The Damned Demon

Lysandra’s breath came ragged and shallow, her battered body trembling on the scorched earth.

Her vision darkened, shadows creeping along its edges as Rhino King’s armored fist descended toward her—until suddenly, the deafening sound of air being torn apart roared above her. A violent blast ripped through the sky, shattering the silence, reverberating like thunder that seemed to echo into eternity.

She blinked, barely managing to lift her heavy eyelids, heart pounding weakly. The armored titan who had towered mercilessly above her had vanished entirely, leaving only the haunting echo of a furious presence lingering in his place. She knew this feeling intimately.

It was him—Asher. A soft, weary smile tugged at the corners of her bruised lips, relief flooding through her aching body. Her voice came faintly, barely a whisper, “You came…”

And with those whispered words of relief, the overwhelming weight of her injuries dragged her consciousness away, leaving her limp upon the battlefield.

But just as despair was about to grip the hearts of the demons, a thunderous cry shattered the grim silence. From the distance, waves of fresh warriors surged forth—the Bloodburners roaring fiercely, eyes blazing with unbreakable resolve. Above them, Drogor, the mightiest dragon to exist, descended from the storm-torn bloody skies, wings spanning wide and proud, casting a terrifying shadow across the battlefield.

“Stand strong, warriors of Zalthor!” Drogor’s mighty voice boomed, shaking the earth and sky alike. His fiery breath scorched the land, incinerating hordes of Hunters with devastating precision, rekindling hope among the embattled demons. “Protect our lands from these wretched creatures!”

Demons across the battlefield raised their weapons anew, spirits ignited by this powerful unity they had never before known—a bond forged in desperation, tempered by courage and survival. Their battle cries echoed ferociously, intertwining into a single, unstoppable roar.

Meanwhile, as Lysandra lay unconscious, Rowena swiftly descended onto the battlefield, her crimson eyes sharp yet heavy with complexity.

Kneeling gracefully beside the fallen draconian queen, she gently lifted Lysandra’s battered form into her arms, examining her wounds closely. Strange, conflicting emotions surged within Rowena.

Not long ago, this woman was an enemy, someone she had despised and would have fought bitterly against.

Yet now, seeing Lysandra’s courage, and knowing what she’s been through, Rowena felt newfound respect for this once-foe.

However, her expression fell upon probing Lysandra’s body with her senses.

Isola swiftly approached Rowena, sensing the deep turmoil in her queen’s expression. Her sapphire blue eyes flickered anxiously as she asked, voice tight with concern, “She’ll be fine, right? Or… is something wrong?”

Rowena slowly lifted her gaze, her voice quiet yet carrying immense weight. “She… she was pregnant.”

Isola’s sapphire eyes widened sharply, trembling with sorrowful realization. “Was…?” she repeated faintly, voice cracking with disbelief.

Rowena briefly closed her eyes, a wave of sorrow washing over her expression. She gently placed Lysandra’s unconscious body into Isola’s waiting arms, murmuring solemnly, “Take her to our healers. We’ll tell him when he returns. Until then… we must finish this fight swiftly before that human unleashes death upon our world.”

Isola nodded gravely, lips pressed into a determined line as she hurried off with Lysandra safely cradled against her chest. Rowena watched her go, breathing deeply to steady herself, before turning back towards the chaotic clash before her. With a steely glare, she uncoiled her whip, crimson eyes blazing with lethal determination as she entered the battle once again.

Thousands of miles away, amidst a trail of devastation, Asher stood tall above Rhino King’s battered form. His voice echoed darkly, dripping with bitter wrath and finality, “I am surprised you are still alive. That’s disappointing. I was hoping Derek left someone worth killing. No matter. You’ll scream just the same.”

Rhino King raised his head feebly, voice trembling in disbelief beneath his fractured helmet, “You… you cannot be…”

At the same moment, far away on Mars, within the high chambers of the Infinity Tower, Derek abruptly stood from his chair, his usually calm face twisted in shock as he stared at the projection cast from Rhino King’s vision. Beside him, Lila, Max, and Albert shared expressions of stunned disbelief.

Max broke the silence first, his voice shaking slightly, eyes wide with disbelief, “Was it just me, or did Hellbringer just say he already killed Rhino King? Tell me I’m hearing things.”

Lila narrowed her sharp eyes thoughtfully, her tone precise and calculating, “The only one who ever ‘killed’ Rhino King was the Golden Prince. Why else would Hellbringer claim that unless—”

Albert’s voice cut sharply through, his typical calm demeanor strained, “You’re suggesting that somehow Golden Prince became Hellbringer? Impossible. Derek himself killed him and we all saw that. This has to be some mad rambling of a demon or he mistook him for someone else.”

Yet, despite his words, Albert’s eyes betrayed subtle unease, his carefully maintained composure cracking slightly.

Derek stepped forward slowly, eyes fixed with a cold intensity upon Asher’s projection. His voice came low and dangerous, filled with suppressed rage and bitter recognition, “What if it’s somehow possible? History has repeatedly shown us that impossibilities rarely remain impossible. Now it all makes sense… how he targeted everything I built, how he corrupted my family from the inside out. He’s seeking revenge. I don’t know he did it but… how dare he return when I am so close…”

His voice trailed off, fists trembling with barely restrained fury yet with something more as well. Something he hadn’t felt in a long time.

Max’s expression twisted anxiously, fear creeping into his voice, “Let’s say it’s true—Golden Prince is now Hellbringer, his soul somehow transferred to the demon side as a wicked joke by the devils. The issue is… he’s now far stronger than ever before. Look at how easily he suppressed Rhino King! How are we going to handle a demon that strong? Now, on top of Drogor, there’s another peak Soul Tyrant possibly stronger than the dragon himself!”

Lila smiled darkly, her eyes glittering with sinister curiosity, “Relax, Max. Isn’t this interesting? I always felt it was a pity we had to sacrifice Golden Prince so soon. Now he’s back as a demon. Just imagine the fascinating possibilities, the interactions I can have with him…”

Max shook his head irritably, muttering through gritted teeth, “You crazy woman…”

Albert intervened swiftly, his voice composed but edged sharply with urgency, “Okay, let’s assume this is the worst case scenario we all are thinking about. Then this is a serious development—one we never anticipated. Max has every right to worry. Rhino King won’t last long, especially if Drogor and Hellbringer combine forces. Derek, what’s your next move?”

Derek stood motionless for a long, tense moment, his expression inscrutable. Finally, he spoke, voice eerily calm and cold, “Where is Arthur right now?”

Albert’s lips subtly curled upwards, eyes glinting approvingly at Derek’s quick strategy, “A brilliant Plan B indeed.”

–

Rhino King staggered upward, armor shattered, chest heaving as disbelief slowly melted into boiling rage. His massive figure loomed heavily in the battered earth, blood and dirt streaking the golden plates, mixing grotesquely with dark mana oozing from the cracks. His crimson eyes beneath the rhino-shaped helmet flared fiercely, defiance overtaking fear.

“You… Golden Prince…” he growled, voice a low, grinding snarl echoing from the depths of his massive armor. “No, impossible! You’re dead… Derek made sure of it!”

Asher stood coldly, the fierce wind whipping violently around his form, dark-green mana flames cascading ominously over his fists, licking up his arms, surging dangerously, ready to explode at his command. His gaze was frozen, unfeeling, ruthless.

“The man you called Golden Prince died long ago,” Asher spoke softly, his voice a chilling whisper edged with unspeakable wrath. “The one standing before you is your end—Hellbringer.”

*BOOM!*

With those words, Asher’s body erupted into devastating fury – Rupture of the Damned as it unleashed a cataclysmic explosion of raw damned energy. The blast radiated outward, a terrifying wave of destructive force, engulfing Rhino King instantly.

The earth ruptured violently beneath their feet, colossal fissures splitting open like monstrous jaws. Trees splintered and ignited, incinerated in an instant, flames roaring skyward in a hellish symphony.

Rhino King staggered helplessly, the overwhelming explosion draining his immense strength, the dark mana in his body violently repelled. He roared in agony, desperately shielding himself, but the oppressive wave crushed his spirit, buckling his knees. The titan, once a symbol of terrifying invincibility, now stood broken and vulnerable, gasping desperately through shattered lungs.

Asher emerged slowly from the epicenter, his transformation complete. Bones cloaked in blazing dark-green flames, eyes glowing with cold, relentless hatred. In his grasp, a sinister ring blade materialized, wreathed in flames that crackled hungrily for blood.

“No…” Rhino King gasped, stumbling back, his deep voice trembling, thick with denial. “I won’t lose to a demon… not you… never you!”

Asher moved with dreadful elegance, speed terrifyingly precise. In an instant, he appeared before Rhino King, the ring blade slicing through the air with chilling efficiency.

Rhino King barely lifted his arm in defense, but it was useless. The blazing ring blade tore ruthlessly through the armored limb, severing it instantly. Blood erupted violently, spraying wildly across the battlefield.

“AARGHH!” Rhino King howled in agony, stumbling backward, a mangled stump spurting dark crimson.

“You think strength and armor forged by traitors and cowards can save you from my wrath?” Asher mocked coldly, his voice drenched in icy contempt as he slowly circled his prey.

Rhino King’s desperate attempts at retaliation became increasingly frantic, pitifully futile. His punches and charges, once devastating, were effortlessly dodged or deflected, each attempt earning him another ruthless slice, another piece of armor shattering, another severed limb. Asher moved like a nightmare, unstoppable, coldly methodical as he dismantled the once-feared titan piece by piece.

Finally, Rhino King fell to his knees, body mutilated beyond recognition, blood streaming freely from countless wounds. His once-proud armor lay in shattered fragments, gore pooling beneath him.

“Impossible…” Rhino King choked, his helmet now cracked, eyes wide with terrified denial. “You can’t be him… You’re not Cedric… You can’t—”

“I am exactly what you fear,” Asher said darkly, raising his blazing ring blade high, poised for the killing blow. His skeletal visage leaned closer, voice colder than the darkest abyss. “And now… die screaming.”

With merciless precision, Asher swung downward, the blade cleaving brutally through Rhino King’s thick armor, splitting him open from collar to waist.

“YARRGHH!”

Flesh and bone parted grotesquely, steaming entrails spilling onto the scarred earth. Rhino King’s final scream echoed into the void, filled with horror and agony before abruptly fading into silence.

Asher stood silently over the mutilated corpse, ring blade blazing with a grim, sinister fire. Blood dripped from his weapon, sizzling as it touched the scorched ground beneath.

He stared into the Rhino King’s corpse, unflinching and ruthless, and spoke softly as if speaking to a certain someone:

“This is only the beginning. Derek… your nightmare has returned.”

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