Above the surface, far away from Heavenfield buried deep below, Ares stood at the edge of a dense forest.
Not long after, two others slowly approached.
The first was Umi Tsukigami, a Grand Commander.
The left half of his face was covered in cold, crystalline ice.
The other was a middle-aged man. Commander Argos, carrying an old, worn longsword at his side.
Ares looked at the forest ahead and asked Umi,
"Do we have to go inside?"
Umi nodded, replying in a serious tone.
"Yes. Our mission is to ensure that only low-ranking demons exist within this forest."
He stared into the trees and continued,
"If a high-ranking demon appears, the situation will become extremely dangerous."
Without another word, the three of them stepped into the forest.
As they walked, Umi quickly gave out instructions.
"Ares, you go to the left. I'll take the right. Argos, you go straight ahead."
Argos did not reply. He simply walked forward in silence, leaving the other two behind.
Umi watched his back and chuckled softly, nudging Ares with his shoulder.
"He's as cold as ever, huh?"
Umi moved deeper into the forest.
Before he had gone far, a massive arm suddenly burst out from behind the trees, reaching for him.
A gigantic demon emerged—towering higher than the surrounding forest.
Umi showed no sign of panic.
He calmly extended his hand toward the demon that was attempting to ambush him.
In an instant, a freezing wave surged forth, engulfing the giant demon completely.
It screamed in agony.
Within moments, the nearly fifteen-meter-tall demon was frozen solid, standing motionless among the trees. Cold mist poured out around it.
Umi laughed.
"How amusing. You dare try to ambush a Grand Commander?"
"Stay right here and behave yourself until the tournament ends."
On the other side of the forest, Ares advanced deeper inside when a violent roar echoed through the trees.
The sound reverberated through the air—like a howl rising straight from hell.
Ares immediately went on alert. A blade of radiant light appeared in his hand.
But from the bushes, only a few small demons rushed out—weak, chaotic, and disorganized.
Ares let out a quiet sigh of relief.
"Just low-ranking demons… then it's fine."
He turned around, preparing to leave.
But deep within the undergrowth, a strange presence silently emerged.
It opened an enormous mouth, its teeth shaped like those of a human.
There was no skin around its mouth, and saliva dripped endlessly.
Its hot breath poured out, causing the surrounding leaves to wither instantly.
—
Outside the forest, Ares, Umi, and Argos regrouped, preparing for the upcoming selection trial.
Umi turned to Ares.
"Everything alright, Ares?"
Ares nodded.
"Nothing unusual."
He glanced back at the forest one last time, his expression turning serious.
"Let's begin."
Golden light flared once more from Ares's hand.
He raised his arm and pointed straight toward the forest.
High above the treetops, a massive curtain of light slowly materialized, expanding outward until it completely enveloped the forest—stretching across thousands of meters.
Ares stepped closer, lightly tapping the barrier, then said,
"From now on, this place is impenetrable."
—
Deep underground.
Shinji had arrived in Heavenfield.
The elevator doors slowly opened.
Before him unfolded a magnificent sight—a colossal city spread out before his eyes, its architecture reminiscent of the medieval age. Massive buildings connected seamlessly, stretching all the way to the horizon.
Shinji stood frozen in awe.
But then, a question arose in his mind.
"Ares said we're underground… so why…"
He lifted his head.
Bright sunlight still poured down from above.
"Why is there sunlight here…?"
After a moment, he shrugged.
"Well… whatever."
He began walking through the vast, beautiful city, exploring its streets and alleys, taking in everything.
But then, Shinji suddenly stopped.
The city before him was breathtaking—but he realized something important.
The selection trial wouldn't begin for another three days.
So until then…
Where was he supposed to go?