I am Malavika, queen of the seven circles of the underworld. For thousands of years, from the time of my birth, I ruled hell and bent the mortal world to my will.
But I lost the war for my throne.
I died.
…So why am I here?
Soaring above Queue City, Malavika's wings spread wide, vast and monstrous. Her bare crimson skin shimmered under the sun, muscles defined, white spiked hair wild in the wind. Her golden eyes, empty of any pupils, burned with unmatched fury. In her hand, a jagged hell-forged blade pulsed like a heartbeat.
Below her, destruction smoked across the city.
She had only been awake for a few hours, and already the world wanted her dead again.
A helicopter circled her like a vulture. One hovered too close, a press chopper, cameras pointed in her face.
『Breaking News! Three hours ago, a demonic woman appeared over Queue City. Witnesses confirm she defeated five A-Rank heroes and ten villains—alone!』
『Some citizens think she's a saviour. The majority say she's a monster.』
Malavika snarled, fangs bared. Her voice shook the entire atmosphere.
"Leave me alone!"
Her rage ignited, hellfire gathered in her palm, swirling into a blazing sphere. The helicopter came closer, and she saw the fear in the reporter's eyes. Good. Let them fear.
She hurled the fireball.
Screams from the helicopter.
Blinding heat.
Then—impact.
BOOM!
The explosion didn't hit its target.
It stopped—mid-air.
Someone had stopped it. A shockwave rippled as flames dispersed.
Between Malavika and the helicopter floated a man. Massive. Shirtless. Skin dark with tattoos covering his body in burning sigils. His hair was long, black, untamed. His gaze was cold.
He didn't flinch.
S-RANK HERO
ARC FLARE
No. 20 – CITY LEVEL
The news reportere recovered instantly, switching back to performance mode.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" she roaored like a television host, shaking with adrenaline. "The A-rank hero, Arcflare has arrived! Will he defeat the demoness, or fall to this succubus?"
Malavika glared. Succubus? She was far beyond such a pathetic title.
But if this world wanted to see the dirty part of her... She would give them one, just with the blood of heroes spraying on the side.
Pointing her blade at him, her voice came rolling like distant thunder. "You, foolish hero who dares stand before me," she declared, "I am Malavika, the queen of the underworld. If you will kindly give me information on what this place is, I may spare your insignificant life."
Arcflare scoffed, not planning to flinch. The wind swirled around him, flames bursting from his skin without consuming it. His expression barely changed as he cracked his knuckles.
"Youu look like a reasonable lady," he said calmly. "But threats such as this.. empty and without meaning, don't work on me."
His falming aura explosed, waves of heat rippling through the atmosphere. Malvika felt a little sing, the air itself igniting from his presence.
From below, citizens screamed. Reporters trembled as they continued broadcasting.
『Holy shit, Arcflare is preparing one of his ultimate forms!』
『He's already absorbed the demonic flames she threw—look! He's converting them!』
『This is insane, Arcflare's flame absorption ability lets him increase the output of any hot elemental attack he absorbs. He's going full throttle!』
Flames spiralled around him—red, then white, then a violent, blinding blue. The sky bent around him, pressure building like a dying star.
『He's charging… Full Aether!』
The world trembled.
Half the clouds in the sky were vaporised by the sheer heat of his escalating power.
Malavika narrowed her eyes. Her wings spread wider, muscles coiling. She could feel it—this human had power. Real power.
She growled, fangs bared—razor-sharp, predatory, made to rip through flesh. "You chose foolishness over your own life," she hissed. "Are you not fearful of the consequences of your actions?"
Arcflare didn't flinch. He didn't even blink. Her words washed over him like smoke, empty threats from a creature already condemned. "There will always be things like you terrorising the people of Queue City," he said, voice steady as fire built around his fists. "The ones who fall by my hand are always the ones who speak nonsense."
Malavika's eye twitched. That tone, the arrogance caused her fury to ignite more than any flame. Power surged inside her, blazing through her veins as her body erupted with violent firelight, covering her bare form.
Arcflare charged first, ready to strike. He dashed forward at a terrifying speed. A hot wind screamed in his wake, ripping across the battlefield and tearing the sky open as if the clouds themselves fled his path. Malavika answered the charge, fire bursting behind her as she rocketed forward, not as bright, not as intense, but fueled by lethal intent.
Across Queue City, millions watched the battle unfold live. Citizens hovered close to their screens, breath held, hearts pounding. Some cheered for the hero—the blazing warrior of justice. Others chanted Malavika's name, drawn to her raw power, her ruthless beauty. A few just called her hot and enjoyed the chaos with sick grins.
BOOM!
Their fists met midair like colliding meteors. The shockwave shredded the atmosphere, blasting everything within a ten-meter radius backwards. Cars flipped. Windows shattered. Even as the news helicopter spiralled violently, the reporter and her cameraman screamed as the raging air threatened to throw them out of the sky.
Smoke smothered the sky, acting as a dense black cloud swallowing everything after the explosion. Ash drifted down like dying snowflakes.
The news helicopter fought to stabilise as the cameraman clung to rail, lens locked on the battlefield. He didn't dare blink, watching closely as the smoke began to thin. He zoomed in.
『Here we go…』
Across Queue City, no one breathed. Millions leaned forward, staring, waiting, already certain who the victor would be.
But what they saw shattered that belief.
Malavika emerged first—bloodied, burned, barely standing. Her bronze skin was scorched and torn, bruises blooming across her body. Smoke hissed from her pores like steam off molten rock. She was wrecked. Ruined. But still alive.
In front of her, Arcflare dropped from the sky like a broken meteor, unconscious and barely clinging to life, flames fading out.
"I… warned you," Malavika growled through ragged breaths.
The reporter's eyes widened. The world froze.
『S-She… she defeated him!』
Her voice cracked as she spoke, emotion tearing through her professional tone.
『Quick! Someone get an ambulance! Arcflare has fallen—I repeat—Arcflare has fallen!』
Phones bgan to drop. The people screamed. Fans of Arcflare stood motionless, unable to accept what they had just witnessed.
『Malavika—yes, that's what she calls herself—has done the impossible! She has defeated Arcflare, ranked among the top 20 S-rank heroes! She… she's a monster!』
—
Malvika dusted her skin, "What a waste of my precious time," she said, voice cold and void of satisfaction. She turned, scorched feet dragging as she began to leave.
She needed to find shelter, somewhere dark to heal her wounds.
But then—she froze. A presence cut through the air like a blade.
Something's coming. From above.
She looked up.
『Wait—hold on… is that—?!』
A shape descended through the clouds—a woman hovering in mid-air with casual grace, wearing a flowing white slit dress that danced with the wind, her hair long and dark. A silver shackle clasped around her neck like a cursed ornament. Her smile was calm.
Too calm.
S-RANK HERO
QUEEN SLAVE
No. 10 – Planetary Level
The news reporter nearly screamed.
『Ladies and gentlemen—this just got insane! It's QUEEN SLAVE! Ranked number 10 on the planetary level scale of S-rank heroes! If she's here, things are about to get BADASS!』
Malavika's muscles locked. Fear stabbed through her gut.
Another one?! Another hero already?!
Her wounds throbbed, still knitting themselves together.
I don't have time for this. If I stay, I'll lose. I need to escape—NOW.
Then the woman spoke first.
"Trying to run already, are we?" she said softly—yet her voice carried, slicing through the air. Malavika flinched. "There's no point. When you defeated Arcflare… you earned my interest."
Her smile widened—hungry. Dangerous.
This wasn't a rescue. This was the arrival of a predator ready to pounce on her prey.
The woman drifted closer through the air, steps silent, eyes sharp. "The citizens say you're a worthy adversary," she said, tone smooth at first—then it dropped, turning cold. "And I must admit—I'm quite a fan of your kind."
Malavika's fists clenched.
『Oh sweet mother of creation—this might be the end! The strongest villain we've seen yet is about to be crushed by a top ten planetary-level hero!』
The world watched in terrified anticipation.
Malavika stayed silent, feeling her wounds finish sealing up, skin knitting back together in a blaze of hellish regeneration. Her strength returned—pain vanished. Queen Slave hadn't attacked yet. She had allowed her to heal.
A deliberate choice.
Now Malavika understood—this wasn't justice.
This was entertainment.
She slipped back into fighting stance, flames whispering around her fingertips.
Queen Slave smiled faintly. "How impressive," she said. "A regenerative rate that fast? Fascinating."
Her eyes glowed.
"So don't you dare disappoint me."
Malavika trembled—but she crushed the fear down. She was the Queen of the Underworld, ruler of heartless demons. She would not bow.
"You bitch!" she roared, fury exploding from her core. "You dare mock me?! I'll end you where you stand!"
She launched forward like a blazing comet, flaming sword materialising in her grip. Her eyes burned with murder. Queen Slave didn't move. Didn't flinch. Didn't even blink. She only watched, smiling—almost delighted—as if this was nothing more than a game.
Malavika reached her, sword raised high—Queen Slave lifted a single hand.
"Bind."
One word. Soft. Simple. Deadly.
It thundered through Malavika's skull like a divine command. The air around them warped. Reality bent. Her body froze mid-strike, then slammed downward as if the planet itself had chosen to crush her.
What?!...Impossible!
Her body plummeted, smashing into the ground so hard it shattered beneath her. The entire battlefield shuddered as she crashed, pinned by an invisible, merciless force. She tried to rise, but something had shackled her soul. Something she couldn't understand.
She had walked into a nightmare.
End of Chapter 1/Prologue...