Chapter 1 The Last Fragment of the Demon King’s Crown
Demon Realm.
Dragon Skeleton Wilderness.
The previous Eternal Chosen One who led the army of annihilation was left here after death.
Demon King Marus accepted the trials of the Four Gods, leading his army to crush the challengers. After destroying the challenger’s forces, he obtained the shattered soul of his predecessor, the Eternal Chosen One, infusing it into his helmet, which sprouted an eye. Blessed by the Lord of Transmutation, he could see the future through this eye.
Thus, he stood on the shattered black armor of the defeated, gazing at the distant horizon. Behind him, tall demon warriors swung their axes, beheading enemies and piling their heads together.
In less than twenty minutes, everything unfolded as he had foreseen with his third eye. A portal appeared in the sky, and armored demon mages, riding demonic scorpion-tailed lions, rushed in. The scorpion-tailed lions landed without stopping.
The demon mage dismounted and took several steps to kneel before Demon King Marus, saying, “King of Kings, chosen by the Four Gods, Lord of Destruction, Butcher of Order, Destroyer of Nations…”
He fluently recited a string of titles.
But Demon King Marus remained motionless, the three eyes on his dark golden helmet piercingly stared at the demon mage, causing the latter immense pressure.
The demon mage presented a fine steel box with both hands, saying:
“The final piece—”
Demon King Marus interrupted, saying: “The clue to the fragment of the Demon King’s crown is in this small box, and in half a day, it will become ineffective, right?”
The demon mage, whose helmet concealed his expression, trembled his broad body.
Demon King Marus extended his hand, and the steel box flew into his grasp. He said, “Three years, a full three years, and you still haven’t found the crown fragment hidden by Kima, with only a divination clue to show for it.”
The demon mage was taken aback, exclaiming, “Your Majesty, how did you know?”
Knowing the future, Demon King Marus did not answer. He turned, tossing the steel box accurately into the arms of the Dragon Lady, saying, “If you’re ready, then begin the divination immediately.”
The Dragon Lady caught the steel box, puzzled, as she was about to report to the Demon King that the mages were ready for divination. She opened her mouth to ask what the steel box contained.
But she did not get to speak.
Demon King Marus replied, “My incompetent subordinates toiled and collaborated with the Mother of Beasts in the mortal realm to obtain a scrap of material from the Demon King Kima.”
Both the kneeling demon mage and the Dragon Lady immediately understood. Demon King Marus had gained the ability to foresee the future.
The Dragon Lady bit her red lip in delight, her dragon eyes filled with respect.
Meanwhile, the demon mage’s iron gauntlet trembled, but he forced himself to calm down and bowed his head even lower.
“I have only punishment for you,” Demon King Marus declared. “Hand over your sword; from now on, you shall not serve me.”
The demon mage presented his long sword, its blade a vivid red, with both hands. In response, Demon King Marus grabbed the middle of the sword with his iron hand, crushing it into a twisted shape.
The demon mage was infuriated: “My King, how fragile those mortals are! Why are you so generously bestowing upon them?”
“I only care about who can carry out my orders,” Demon King Marus replied. “Why are you still not retreating?”
The demon mage turned around and strode toward his ferocious steed. Seeing his master’s sword gone, the demonic scorpion-tailed lion roared at him in defiance. Furious, the demon mage jumped up and pounded its head with an iron fist.
The scorpion-tailed lion lay down on the ground, and the demon mage mounted it, soaring into the crimson sky.
“My master,”
the tall Dragon Lady stood at a height of one meter eighty-five, clad in a close-fitting suit of plate armor, with protective lobster-shell-like plates covering even the movable joints such as her elbows and knees, only reinforced with chainmail under her armpits.
It seemed that if she fell into the water, bubbles would only emerge from her armpits.
But she wore no helmet. As she spoke to Marus, her face flushed, and she said:
“The Bone Blood Pool has been prepared. The mages have already prayed to the Lord of Transmutation. As long as you plunge your sword into the blood pool, the whereabouts of the Demon King’s crown fragment will be revealed to you.”
“This will not go smoothly,” Demon King Marus said, gripping the long sword at his waist and striding toward the Bone Blood Pool. “Prepare yourselves.”
“Understood.”
The Bone Blood Pool was constructed from fresh blood and bones drawn from the bodies of the defeated, filled with blood. More than twenty demon mages stood in neat rows on either side, waiting to receive Demon King Marus.
He stepped up to the edge of the blood pool and plunged his sword into it, causing it to boil. The world changed color as a blood cloud, drifting in from nowhere, obscured the sky. The distant mountains seemed to sink into the earth at a visible speed.
Light dimmed.
In the army of Demon King Marus, the crimson weapons and the blood-red inscriptions on their steel shields glowed even more brightly, along with the runes engraved on his helmet.
The blood pool erupted, and within the splashing blood, seven-colored bubbles and three-eyed crows, or perhaps crows with multiple eyes, emerged. They swarmed in the air, their shapes constantly changing.
Demon King Marus felt his third eye growing increasingly fatigued and closed it instinctively. He gazed at the ever-changing flock of crows and decisively ordered:
“Relay my command: all troops are to drop their spoils and prepare for battle immediately.”
The Dragon Lady promptly relayed the order.
At that moment, countless black crows fell into the blood pool, transforming into seven-colored bubbles. Rising to the surface, one showed a fragment of a dark golden crown that was the length of a finger.
The perspective slowly rose higher, revealing that it lay atop a pile of frosted gold coins.
Demon King Marus quietly awaited the perspective to rise further, but a sandstorm suddenly whipped up, mixed with debris, striking the armored demon warriors and shattering it. Flags were blown down, and the flagbearer lowered his head, gripping the banner tightly.
“Kill!”
A furious roar echoed from the sandstorm, and countless red eyes lit up within it. A raiding force composed of chariots pulled by furious beasts, chaotic knights, and demonic war mastiffs, along with several flying demon dragons overhead, charged in with great intensity—like a flood—led by a demon lord riding a dark dragon.
He bellowed, “I am the Eternal Chosen One!”
Demon King Marus looked up as the sandstorm blew his pale hair beneath his faceplate. The storm, mixed with fragments and gravel, struck him, occasionally sparking.
Demon King Marus stood motionless, unperturbed, calmly watching the enemy hidden within the cover of the sandstorm, unable to suppress a cold snort.
Although it appeared imposing, all their mobile forces had concentrated in one direction, failing to strike successfully and instead becoming jammed together, obstructing one another’s paths. Compared to the Demon King Kima, who loved to lead cavalry raids, they were lacking.
“Why do so many people think they can challenge me?”
“Master, please mount me for battle.”
The tall Dragon Lady had knelt and lay prostrate on the ground, the wind tossing her ponytail. She had a saddle strapped around her waist.
Demon King Marus mounted the Dragon Lady’s back. She kicked off the ground, leaping upward, transforming into a majestic and fierce dragon amid a swirl of black light, soaring into the sky.
Demon King Marus inexplicably turned his head, his gaze piercing through the sandstorm to the blood pool.
He saw, atop a large seven-colored bubble, the dark-haired succubus Kima lying down. In the next moment, the bubble burst.
Kima abruptly felt a malevolent gaze piercing her.
Startled, Kima awoke in a jolt from her slumber, the sleepiness fading from her body, and her senses returned, accompanied by the awareness of pain.
A dull ache resonated in her chest as if someone had opened a hole in it. Kima knitted her brows, sat up, gritting her teeth, gradually acclimating to the pain until it merely persisted.
“You’re awake?” asked the white-robed holy maiden Jenna beside her. “Are you alright?”
“It feels as if a giant has struck my chest with a wooden mallet,” Kima said, taking the towel Jenna handed her to wipe the sweat from her brow.
“Normal,” Jenna reassured her. “I did a deep examination of your soul wound. It’s like uncovering a wound and shoving a probing stick into it.”
“What about it?” Kima’s expression turned serious at the sight of Jenna’s grim demeanor as she smiled and said, “Have you discovered that if you wait any longer, my soul wound might heal?”
“This is the most severe soul wound I have ever seen. It seems rooted in your soul for more than three centuries, while you are only two years old—simply incredible.”
Kima remained unfazed, shifting the topic. “Can you give some interesting comparisons that people can understand?”
“If my former heart demon was a goblin, then your heart demon is—”
“The big green boss?”
“George.”
Kima couldn’t help but gasp.
“The hole in your soul is unfathomable. If a stone is thrown in, you probably won’t even hear it hit the bottom,” Jenna shook her head. “I can only cover your soul wound with some leaves to lessen the pain a little; it might allow you to use a bit more magic.”
Kima genuinely felt that the soul wound was less painful, as if she had taken painkillers.
She joyfully embraced Jenna, nuzzling against her sturdy chest. “Thank you, Jenna.”
Jenna gently patted Kima’s back and continued:
“But this is only temporary; time will gradually nullify my treatment, and by the next time, my healing will not be as effective. You will suffer from soul wounds for the rest of your life, unless you…”
Kima paused, releasing Jenna. “I understand. To personally end my heart demon.”
Jenna took Kima’s hand, saying, “I will help you, just as you helped me before. If you need anything, just let me know.”
I can only think of ways to return to Earth… but how is that different from climbing to the moon with bare hands? Oh, there is a difference; I have a certain elf who enjoys group activities giving me a rotten plate.
Litis, the elf who came from a matriarchal society, provided Kima with the key item for her traversal.
Kima felt a headache coming on and asked, “Jenna, after going through so much, you should be approaching diamond level, right? When that happens, will you have ways to alleviate my soul wounds?”
Jenna replied lightly, “I am already diamond level, Kima.”
Kima’s tail, which had been raised, suddenly drooped.
Damn, I can no longer act with impunity like before.
“By the way,” Kima recalled something. “I just felt that someone had divined me. If I’m not mistaken, it should be from the Demon Realm; they have started to use divination to investigate the last fragment of the Demon King’s crown.”
Jenna’s oval face turned serious. “My service is nearly up; Kima, find a time for me to have a meeting with George and discuss things properly.”
What a commanding tone indeed.
Kima said, “I’ll find a time. I hope George’s treatment goes smoothly.”
And at this moment.
“Kima, you bastard! Lying black monkey! Lying buffalo!”
Forgotten for days, Acanis furiously pounded the wall beneath the iron bars with his fists while shouting.
