Reeve stepped into the Demon King's domain not as an intruder… but as a king.
Each footstep echoed through the obsidian corridors like a judgment bell. His cloak swayed calmly, aura restrained, gaze forward—unshaken.
This was not rage.
This was authority.
The air suddenly shifted.
Reeve's eyes narrowed.
A presence—
fragile… ancient… bound.
His heart skipped.
"…There."
The moment his senses locked onto it, his composure shattered. Without another thought, Reeve ran.
Chains of the Ancient
The hall opened into a grotesque garden of corruption.
Roots twisted with black mana. Bones of fallen beasts littered the ground.
And there—
A figure bound in divine chains, suspended before a shattered throne.
Bark-skin cracked. Leaves dulled. Life barely clinging on.
The Dryad's master.
Before Reeve could reach her—
Demons swarmed.
High-ranked demon warriors.
Corrupted tree-demons.
A massive demon dragon roared from above.
Reeve didn't slow.
He erased them.
One step. One swing. One breath.
Heads fell. Mana imploded. The dragon never even screamed—its core crushed mid-air.
The battlefield drowned in silence.
Then—
Clap. Clap. Clap.
---
The Demon King's General Appears
"Well now…"
A familiar, venomous voice echoed.
Lynvar.
But this time—
No distortion.
No mockery of distance.
This was his true body.
His presence crushed the ground, ancient runes igniting beneath his feet.
"So that clone wasn't enough after all," Lynvar sneered.
"I had to come personally."
Reeve turned—eyes cold.
Before Lynvar could move—
> "Nyx."
The world froze for a fraction of a second.
🖤 [System Override Requested]
🖤 [Permission Granted]
Reeve's pupils shimmered silver.
> "Control my body. Find her."
> Nyx: Understood. I will return him alive.
---
Nyx vs Lynvar
Reeve's stance changed instantly.
Not brutal.
Not emotional.
Perfect.
Nyx moved him like a divine weapon.
Lynvar's smile vanished.
Blades of void mana shattered before they formed.
Spatial tears were sealed mid-cast.
Every strike Nyx delivered was calculated annihilation.
"For a system…" Lynvar growled, bleeding black ichor,
"…you move like a god."
> Nyx: Correction.
I move like the one who protects him.
The clash shook the castle itself.
---
The Throne Room
Reeve regained control—
And stood before the shattered throne.
Chains glowed faintly.
The Dryad's master hung there, barely conscious… but alive.
Then—
A presence far deeper than Lynvar stirred.
From the shadows behind the throne, a figure sat calmly.
No killing intent.
No hostility.
Only anticipation.
The Demon King rose slowly.
A faint smile curved his lips.
And he spoke—just one line:
> "So… the one Heaven fears has finally arrived."