eyes narrowed instantly, his posture shifting from relaxed father to someone… older. Harder.
Diana's chin quivered. Diana: "Wh…what d-did she s-say?"
The footage cut to shaky aerial drone video.
The towering seven-foot stone statue—once a monument of victory—was splitting open. Deep fractures crawled across it like dark veins. Each crack boomed through the speakers.
Screaming civilians ran in all directions, shoving each other, tripping, faces twisted in raw panic. Cars smashed under falling debris. Window glass burst outward.
Someone in the background shrieked through the TV: "It's happening again!"
Another voice, broken: "It's over… w-we're all dead…"
The anchor pressed a finger to her earpiece, eyes wide.
News Anchor: "W-We just received reports… eyewitnesses saw a cloaked individual near the statue moments before this started. According to multiple people, a black beam was fired from their hand into the statue's base—"
Diana slammed the table. The dishes rattled violently.
Diana: "Why?! Who the hell would want that thing free— what would they gain?!"
Her hands went to her head, gripping her hair.
Ben folded his arms, jaw tightening as he glanced at her—then back to the screen, silent.
The video switched to a shaky phone recording. A lone figure stood on a rooftop far away, cloaked in smoke, a storm of black mist spiraling around their body. Even through the camera, even through the TV… the pressure felt suffocating—like the air in the room thinned.
Alan swallowed hard. Alan (barely able to breathe): "D…Dad. Do you… do you know who that is?"
Before Ben could answer, the camera lurched. A deafening crack split through the TV speakers as the statue's upper half lurched forward, pieces raining down.
News Anchor: "Authorities are on their way but—god—Tempestia and Moonlight, the only heroes who ever defeated the Demon King, haven't been seen in five years! They… they might be dead!"
Ben's hand flew to his forehead— A sharp grunt escaped him.
Like something stabbed inside his skull.
It lasted only a second—then he forced himself still.
Diana's fingers curled tightly, knuckles white.
Diana: "No… please no… it's gonna break free any second…"
Alan heard it clearly now—his mother's fear. Real fear.
She reached for Ben's arm, voice cracking: "Ben—is your head okay?"
Ben's eyes darted around the room like he was trying to gather pieces of something he couldn't remember.
Ben: "I… I don't know…not sure what was that."
On the TV—More stones collapsed. Civilians screamed. Alarms wailed.
News Anchor: "If any S or A-Rankers are hearing this—please—please go to the scene. The city is in grave danger!"
Another camera angle caught the destruction from ground level. A crowd chanted desperately:
Random civilian: "Black Mantis! Please—if you're out there, help us! Please!"
The name hit the room like a dropped weight.
Then the feed zoomed toward the rooftop figure. They lifted a hand—energy crackling around their fingers.
A blast fired.
People dropped instantly—lifeless bodies sprawled across the street.
And then that deep, warped voice hit the speakers:
Oblivion: "Behold, mortals… I am Oblivion. The show has begun."
He dragged his hand from his head down his torso— And vanished, like reality folded around him.
The ground in the footage shook violently as the statue's upper half finally gave way, crashing down with a monstrous impact.
The house trembled. A glass on the table tipped and rolled.
Diana staggered back from the table, breathing fast.
Alan: "What the hell is happening out there? Th—the whole city's shaking!"
She slammed her hand down again—harder—dishes jumping on the table.
Diana: "Ben, we need to do something! Otherwise the city—hell, the whole world—is screwed!"
Ben stood still, shadowed by the TV's flickering light. His voice came low, rough, like it scraped its way out of his throat.
Ben: "Whoever this Oblivion guy is… they're strong. Strong enough to free Megalodon. That means… they're top five. Easy."
Diana stared at him.
Diana: "R-Really? But… who? Who the hell has that kind of power?! Are you saying he's… one of the S-Rankers? A traitor?"
Her breath trembled as she gripped the table edge like it was the only solid thing left.
Alan whispered the name again, hands shaking slightly:
Alan: "Oblivion… the new villain that's been showing up lately…"
The weight of the name sat heavy in the room—cold, thick, choking. Like history itself was warning them.
Diana pushed her chair back so fast it scraped across the floor. She stepped toward Ben, voice shaking but sharp.
Diana: "We… we have no damn choice. We go together and we fight this thing."
She dropped to her knees, arms wrapping around Alan, pulling him close. Her fingers dug into the back of his shirt like she was scared to let go.
Diana (voice cracking): "I'm sorry, Al… I'm so sorry. All the other S-Rankers aren't here to help your father, so I have to do it.'
Alan froze, breath catching.
Alan: "Mom… you can't—if you use your powers like that, it'll tear you apart. If Megalodon's back, you can't just—"
She cut him off with a glare sharp enough to stop him mid-sentence.
Diana: "Alan… if we don't stop him, there won't be a tomorrow. It's me… or the world."
Alan's stomach twisted. He felt the words hit like a punch.
Ben leaned forward, elbows on his knees, eyes locked on the flickering TV.
Ben: "This isn't some asshole trying to get famous. He's following someone's orders."
Static.
The statue on-screen finally collapsed—massive stone slabs crashing into the streets— But the pedestal was empty.
Alan's breath hitched. Ben's head tilted slightly, eyes darkening.
Alan saw it instantly. Something was wrong in Ben's expression.
Ben (low, stiff): "That's enough. Diana… you're not coming with me. I'm not letting you."
Diana turned her head toward him, lips parted, eyes drowning in helplessness. Her chest rose and fell in uneven breaths.
Ben didn't budge. His stance didn't shake. He stood like a man who had already made peace with whatever came next.
Ben: "I have to go. I need to be the hope for these people."
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