"Bing!! You have unlocked the dual system."
Misha's voice echoed telepathically in Tenmaru's mind.
[Transcendent Skill: The Creator acquired]
[Innate Talent: Blue Flame unlocked]
"Blue flames of the infernal abyss, I call upon thee—lay waste and consume. AVOGON NOVA!!"
A sea of flames erupted, burning the army sent by the Zonac Alliance to Crisps.
After the battle, Tenmaru immediately went to the town square to address his people.
"Your king and queen were killed—hanged on the battlefield as trophies of war. I know you are scared. I know many of you want to give up. But we are demons, the most prideful of all the kingdoms. We are no cowards. We do not give up. We march forward with grit and finesse. Even if the whole world turns against us, we still have each other—and most of all, you still have me.
"I, Tenmaru Kasmel Bal, will do everything in my power and beyond my might as your new Demon Lord to keep you safe. Not just safe, but to bring the Demon Kingdom to a greater height than during the era of my father and his forefathers before him. My goal is not revenge. Not world domination—but unity. Not only among my subjects, but among all eight kingdoms.
"I cannot do this alone. Even with my newfound strength, it is only with your help and your support. Together, we will usher in a new era of peace and tranquility."
"Long live Demon Lord Tenmaru!" a demon in the crowd shouted.
"Tenmaru! Tenmaru! Tenmaru! Tenmaru!" the demons cheered.
At the same time, the Zonac Alliance convened at their headquarters—the Fort.
"We couldn't vanquish the demons. One of them possessed a skill that destroyed the entire army. I barely made it out alive," an elven soldier reported.
"You should have just died there. You stain the honorable name of the elven monarchy," the elven ruler said coldly as he decapitated the soldier.
"Hahaha! It seems elves aren't as peaceful as I thought," the dwarven ruler exclaimed.
"We should focus on the more pressing matter at hand. What are your suggestions?" the angelic monarch asked.
"I believe we should negotiate," the dragonoid sovereign stated.
"Negotiate with demon scum? That's inexcusable. We should send a more deadly battalion this time," the human king argued.
"You are all disturbing the symphony. Evil creatures like them are meant to be purged," the spirit supreme declared.
"It's settled," the angelic monarch said. "We will deploy a battalion consisting of thirty human knights, ten elven mages, five dragonoid combatants, four spirit healers, and one angelic missionaries."
With that, the projections of the alliance leaders disappeared.
Present time — Harken
"I am very sure the Zonac Alliance will send more troops. You need to prepare, Tenmaru," Misha stated sharply.
"And how am I supposed to do that?" Tenmaru asked. "The only individuals capable of fighting are me, Volic, and Aspen."
"You're in luck," Misha replied. "You can use your skill to reawaken demons. And if we find demons compatible with the Seven Sins, that will be a real game changer."
She explained that by using his Transcendent Skill, The Creator, Tenmaru could create skills below its level—such as the god-like skill Reawakening. This skill granted individuals abilities they never possessed and increased their mana level and output by one hundred percent.
So Tenmaru began recruiting candidates.
"Enter," Aspen said as the first candidate stepped into the evaluation room. She was a timid girl with pink hair and red eyes.
"Why do you want to enlist in the Harken army?" Tenmaru asked.
"My name is Rin. My little brother was killed in the recent war. I want to prove his sacrifice wasn't in vain—by protecting our kingdom," she said.
Her mana level was eight. Her mana output was three hundred percent.
"Awaken what is hidden deep within. Reawaken, Rin," Tenmaru commanded.
Misha appraised her—but nothing changed.
"I think we've found a suitable candidate for one of the Seven Sins," Misha said with a smirk. "But which one will it be?"
Misha touched Rin.
"Ahhhhh!" Rin screamed.
"It's Gluttony—she merged with Gluttony!" Misha exclaimed in shock.
Misha appraised her again. Rin's mana level rose to eighty, and her mana output increased to three hundred thousand percent.
"What does Gluttony do?" Rin asked.
"Gluttony is a Supreme Skill. It allows you to steal the skills and talents of those you consume or absorb," Misha explained.
Misha informed Tenmaru that he could reawaken only ten individuals per day.
The second candidate entered.
"My name is Blist. I enlisted because of the amazing speech Lord Tenmaru gave."
"Interesting," Volic commented.
Blist's mana level was five, with a mana output of seven hundred percent. Tenmaru used Reawaken—but again, nothing changed.
"Wasn't expecting another vessel so soon," Misha said.
She touched Blist.
"Uhmmmmm," he groaned.
"He merged with Lust," Misha said. "And before you ask, Lust is a Supreme Skill that allows control over opponents and their abilities. It also reveals weak points and memories."
"I'm guessing some people have immunity to it?" Blist asked.
"Yes," Misha replied.
Blist's mana level rose to fifty, and his mana output reached seven hundred thousand percent.
After Blist, Tenmaru reawakened Aspen and Volic, both acquiring new sets of Supreme Skills.
A scout soon arrived, reporting that an army—likely sent by the Zonac Alliance—was heading toward Harken and would arrive in two days.
"It's not enough time, but we need to prepare. It's time to get battle-ready!" Tenmaru declared.
"Whoa… it's getting real," Rin said.
"I hope I don't disappoint Lord Tenmaru," Blist added.
Volic reinforced the barrier and set traps across the battlefield, while Aspen and Misha trained Tenmaru, Rin, and Blist. Before they realized it, two days had passed.
"You guys are late to the party," Misha said as the Zonac Alliance battalion approached. "It's obvious you lack manners."