★40
THIRD POV
After several hours, the aftermath had settled, and it was time for the report. The great hall of the Star Palace was filled with the presence of every major figure, leaders of the races, and trusted allies such as Sasha, Mikasa, Elfaria, and Annie. A heavy silence blanketed the hall.
At the far end, Asteri sat alone upon his throne. His expression was unreadable, but his clenched fist told the story his face refused to show.
Blood trickled from his palm, dripping onto the crystalline floor, each drop hissing and corroding through it like acid.
Ramiris arrived shortly after, guided by Elaine. But the moment her eyes met Asteri's, she froze. The air around him was suffocating, dense with wrath and sorrow. She understood instantly that now was not the time to speak.
When everyone had gathered, Shinn stepped forward to begin the proceedings. Without a word, he raised his hand and summoned the remaining clones into the hall.
"Ban, Yami, Eto & Sai, get back to where you were."
"Understood."
The two left, but Eto stood by Towa's side while Ban's previous location was this island, so he stayed.
"Atlas, your report."
Shinn ordered, and Atlas came forward to explain.
"The invaders are from three different kingdoms. Two from different kingdoms in Jistav, which constitute the monsters and demihumans. The last invaders were people from El Dorado."
"What proof do you have to back this up?"
Shinn wasn't going to go to war without solid evidence. But as long as he has it, there's no hesitation.
"One of Mimon's Emotional Clown, Bel, I held hostage. Thanks to Eto, we were able to extract all the information needed. He also said they attacked the Kingdom of Raja for associating with us. They did, but right before we returned. Luckily, the Kingdom survived without casualties."
"Good."
Raja was safe, that's good. But to they'd attack an innocent nation for associating with us. Unforgivable.
"Elaine?"
"O... out of one hundred and thirty lives which passed away, including the enemies, only forty souls were caught. I couldn't find the others. Maybe the..."
"Move on..."
Asteri, who was silent, spoke up.
"Good. Everyone should stay by the side of the hall. I need a space."
"Good. Everyone, move to the sides of the hall. I need space."
Shinn's voice carried authority, calm yet commanding.
The gathered citizens obeyed immediately, stepping back until a wide, open area stretched across the centre of the hall.
He raised his hand, and a ripple of energy distorted the air before him.
"Looping Chaos Prison."
Reality twisted, colours bled into one another, and a spiralling portal of chaotic energy materialised. A surge of pressure swept through the hall as the prison's gate yawned open. From within, a chained figure was hurled onto the floor with a dull thud.
It was the witch. Her body bore no visible wounds, proof she had been resurrected before the prison expelled her, but the cold metal of her chains shimmered with suppressive seals, draining her power.
"I..i've s..."
"Silence!"
Shinn's voice cracked like a whip, cutting her off mid-breath. The authority in his tone left no room for protest.
He straightened, his gaze steady as he continued.
"Before you were sealed, you made an interesting request."
He said calmly.
"You claimed you would do anything."
His eyes narrowed slightly, the words deliberate, carefully chosen.
"Anything… perhaps even serving the Master?"
It wasn't what she had said. Not truly. But Shinn shaped it that way all the same, bending the memory just enough to guide it where he wanted.
"Y.... yeah."
"Do you still have that in mind?"
"Of course...that's... what I was gonna ask him anyway."
"You'll be talking to me henceforth."
Shinn stood in front of her, obscuring her view.
"O... ok."
<
"You're a Demon, right?"
Looks like her identity was discovered from day one.
"Yeah. An Archdemon, to be precise."
"As a reward for choosing to serve the Master, I'll give you a gift."
Shinn said, his voice calm yet heavy with power,
"G-Gift?"
"You'll be called Majo, The Witch, from this day forth."
The hall fell silent. The word itself sounded simple, yet to every monster present, it carried a sacred weight.
For a Demon, to receive a name was to form an eternal bond, to acknowledge the namer as their true master.
"Maj.."
Before she could finish, her body convulsed.
The chains that bound her shattered into dust, and the remnants of the Looping Chaos Prison dissolved into nothingness.
A surge of raw magic erupted from her being, black flames and shadow intertwining into a violent storm that absorbed all the light in the hall.
Her aura intensified, then collapsed inward, exploding in a blinding flash. When the light faded, she stood reborn, long black hair cascading down like ink, a dress as dark as the darkness itself, and eyes glowing a deep, ominous crimson. Two curved horns now adorned her temples, symbols of her newfound power.
The transformation was complete. The newly awakened Daemon Lord, second only to the Originals, lowered herself gracefully to one knee before Shinn.
"From this moment."
He said, her voice steady and reverent."
"I am yours, my Master."
"How many friends do you have?"
"Besides those that fell at your hands, I have five Greater Demons."
"Summon them."
Shinn commanded, his tone calm but carrying absolute authority.
Majo raised her hand, dark glyphs spiralling around her as the air thickened with demonic energy. Magic circles overlapped, weaving a complex network of summoning runes that pulsed with crimson light.
One by one, figures began to emerge, horned silhouettes stepping out from the darkness, kneeling in reverence before her.
"What rank do they classify in?"
Shinn asked, observing them closely.
"They're all Greater Demons, my Lord."
Majo replied, her tone firm yet respectful.
Without hesitation, Shinn raised his hand.
"Then I shall grant you all true form."
A wave of divine radiance intertwined with his aura, engulfing the summoned Demons. Their bodies crystallised from shadow into flesh, each gaining distinct features, armour, and presence. The moment the transformation completed, Shinn extended his palm again, and magicules surged from him like a tempest, filling their new vessels with power.
"Now then..."
He stepped forward, his eyes glowing with authority.
"Activate Summoning: Demon Summoning Magic."
Having already witnessed Demon Summoning twice, casting the spell won't be a problem.
The ground trembled as dozens of new portals tore open, swirling with endless darkness.
From within, countless demonic sigils flared to life, an army of otherworldly presences waiting on the edge of reality, ready to answer their master's call.
"I have no food, but I have unlimited magicule that'll support you forever. Come on out and be of use to your master... Demons."
Shinn extended his arm, and the air trembled violently.
The crystalline floor beneath him cracked as a surge of black magicule erupted, swirling upward like a storm. Within seconds, the entire space darkened, filled with whispers and countless glowing sigils.
From those spirals of darkness, about a hundred Greater Demons emerged, each one radiating immense pressure, their auras thick enough to distort the air itself. They came from different lineages, their forms ranging from elegant humanoids to monstrous silhouettes cloaked in flame and shadow.
Without hesitation, Shinn raised his right hand.
"I'll name you all."
He declared, his voice echoing with divine resonance. One after another, black seals of authority appeared on their bodies as his power flowed through them.
A burst of energy followed each name, souls stabilising, bodies solidifying. Their incorporeal forms gained flesh, armour, and individuality. Within moments, one hundred Archdemons stood before him, kneeling in unison, their loyalty unquestioned.
The onlookers could only watch in stunned silence. The sheer magnitude of what they witnessed defied comprehension. To name even one Greater Demon required unimaginable power... and Shinn had just named a hundred without so much as breaking a sweat.
<
Ramiris thought. This was the first time someone did something this crazy.
"We've also found the traitors. There were the recent black elves that someone made us save. Unfortunately, no corpses of those individuals and dark elves were found."
Shinn spoke, turning to face Asteri
"That bastard!"
Eto spoke through gritted teeth.
"To all the summoned demons, Majo will be your leader. I might summon you, but I've given her the responsibility."
Shinn transferred the authority to Major while holding the master lock.
"Roger!" "Understood!"
They responded.
"Atlas."
Shinn's voice cut through the silence in the hall like a blade, calm yet absolute.
"You'll spearhead the assault on El Dorado. Take no more than twenty demons."
His gaze shifted to the Witch.
"Majo, you'll lead forty demons. Burn fear into the hearts of that neighbouring Kingdom. Make them remember the name of their conqueror."
He turned to Elaine, his tone softening only slightly.
"Elaine and I will remain here. Twenty demons at our side will be enough to shield this Island from whatever comes."
Finally, his attention settled on Eto, whose grin faded under the weight of Shinn's command.
"Eto, you and twenty demons will stand guard over the Kingdom of Raja. Let no shadow cross its borders without my knowing. The remaining Demons will answer to Majo's will."
"Understood. Vasal, you'll join Lord Eto's faction. Zelda, you remain here. Barak, Amri and Spike, you're with me."
Majo issued the orders like a conductor setting the tempo of war. In moments, the five Archdemons beneath her were dispatched, each sent to a new post.
"None shall be spared. Make them pay for antagonising the Master and our home."
Shinn's command cut the hall like a blade.
"Life or death, victory shall be ours."
The demons answered in a chorus that rattled the rafters, a tide of voices hungry for retribution.
"We attack tomorrow, at sunset."
Asteri's declaration came cold and flat, his face unreadable. A dark aura leaked from him like oil, and yet something in him restrained that tide.
Shinn's gaze ran the line of soldiers, then he nodded once, final.
"Now then, dismiss."
<
After a beat of silence, the demons melted away, filaments of shadow slipping back into the dark. When the hall cleared, only Towa, the clones, Elaine, Elfaria, Annie, Ramiris, and Atlas remained.
<<100 Archdemons?...this is too much Asteri...>>
Ramiris claimed, and Asteri broke the silence.
"Atlas. I'd like to hear about Leon being involved here."
"Sure. According to Bel, Mimon ordered Azel, his right-hand man, to convince Leon to fight you. As expected, he was rejected. But when Azel came back, Mimon said whatever he chose was all part of his plan."
Annie's expression went hard at the mention of Azel. Atlas noticed this but averted his gaze.
"..."
"Leon... he might have changed his mind, who knows."
"That's still a possibility, Ban."
Shinn replied & Ban knelt as he gave his expressed his desire to take revenge
"We've crossed paths once. I'd like to deal with Leon too master. For what he did to me.."
"Permission granted. Ban and Atlas will invade El Dorado."
Shinn responded.
"For that, we'll reduce the demon counts."
"Nah, I think it'll be better if it's just the two of us."
Ban suggested.
"Well, yeah."
"Atlas and Ban alone will invade El Dorado. As usual, the remaining demons are under your command, Majo."
"Please, leave it to me."
"Um..if I may..."
"Speak, Annie."
She flinched at Shinn's straightforwardness.
"I..it's about...'
"Azel. I believe he's been manipulated somehow into doing Mimon's scheming."
Atlas stepped forward, his heavy boots echoing through the silent hall.
Annie's head hung low; she couldn't bring herself to look at Asteri, not after what had happened.
"Allow me to speak on her behalf."
Atlas said, his tone calm but firm. Asteri's gaze flickered briefly toward Annie before settling on Atlas, unreadable as ever.
"Don't tell me you want me to ease down on Azel. He's the villain here. I don't want to say it, but you all know what he did."
Shinn's voice was steel as he held Atlas's gaze.
"He's Annie's older brother. We can't just execute him without knowing if he's in control..."
Atlas answered, stepping forward for Annie.
"What the hell are you talking about, Atlas!?"
Shinn snapped, the air around him crackling as if he might unleash his aura for the first time. Shinn has never been like this, so was Wú Jí.
"It's not worth it, Shinn."
Asteri's voice cut through, cold and final.
The threat in Shinn's posture died; he turned, eyes wide, the sparks around him guttering out.
"F...forgive me."
"If he is in control, he will be punished and killed..."
Asteri continued, emotionless.
"If he is not, then it will be easier to deal with him. As for the three kingdoms, just as they spared no life, we will slaughter every soul across those lands. You may refuse, but my decision stands. If you are not ready, step back, Annie. And if you're not willing to comply, stand down, Atlas."
"F...forgive me, Your Majesty."
Annie bowed deeply, broken. With nothing more to say, Asteri vanished from the hall, leaving a silence heavy as a tomb.
Atlas was quite, unresponsive.
.
..
...
...
To be continued...