★47
THIRD POV
Time passed, and the awaited day arrived.
In his room on the first floor, Asteri stood before the mirror. Threads of light and shadow wove together around his form, fabric stitching itself from thin air with mechanical precision. His reflection solidified as the last fragment of his attire locked in, the mirror gleaming faintly with divine resonance.
Eyes calm yet distant, as if already gazing beyond the coming day.
"Seems like I have grown taller."
He murmured.
<
"I wasn't going to ask."
Unlike his usual white and gold attire, he took a different turn this time, one that mirrored his current aura.
He wore an elegant black robe, its surface traced with intricate golden patterns that shimmered like constellations. Fine chains draped across his shoulders, catching the faint light with every movement. The ensemble radiated both regal authority and celestial grace, a perfect balance between divinity and darkness, serenity and power.
<
"I'd be sure to tell Lady Milim and Ramiris what you said about them."
He sensed a portal materializing in the second hall and turned sharply. His long white hair was tied into a sleek ponytail, while the rest cascaded freely around his shoulders, swaying with his movement like liquid moonlight.
<
He ignored Enta and appeared in the second hall. Noticing the strange portal, the others arrived at the second hall immediately.
"We tried to teleport to the first hall but couldn't."
"That floor itself is in a different world. You only managed to get here because I was expecting you guys."
"Hmm... It's time, please follow us."
Misery spoke.
"Let's go, Shinn, Atlas."
"Yes sir."
"Um."
"Elaine, I leave the rest to you."
"As you wish young master"
The trio trailed Rain and Misery toward the black portal looming ahead.
Stepping through, they entered a vast hall where ten golden chairs circled a massive round table. Along the walls, portals and doors punctuated the space like silent gateways.
Guy and Ramiris were already present. Rain led Asteri to his seat; he strode forward with measured grace and settled into the chair, his attendants taking their positions at his sides.
<
"Hey, Asta kun. Good to see you."
She waved and approached him.
"Lady Ramiris, nice to meet you too. I'm surprised you're alone."
"Yeah, I don't have decent attendants so I came alone."
Suddenly, heavy thuds echoed through the hall. With each step, the floor trembled as a massive figure emerged from one of the portals.
A giant walked through alone, his presence overwhelming, before calmly taking his seat as if the attention meant nothing to him.
<
Asteri noted silently, observing without moving.
Moments later, another portal opened. From it stepped a vampire clad entirely in black, his aura refined yet oppressive. He wasn't alone.
At his side stood two attendants: a composed maid who carried herself with perfect discipline, and an elderly man whose calm gaze suggested far more experience than his frail appearance implied.
The three moved in unison before taking their place, the vampire settling in as though this gathering was long overdue.
<
"Dino-chan!"
Ramiris shouted, her voice cutting through the tension in the hall.
<
Asteri's attention snapped back instantly. He spun around, caught completely off guard. He hadn't expected Dino to appear like 'this'.
"Yo, Ramiris, you're still small."
He laughed, a teasing glint in his golden eyes.
"Aaa, are you tryna pick a fight or something!?"
Ramiris responded immediately, punching the air as if to declare she was ready. Her small fists moved with surprising force, full of determination.
Dino shifted his gaze toward Asteri. As their eyes met, his own widened slightly. Asteri could feel it, the subtle pull of recognition, a trace of familiarity, a connection that could only exist between Supreme Beings.
"Don't take your eyes off me!"
Ramiris suddenly flew forward, interposing herself between the two. Her hand shot up, blocking Dino's face with precision, as if daring him to make a move. The air around them seemed to thrum with restrained energy, the silent tension speaking volumes.
<
"Yo, Asta-kun."
Milim approached, her presence confident yet calm.
"Lady Milim."
Asteri greeted, bowing slightly in respect.
"I'm glad you came. You'll be one of us today."
She said, a faint smile crossing her face.
"Yeah, thank you for your help."
Asteri replied sincerely.
"No problem. It's good to help people after all."
She added with a wink before moving gracefully to her seat. Dino and Ramiris followed, taking their places without fuss.
Finally, Leon entered, flanked by his two attendants. Asteri noticed the brief, loaded glance exchanged between Leon and Atlas, an unspoken understanding, a quiet acknowledgement of the tension that lingered between them.
Without saying a word, Leon proceeded to his seat. One by one, everyone settled into their positions, their attendants standing respectfully behind them. The hall fell into a quiet order, each presence signalling the weight and significance of the gathering.
With the census completed, Rain took a few steps forward and began.
"Now, we'll begin the introductions.
Demon, the Lord of Darkness: Guy Crimson,
Pixie, the Labyrinth: Ramiris,
Dragonoid, the Destroyer: Milim Nava,
Giant, the Earthquake: Dagruel,
Vampire, the Dracula: Roy Valentine,
Fallen, the Sleeping Ruler: Dino,
Demonoid, the Platinum Sabre: Leon Cromwell,
Lastly,
Star, the Misfit Scourge: Asteri.
This concludes the introductions."
She bowed slightly and stepped back.
"Let us hear from the usurper."
Misery said.
Asteri rose. His gaze swept across the hall, taking in every presence, ancient, monstrous, divine alike before he spoke.
"I came to this world with two goals: fun, and friends."
He began.
"My first destination was the place with the densest energy, Guy's palace. I challenged him directly. The battle was long and exhausting, and in the end, I withdrew."
His tone was steady, almost reflective.
"After that, I wanted to be like him. To rival him. I decided that if I was to stand on equal footing, I would become a Demon Lord myself. With Lady Ramiris' help, I claimed land, sheltered monsters and humans alike, and built something worth protecting. They gave me the influence I lacked."
His eyes hardened.
"Then Mimon attacked my island. He sacrificed lives and slaughtered my people. I could not allow that to stand. I retaliated. I destroyed his kingdoms, and in doing so, I awakened as a True Demon Lord, absorbing him, his souls, and the human souls my army had gathered."
He paused, letting the weight of it settle.
"Today, I stand here to formally join not your ranks but Guy's. To ensure that my rivalry with Red does not end."
He claimed his seat, calm and resolute.
"Rival Guy?"
Dagruel scoffed.
"Is that meant to be a joke?"
"It is your choice whether you believe it."
Asteri replied flatly.
"Your opinion is irrelevant to me."
Valentine spoke next.
"Tampering with another's domain invites one's wrath. Why take Mimon's sacrifices? Not that I care."
"Everyone deserves to live."
Asteri answered.
"But he was willing to discard lives for his own gain."
"You did the same."
He countered.
"You hold human souls."
"I harvested souls from those who abused monsters. Evil-doers."
"And the souls your army collected?"
"We were at war. What I decided stands."
He replied without hesitation.
"Fair enough."
"Any further questions?"
Dagruel spoke again.
"You realise Mimon still had pawns you may have missed."
"I missed no one. I only struck those proven to have returned home after invading us."
"And those uninvolved who died?"
"I did not hesitate. And I will not, if the time comes again."
Asteri said calmly.
"But do you not think your revenge went too far?"
Asteri smiled faintly.
"If you truly know the situation, then you know how she suffered."
Dagruel fell silent.
Leon finally spoke.
"Is that why you attacked my nation and nearly killed civilians?"
"Atlas has proof that the invaders returned to El Dorado."
Asteri replied.
"The fact that you are alive means Atlas spoke with you. Which means he acted against my original intent."
Atlas lowered his head, barely perceptibly.
"He did."
Leon admitted.
"And what did you tell him?"
"Why do you need that?"
"To prove you wrong."
"About what?"
"Say it."
"…Mimon proposed an alliance to crush you. I rejected it. He must have manipulated events to force conflict."
"That is true."
Asteri said.
"Atlas confirmed it from Mimon's top six. Which means Atlas would never have attacked if your answer had been correct. You gave the wrong one."
"I did not. Your forces entered my nation. That alone justified resistance."
Leon snapped.
"That sounds like a wrong answer to me. Which would have led Atlas to slaughter innocents."
"But your plan already involved innocent deaths."
"It did. And it still does."
Asteri said coldly.
"Then I have every right to hunt you. Just as you hunted Mimon."
Leon replied, voice sharpening.
"Indeed, you do."
Asteri answered quietly, a thin smile forming. "But believe me, that will be the last thing you ever do."
Silence followed. No one dare to talk after such threats.
"I am glad Ban was ordered to stand down."
Atlas added.
"Sharp. I corrupted his judgement so he would not kill without your answer. Otherwise, Ban alone would have erased your entire nation."
Atlas' thoughts confirmed it. Ban would never have acted so recklessly on his own. Not to mention Asteri kept repelling him from using his true eyes.
"And the children? Keep going, and I will stop you. It won't end easily for you, that I promise."
Leon froze. Any further words might provoke the Monster in Black.
<
Guy observed silently.
"Do any of you have further questions about my actions. or the manner in which I carried them out?"
Asteri asked, rising once more. Finding no questions and reasons to drag this longer, he's closing the chapter.
No one answered. He stood tall, hair swaying as his presence filled the hall.
"I, Asteri—a Star, the Misfit Scourge—hereby declare myself a Demon Lord. Any who oppose this are free to reject it… or challenge me."
He didn't need their approval, his actions alone demanded it.
...
..
.
"I, Ramiris, acknowledge Asta kun as a Demon Lord."
"Milim Nava also acknowledges Asta kun as a Demon Lord."
"Hey, stop calling him that!"
Ramiris spoke angrily, but the room ignored them.
"Roy approves."
"..."
Dino, who was sleeping, raised his head and lifted his arm before falling back.
".."
Leon nods
"I have no problem."
Guy Crimson got up from his seat too.
"As his first friend, I, the Lord of Darkness, Guy Crimson, accepted Asteri as a Demon Lord and as the third existing True Demon Lord."
The first Demon Lord finalised.
"Now that you're one of us, take this Demon Ring."
A spherical ice materialised and it shattered into pieces, revealing a white ring. It flew towards Asteri, whose gaze is fixed on it, analysing it.
"This is more than just a ring."
He noted and Guy explained.
"It allows us to make transdimensional calls with one another. You can use it for individual or group calls. I had it made white because you're the Monster in White. But you betrayed me and chose a different colour."
"Don't worry. I can change the outfit anytime."
He slid the ring onto his middle finger, the polished surface catching the hall's light.
"The Angelic Devil complements whatever I wear."
Asteri held his hand up, letting the gleam reflect off the ring as he admired it, a subtle smirk of confidence tugging at his lips.
"Why must you always stand out from the rest of us?"
Ramiris asked, her tone teasing yet curious.
"Exactly, it's called a 'ring finger' for a reason."
Roy added.
Asteri's expression darkened instantly. The air itself seemed to stiffen, charged and heavy.
"Don't tell me what to do, bloodsucker."
He said, his glare sharp and unrelenting, like a blade capable of cutting steel.
[[IMAGE]]
[[IMAGE]]
Roy froze, caught under the weight of the death stare. Dino, who had been asleep, suddenly stirred at the shift in energy. Ramiris panicked, darting forward to intercept.
"H..hey! Chill out, Asta kun! He's just trying to have fun."
Asteri's lips curved into a sly smirk.
"I'm having fun too."
He replied.
Milim and the others exhaled in relief, sensing the tension break.
"You bastard. You two, get us something to celebrate."
Guy ordered, his maids bowing quickly before departing.
"To me, Angelic Devil sounds safe compared to the Misfit Scourge."
"Knock yourself out."
He replied dismissively.
"So, Angelic Devil, what's your plan after this?"
Dagruel asked.
"Honestly, I don't know."
He admitted.
"I think building relationships comes first. But after everything I've done… I don't think anyone will want to interfere with me."
The hall hummed with quiet anticipation, each presence weighing the words of the new Demon Lord, sensing both the gravity and subtle levity in his declaration.
"Speaking of relationships, why aren't our continents in a relationship?"
Guy asked, curiosity laced with suspicion.
"I'm glad you said continent, not nation."
Asteri replied, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"The Frozen Continent is like a base. Completely off limits. All inhabitants are demons. Partnering with it would be suicide."
"That's what makes us alike."
Guy said, attempting a comparison.
"Wrong."
Asteri shot back immediately.
"If you look closely, you'll see we're a mixed-species continent. Unlike your military base, we have people who can't even use magic, people who can't properly hold a sword. The difference is massive. And besides, there's nothing to gain from a military base."
"Because you have your own army of demons?"
"Nah,"
Asteri said casually, letting the weight of the words settle.
"Because I'm the one."
Misery and Rain, sensing a lighter moment, brought over a few things to celebrate. Plates and drinks were set as laughter and casual gossip began filling the table, creating a rare moment of respite amidst the overwhelming power and politics surrounding them.
<
<
Shinn backed Atlas's words.
<>
<
Atlas and Asteri nodded in silent agreement with Shinn's words.
After a brief interlude, the party ended, tables were cleared, and the hall's previous lively atmosphere returned. Rain stepped forward to present, while Misery prepared to deliver the conclusions.
"Time to conclude the demon lord's banquet.
Demon, the Lord of Darkness: Guy Crimson
Pixie, the Labyrinth: Ramiris,
Dragonoid, the Destroyer: Milim Nava,
Giant, the Earthquake: Dagruel,
Vampire, the Dracula: Roy Valentine,
Fallen, the Sleeping Ruler: Dino,
Demonoid, the Platinum Sabre: Leon Cromwell,
Finally,
Star, the Misfit Scourge: Asteri.
This concludes Walpurgis."
They got up and went their separate ways. Dino was about to leave when Asteri called out to him.
"A Seraphim in the blood. It's a pleasure to meet a descendant of the Holy Great Spirit of Light."
Asteri said, his tone calm but carrying a subtle weight of respect.
Dino froze, caught off guard, his gaze flickering downward.
"Umm… the Race of Gods. I never thought I'd see one of you… again."
He admitted, his voice quiet, breaking eye contact as if the recognition stirred something long buried.
For a moment, the air between them was heavy with unspoken history, the faint trace of shared legacy lingering like an invisible thread.
"Where's Feldway?"
"Disrespectful."
Most of the Seraph rarely call him by his name. Yet this being is saying it casually.
"He's been in the Otherworld for a long time. With the Master gone, he isn't coming out anytime soon."
"Yeah."
<
Shinn reported.
"Where do you reside?"
"I'm with Dagruel. Looks like you have someone to attend to."
<
"Excuse me then."
Asteri appeared before the portal blocking Leon's path. His two attendants drew their weapons, but Leon motioned for them to lower them.
"I won't apologise cause I'm not the one at fault nor will I if Atlas erased your nation."
Asteri informed him as he passed next to him.
"Lady Ramiris, a little celebration might be held. I'll let you know if it's on the ground."
"Ok, Asta kun, I wanted to visit you anyway."
"Not fair, Asta I want to come too!"
Milim spoke with teary eyes.
"No problem, Lady Milim. I'll also let you know."
"Ok, I'll be waiting. Hold on, let me send someone with you in case you forgot my location."
"I can visit any location I've been to, so don't worry."
"O... ok.."
She waved and left along with Ramiris. The hall was empty except for Asteri and Guy along with their subordinates. Red spoke up first.
"You've made it, friend."
"Thanks to me meeting you that day."
Guy smiled. Asteri turned to leave, with his attendants waiting in front of the portal. He paused midway and spoke with a smile on his face.
"I've reached the ultimate level."
Guy's eyes widened and he chuckled.
"I'm looking forward to our rematch then."
"I won't hold back this time."
"Neither would I. Just don't run out of stamina."
He teases and they both laugh.
"I have a lot up my sleeve this time."
"Good, I'll be waiting."
Asteri nods and leaves, leaving Guy and his attendants.
<
He spoke to himself.
...
...
...
...
Somewhere in an unknown realm.
A place untouched by light or shadow, where space itself felt unfinished, as though reality had been abandoned midway through its creation.
A dark figure stood there. Its form was tall and imposing, shrouded in a dense, shifting blackness that swallowed all detail. Two horns curved from its head, jagged and unmistakably real, radiating an oppressive presence that bent the surrounding void.
Whether it was standing on solid ground or floating was impossible to tell, the realm offered no reference point.
Before the figure hovered an orb. Its structure was unclear, deliberately so. It had no visible seams, no surface reflections, no defined material. It simply existed, suspended in place, as if the Concept of form refused to apply to it.
Whatever lay within could not be seen, yet the sense of awareness emanating from it was undeniable.
The horned figure spoke, its voice low and heavy, carrying intent rather than sound.
"It has begun."
The orb remained silent, offering no reply, yet a faint disturbance rippled through it's, an acknowledgement, subtle but deliberate.
"How are you progressing?"
A voice escaped the orb, calm and detached.
"Bad, Your Abyss."
The horned figure replied, its voice strained.
" He must've figured out I'm here."
A brief pause followed.
"Impressive."
The voice said.
"And you're still alive?"
"He defeated my pawn. Luckily for me, I didn't reveal myself to anyone. Not yet."
"Good… The prison?"
"He absorbed it."
There was brief silence.
"Then you should know what this means."
It's voice final.
"…Yeah."
The horned figure muttered.
"He's close to awakening."
"Eliminate him before it's too late."
"As you wish."
"Be careful. Be extremely cautious when dealing with him. He's the Third, after all."
"T… Third?"
The words alone shattered it's composure.
The horned figure collapsed to its knees, terror flooding every fibre of its being. It's breath grew uneven, thoughts spiralling out of control.
Just like Stars, Dark Stars were meant to be completely apathetic. Their Dark Arts devoured anything classified as weakness, fear, doubt, hesitation. He shouldn't have been capable of reacting like this.
And yet.... Before that revelation, a Nebula, a being that had devoured Hypergods and Hyperworlds, was kneeling.
Stars and Dark Stars shared an origin, but their philosophies diverged at the root.
Stars affirmed existence. They imposed meaning simply by being present. Their power did not seek validation, it declared inevitability.
Dark Stars, on the other hand, rejected it. They devoured meaning, reduced reality to utility, stripped worlds of worth until only void, their source of power remained. They were efficient, final and clean. Or so he believed.
The Race of Gods went by countless names and titles, but those with numerical titles were different.
Hidden traits existed among these Supreme Beings; such as azure eyes symbolised transcendence and authority, golden eyes embodied divinity and supremacy. Others bore traits that bent reality itself. Yet, a Star bearing a numerical title was not measured by traits or appearances, they existed outside that equation.
They were not defined by traits. Not by eyes that gleamed with authority or divinity nor by manifestations of transcendence. They did not symbolise power. They were power.
They do not dominate through erasure or assertion. Reality aligned itself around them.
<
"If he's one of them… I can't win."
The conclusion was immediate. Logical and absolute. He knew power and knew lines that shouldn't be crossed.
Even at the apex of Dark Stars—excluding Dark Nebulas—his chances were not low. They did not exist.
"That's only true if you continue to wait."
The orb replied calmly. Dismissing Antares's threat level.
"You'll survive as long as you play this correctly. Put him at a disadvantage before engaging. IT hasn't awakened yet, but even dormant, he's formidable."
The implication was clear. If the Third awakened, philosophy itself would lose relevance.
Any further hesitation would be failure.
"…Understood."
The horned figure steadied itself, forcing the last remnants of fear into suppression. Not erased, but contained.
"I'll meet your expectations. I'll eliminate him as soon as possible."
"I know you will. You'll need this."
Suddenly, the dark figure's body erupted with immense energy. Void energy.
Dense, violent, and suffocating, comparable to what Asteri once emitted, yet diametrically opposed. Where Asteri's presence made existence undeniable, this made it optional.
"…!"
The force drove him back to his knees once more, the realm itself trembling under the weight of it.
"I'm surprised you haven't collapsed."
The orb observed.
"You've grown stronger, Magos.
Magos wasn't taking any serious damage.
His body adjusted in real time, layers of his existence rewriting themselves as the godly dark energy coursed through him. What should have annihilated him instead became fuel, proof of what Dark Stars truly are.
"He might be the Third, but he's still a child. Compared to you, the strongest Nebula, it shouldn't be a problem."
The voice said evenly,
It paused, deliberate.
"Still, heed my warning. The moment you confront him… you might die."
This was a confirmation they won't be a solid confrontation between the two. The voice disappeared, leaving the realm hollow and silent.
Magos remained on his knees. Not in fear, he had contained it and was now a calculating.
Where a Star was, a Dark Star became. Every encounter, every pressure, every overwhelming force was not resisted but absorbed, analysed, refined. Survival itself was a form of evolution.
Once the assimilation was complete, Magos rose.
Darkness poured off him, but it was no longer darkness in the conventional sense. It did not spread nor consume, it replaced. The space around him felt thinner, as though reality itself had decided to step aside.
"Here I come… Antares."
He said, expression blank as a page.
And in that moment, his aura ceased to be dark energy, ceased to be void energy. It was Black Void. Not an absence, not destruction, but the quiet certainty that something never needed to exist in the first place.
NT3End:)
To be continued...