★92
ASTERI'S POV
It has been ten months since the end of the tournament, and not a single day has gone to waste. Not a day went by without us learning something new, whether it was training the new military forces, to operate their ships or wyverns.
Yes, several wyverns and demons have survived the experiment, and with the help of Scarlet King and Majo, the air force was able to easily tame the wyverns. Though I don't know the method the two were using, the results were pretty good, and that's enough for me.
Majo was in charge of assigning newly awakened demons to specific sections of the army based on their abilities and stats.
Each division has its own uniform. The army has a burnished gold uniform with emerald green accents. A deep green cloak with golden trim is also provided.
The navy has a sapphire blue with pearl white accents and a flowing dark blue silver trimmed cloak.
The air force had a radiant platinum uniform with sky blue accents and a white cloak. The respective Generals appointed their suitable Vice and Lieutenant, shaping their faction according to their knowledge.
Due to the establishment of the Star Military, most of the soldiers have fled from the island to their posts. The navy sailed around the island, the air force flew overhead, and the army established a base somewhere in the forest.
They are protecting us, so I took the risk and dissolved the barriers preventing anyone from entering the island. Curiosity but still an experiment.
With more humans and demi-humans joining us, our population grows dramatically, thanks to Ban, who is now in charge of assisting helpless humans and demi-humans.
Little by little, a squad was formed with the sole purpose of bringing us additional people. If the world rejects them, we will accept them, and if they are mistreated, we will rescue them.
New people are coming in, and the island isn't taking much. Thanks to the army, they've discovered a lot of untouched areas, caves, and forests.
I knew the island was too big for my current goals, but there have been no reports of anyone going missing because everyone stayed close to civilisation. The Palace and its surroundings are located in the island's central northern region. The rest of the island was left unexplored because I'm not an adventurer.
Now that the wilderness is exposed, the army is in charge of exploring the unexplored parts of the island. Caves, hidden caves, mountains, and all were recorded as well as the creatures living there. That's by the way.
With the military in play, I created bridges connecting the island with Falmuth, Ingrassia, and Ruberium. This will keep the forces busy because no nation is foolish enough to go to war with us.
As for the small islands neighbouring ours, the military took possession of them. A base and port was set up as well as a portal back to the island. As you are aware, the main base will be on the main island, and owning small parcels of land will benefit us in a variety of ways.
The Kingdom of Raja has a lot of wyverns at their disposal. With the demons there to protect the kingdom itself, I had all the wyverns taken to the lab for 'training' but only a few know what's going on down there.
Due to the first batch of the experiment, we now have a rough estimate of how much each species can endure during both phase one and phase two. The results allowed us to establish a baseline defining the minimum, medium, and maximum thresholds of tolerance for every species on the island.
With this data, a new subject can leave the lab better than before within a maximum of six days. And so we kept converting demons and wyverns into beings of my own.
They say no secret can be buried forever, but that doesn't apply to me. Eventually, I informed Tokito and Raiden about the experiment, and they saw the lab for themselves. They didn't complain. I don't know why, but I wouldn't care if they did anyway.
Their questions were answered, and another secret was made between us. I don't know how or why, but according to the tests, these two are more than halfway through phase two, and we've never isolated them in a lab. I didn't care much about them either, so I didn't bother.
My goal currently is to mutate all living beings on this island, human or not. With months of testing bearing fruit to accurately perfect data, I'm more than confident it'll work. But I can't bring every one in here for the experiment.
Shinn suggested that we release the phase one magicule airborne starting from the lowest percentage. And damn was it a brilliant idea. One of the reasons I like having Shinn around, his Wú Jí's core usually comes in handy.
With the island sealed in a barrier, the magic energy will bounce off. The children were my concern, but I've found a way to make them immune to the change thanks to the star above us. All this happened in a matter of ten months, and still, Magos didn't make a move.
It's been years since the incident with Mimon, his pawn, I wondered what he's planning that he hasn't made a move. Is he planning to take over the Base World or what? Perhaps he's living in a timeless plane{¹} and I'm just overthinking it.
Along the way, within that span of ten months, two banquets were held meaning two people were marked as Demon Lord and today is another day in which a new Demon Lord will emerge within that short span of ten months.
I couldn't help but feel my precious title was losing its worth. As usual, I prepared myself, dressed in a black and white outfit and a cloak, my hair tied into a bun.
"I wonder if I should cut my hair."
I spoke to myself.
Suddenly, the two maids came, and my regular attendants followed me.
I sat down with a crossed leg, gaze downwards, and eyes closed. I stayed quiet until she gave her pathetic view of why she became a Demon Lord.
After Frey finished speaking, Rain asked if anyone held an opposing view. A tense silence lingered, and after waiting the appropriate moment, I finally spoke.
"Since when was strength not a factor in choosing a Demon Lord?"
I asked, my tone calm but cutting.
"What the hell are you talking about?"
Guy, asked. I knew he would.
"From Clayman down to Frey, I see nothing but losers, weaklings."
I spoke my mind. Without looking, I could feel their gazes upon me, but I didn't flinch the slightest. I didn't need to. No one can touch me, I can massacre them all and call it a day.
"A..asta kun?"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Ramiris and Carrion asked.
"Hey, not everyone was born with strength like yours. Give them time, you might be surprised."
I opened my eyes, fixing my gaze on the edge of the table. Slowly, I slid the Demon Lord's ring off my finger and teleported it to hover in front of Guy.
"You think I was born with this?"
I asked, a faint chuckle escaping me.
"I, Asteri, renounce my status as Demon Lord. Let the unworthy wear it."
Ramiris and Milim were shocked.
"Oi, Asta, what's the sudden change of mind?"
"M—Milim is right. What happened to Asta kun? This was your dream all along, right?"
"Do you know how it hurts my pride to live under the same roof as an incompetent race, sharing the same title?"
Silence. Not one of them dared to answer.
"This was my dream—but I can't stand it anymore. I've flexed more power than all of you can even hope to imagine, and the status still feels hollow. Mortals like you can't begin to comprehend what it's like, anyway."
Still no response, until his voice cut through the room.
"You fool. Where is all this nonsense coming from?"
The table vanished in an instant, obliterated without a trace as Guy advanced toward me.
My attendants moved to shield me, but they were nothing more than debris between us. A single sweep of my will sent them crashing backwards, their bodies pinned to the walls by invisible chains.
The hall trembled. So did everyone else.
"Y—young Master?"
Atlas complained, and Shinn stood there silenced.
The Demon Lords rose, tense and ready, anticipating a clash. I remained seated, calm, eyes fixed on Guy.
He stepped forward, arm extended, my ring resting in his palm.
"Take it."
It wasn't a request not a suggestion. It was a command. Atleast hat's how it sounded to me.
"How dare you order a Supreme Being?"
My grey aura flared, crackling once, sharp as a blade against the silent air.
"Huh, you wanna go?"
"I'm leaving."
My aura died off immediately as I stood. I turned to leave but he grabbed my shoulder.
"Where do you think you're going?"
"To hell with you, Guy."
I saw the slight opening, and a repulsion orb appeared behind me, sending him backwards crashing into the distant wall.
His aura was activated, and the orb repelled it with great force. Meaning, the orb reacted to his aura. They say that unlike poles attract, but that law is mine now.
Their bodies got tensed, and the first to approach was Dagruel.
"Supreme being my ass. I always want to see what you're—"
Not in the mood to listen to his crap, his large arm stretched out to grab me. I stood still, begging for him to touch me.
Atlas appeared in a blur, caught his arm mid-lunge, and with a lazy twist of the wrist, used the brute's own momentum to sling him through the air like trash tossed from a window. He crashed down hard face-first, the giant's dignity left somewhere in the dust.
This isn't magically reversing motion but redirecting existing force.
"Why did you intervene, Atlas?"
I didn't care less about the humiliation he delivered, but that was my prey. I was hoping to use him as an example.
"'Protect the kid' was my order. Anyone bearing hostility towards you is my enemy—"
I cut his word by forcefully teleporting him and Shinn to Paradis. Anywhere but my world because they can't exist without my permission.
"L—Lord Asteri? If you're mad because of me, I'll—"
I appeared before her in an instant, golden eyes sharp, cold, and unblinking. She froze, paralyzed, trembling.
"Silence— you broken feather."
Her breath hitched, catching in her throat, as the weight of my gaze pinned her in place.
"Rrrrrrrr!"
Carrion approached me in his transformed state, his spear in hand, and attacked.
"Beast roar!"
"Carrion, wait!"
Ramiris cried, but it was too late. I caught the tip of the spare with my hand, and my gaze shifted to his surprised face.
"Don't dirty my clothes, foul beast."
A scarred chain from Babylon spiralled down, lashing down like a divine whip.
In that instant, Ramiris positioned her small frame to protect him. The chain twisted abnormally, targeting the ground instead before fading. A huge crater marks its assault.
"A—Asta kun? What's wrong with you?"
"Let me go."
I let go of the spare, leaving Carrion petrified in midair as I turned and headed for the portal.
With each step, the distance to the portal grew instead of the opposite. I stopped in my tracks, and as I turned, Guy was in front of me.
The hall was spaced out to his will before adding barriers to prevent interference and minimise damage.
"Nice move there."
He spoke, and the same repulsive orb appeared in front of me, sending me away. I channelled my aura forward with the same repulsive force to create a balance, and I stood still midair.
"I joined willingly, and I'm leaving through the same door. Don't you dare interfere with me, Guy."
I warned as I turned around, channelling my aura to match the orb, creating a balance as I flew to the portal
"You laid hands on other Demon Lords. That's punishable."
"Trust me, the last thing you all wanna do is come after me."
As I landed, I absorbed my aura.
'Guy might've recruited them fit his pitiful game with Rudra but I've had ended. This act was necessary, a catalyst to test who's going to war with me and expend the true might of the Star Military."
I passed through the barrier before disappearing into the portal.
'Well played, Asteri.'
Entares applauded but as usual, I gave him the 'Enta treatment'.
(Enta treatment = ignoring him.)
To be continued...