Time passed.
The Vastyrion Realm had truly become a better place.
Peace remained for years, not fragile, not temporary, but steady. Under this peace, King Baldrick and the Kingdom of Aldervain grew stronger. The kingdom expanded its defenses, preparing for the day peace might shatter. Walls were reinforced. Systems were improved. Strategies were refined.
The army became far more formidable.
They developed weapons specifically designed to deal with demons. Even though the soldiers were already capable of killing demons without them, these weapons ensured greater win conditions in case of another invasion. Aldervain no longer relied on hope alone.
Meanwhile, Fred had grown.
Now nineteen years old, he stood as a young general. Serious, calm, and cunning, he walked beside King Baldrick and the other generals down the large stone stairs outside the palace. The king rode his horse forward, greeting the people as he passed. The generals beside him rode as well, their presence commanding respect.
The crowd was noisy but disciplined. Cheers filled the air, yet order remained.
The city itself had transformed. Houses were cleaner and stronger. Buildings rose tall and elegant. Markets flourished. Wide areas opened for people to gather. Rivers flowed broader and clearer, reflecting the sunlight beautifully.
King Baldrick smiled as he greeted the people, returning their respect with sincerity.
He silently promised himself that he would never become a corrupt king like some of Aldervain's past rulers. One of them had even fallen so far as to become a demon, rising as a powerful demon lord before being defeated by the 8th Sentinel.
Now, Aldervain stood in a far better place under Baldrick's rule.
High above, The Elders watched.
They were beings over three billion years old, ancient witnesses to Aldervain's later ages. Though the kingdom itself had existed for trillions of years, the Elders had seen only the kings of the past few billion years. They had watched rulers rise and fall, empires fracture, and wars consume entire eras
In terms of politics and economic management, Baldrick was by far the greatest king Aldervain had ever had. The strongest king, however, remained the first king, who had once served as the right hand of the 1st Sentinel during the early age of the Vastyrion Realm, when wars against demons never ceased and peace was unknown.
Now, Baldrick stood within his palace.
Near a large window, light poured into the hall. The palace interior was elegant, styled with brown and white tones, illuminated warmly. The kingdom celebrated the founding of Aldervain.
They ate together. They talked.
One of the generals spoke, looking toward Fred, who stood beside King Baldrick.
"You are truly cunning. You invented weapons that are absolute upgrades, capable of lasting millions of years. You are insane."
Laughter followed, not mocking but proud. They were happy to have such a talented young general.
Fred smiled calmly. "Thank you, everyone. For Aldervain Kingdom and for the entire Vastyrion Realm. I serve as a general with pride."
They smiled in return. Fred was young, but his talent was undeniable.
Baldrick smiled as well. "Now, let us eat. We are fortunate that this peace has lasted so long."
They raised their drinks, ate together, and shared laughter. Nobles sat among them, not corrupt figures, but officials who helped the poor and worked for the people. All of them shared the same table, enjoying the moment.
Elsewhere, in another realm.
A realm of endless sand.
Beyond it lay a vast sea, stretching infinitely alongside the desert.
A figure floated in the air, cloaked, wearing long sleeves, pants, and sandals with tightly covered dark blue socks. Slowly, he removed his hood.
It was Michael.
His long dark blonde hair flowed freely. He looked more mature now, handsome and composed. He was twenty years old.
Since his victory over Vorthak at sixteen, Michael had traveled continuously. He had not returned to the Vastyrion Realm, but he trusted Baldrick completely.
The realm he fought for, and countless others with civilizations resisting demons, remained close to his heart.
Floating in the air, he gazed at the endless sea beside the sand.
This was a dimension he had created.
He manipulated space and time, forming a sea dimension connected to the sand realm. They were not separate, but bound together, existing side by side.
"I plan to create a civilization here," he thought. "But not yet. There are still many things I must fix."
He pulled his hood back over his face, returning to shadow.
Without raising his hand, without opening space manually, a portal formed instantly, shaped by his will alone. He stepped through, and the realm vanished behind him.
Michael returned to the Vastyrion Realm.
Now taller, standing at two hundred five centimeters, his body was well built, strong without excess bulk. His long sleeves concealed his frame, his cloak flowing lightly. A cut near his chest added to his presence rather than diminishing it.
People noticed him as he walked.
His hood was down.
He did not look cold, nor did he smile. His cloak floated slightly as he moved.
No one recognized him as the one who had saved them all.
Michael entered a well designed restaurant and sat at an empty table. He ordered a drink.
His intelligence had grown far beyond average. Traveling through realms, dimensions, and space had forced him to adapt constantly.
People inside, especially women, were stunned by his presence. He was undeniably handsome, manly, with a presence they had never seen before.
After drinking, he paid generously. The workers were shocked, but he simply told them to keep the change. They thanked him repeatedly.
Michael walked outside once more.
In his mind, he decided his destination.
Aldervain Kingdom.
King Baldrick.
He wanted to see how beautiful the nation had become.
Even the city he stood in now was impressive, with a strong army and well maintained streets.
If this was the state of a single nation, then Aldervain, the oldest, richest, and strongest nation in the Vastyrion Realm, must be something truly special.
With that thought, Michael continued forward.
Heading toward Aldervain.