Aurora raised a hand, and the castle responded to his gesture, twisting and bending like clay under the will of a god. A massive chasm opened in the floor, creating an impassable gap between the hero and the group that accompanied her.
"Surprised that I've returned…?" said Aurora.
His voice was overwhelming, filled with unnatural authority, carrying a sense of superiority that completely overturned the hero's role.
"You—"
The hero couldn't finish the sentence.
Aurora's aura exploded, overwhelming. The weight of his presence fell on Cesile like a mountain, forcing her to her knees before him. It was so powerful that she couldn't even stand.
I have to warn the kingdom immediately, thought Cesile, her heart in turmoil. But how?
She was standing before the Demon King. In Thirteen they had barely managed to defeat him before, and now she was alone. The elite group that had accompanied her was nowhere near comparable to the other twelve heroes who had fought him.
Her chances of defeating the Demon King alone were… zero.
How did we even defeat a monster like this? she thought, terrified, kneeling before the Demon King.
"So… what should I do with you now?" asked Aurora, in the same calm, oppressive tone.
Cesile was paralyzed with fear. She could barely think, let alone answer.
Suddenly, a portal appeared behind her.
"Return to your home," said Aurora. "And don't come back."
"Huh? What…?"
Cesile blinked, incredulous. Hes letting me go? Why?
Fear turned into confusion, confusion into relief. Finally, luck is on my side… and I'm really going to ruin it by asking questions?
Without thinking twice, she seized the opportunity offered by the Demon King and stepped through the portal, returning to her kingdom along with her team.
Did I do the right thing by sending her away? thought Aurora.
Of course… I couldn't hurt her.
I may be the Demon King in this world, but I'm human after all. What kind of human would kill someone for such a stupid reason?
She will probably warn the kingdom. And the kingdom will take measures.
But maybe… maybe this act of kindness will make them rethink. Perhaps they won't disturb me anymore.
Too many thoughts crowded his mind.
Did I do the right thing? And if not… what should I have done?
Unable to find an answer, he decided to step outside the castle to clear his mind.
The massive gate opened slowly, and Aurora stepped outside. He moved a few paces away, stopping to take a better look at the castle.
The suspended fortress seemed to watch the world from above, still and silent, as if holding its breath.
Its lights flickered faintly, not to challenge the darkness, but to remind those looking up from below that something still existed beyond the clouds.
The wind slid between the towers, carrying a gentle chill. For a moment, everything seemed incredibly simple: the star-filled sky, the distant mountains… and that unreachable place gave the impression of waiting for someone in particular.
The sky was not just dark—it was deep, as if it had invisible layers unfolding one after another.
The stars shone with distant calm, interrupted by a disturbing presence: an enormous circular void suspended above the clouds, so dark it seemed unreal.
Around that center of shadow, light bent and twisted in a slow golden vortex, as if the sky itself were being silently pulled. It emitted no sound, no immediate threat, yet it was impossible to ignore. Looking at it made time feel slower, as if everything, sooner or later, would be drawn toward that point… even the thoughts of those who dared to raise their gaze.
It was the Eternal Black Hole of Damnation.
It wasn't a black hole like the ones Aurora knew. It was different. He understood instinctively, just by looking.
It wasn't a simple natural phenomenon, but a transcendent being, operating in a reality far superior to Aurora's own understanding.
Just by staring at it, Aurora felt an emotion he had experienced before, but couldn't understand. Fear and terror mingled with an irresistible fascination. He was drawn to it, curious. With every passing second, his heart beat faster.
He remained there, watching, a thousand questions racing through his mind.
It's visible to the naked eye… it's enormous. Much bigger than the ones I know.
What's really inside a black hole?
If I got closer… even with these powers, could I survive a space-time distortion?
A mass like this should collapse under gravity… no, create something even more extreme.
And what if… it tore gravity itself?
One question after another. But one, above all, refused to leave his mind.
What's inside a black hole? The singularity, of course… but inside the singularity?
Space-time is completely warped there. The laws of physics don't exist.
His curiosity grew with every second.
"Lord Aurora!?"
Aurora spun toward the voice.
Standing before him was a young woman, composed and magnetic.
She had long, soft, slightly wavy brown hair, framing her face elegantly, revealing delicate but determined features.
Her warm amber eyes conveyed calm, clarity, and subtle determination.
She wore a flawless white shirt with a clean cut, paired with light, wide trousers that gave her an orderly and authoritative air. A structured belt cinched her waist, adding a functional, almost military touch.
Over her shoulders was a black coat, left open like a cloak, enhancing her commanding presence. Dark shoes completed the outfit with subtlety.
"Cleia…"
Although it was the first time he met her in person, Aurora dug through his memories and remembered her name.
Cleia was one of her subordinates. The strongest. And the most loyal.
Unfortunately, Aurora's memories were still hazy, and he couldn't recall other details, but he invited her into the castle anyway.
"I thought you'd never return," said Cleia, her voice low, carrying a faint sense of guilt. "I'm sorry… for not believing in you."
"It's alright," replied Aurora. "You couldn't have known."
"Did you really do the right thing by letting her go?"
"You saw everything?"
"Well… as soon as I sensed your presence, I headed to the castle as fast as possible. I arrived more or less when you sent her away."
"I see… where were you?"
"In Suryan."
Suryan, huh?
Aurora tried to place it in his memories. On the other side of the world?
"What were you doing there?"
"I had some errands to run."
Truly impressive, Aurora thought. Crossing the planet from one end to the other in an hour was no small feat, especially considering that this world was twice the size of Earth.
To cover such a distance in so little time, Cleia would have had to travel at least forty thousand kilometers per hour.
"But we should talk about more serious matters, Lord Aurora," she continued. "I mean, about you'r other Subordinates…"