Jean rushed to Kent’s side, her hands trembling as she knelt beside him. She pulled out bottles of healing elixirs, glowing herbs, and mana potions, pouring them into Kent’s mouth.
“Stay with me,” she whispered, brushing his hair back. “Don’t you dare die.”
Gunji knelt beside her, placing her hands over Kent’s chest. A soft healing glow radiated from her palms.
“I told you, Sister Jean,” Gunji said softly. “He’ll survive. We’ll make sure of it.”
Jean said nothing. She only held onto Kent’s hand, as though letting go would shatter her completely.
For the first time in years, tears fell freely from Jean’s eyes.
–
Demon castle…
The air over the Demon Castle twisted unnaturally, carrying with it a foul, rotting stench that spread across the abyss. The black spires of the castle trembled as if crying out in agony. From the highest peak, where the throne of the Demon Emperor once loomed, sharp howls erupted—screeches that pierced the very soul.
Within the depths of the fortress, countless ghost slaves and abyssal creatures convulsed violently. The chains that bound them—ethereal, cursed shackles—shattered with a deafening crack.
“The Emperor… has fallen!” a voice shrieked from within the darkness.
At once, the castle descended into madness. Wraiths that had served the Emperor loyally for centuries tore through the air, their twisted faces contorted with freedom, yet also with rage.
“Run! They are free now!” a demon guard shouted, pushing aside his brethren as a pale ghost lunged at his throat.
Deadly specters, once slaves, spiraled out from the throne room, their hollow eyes glowing with hatred for anything still alive. The abyssal creatures—giant bone serpents, blood hounds, and phantom bats—clawed their way out of the castle dungeons.
In the hallways, the Demon Generals stood frozen. These battle-hardened warriors—clad in black armor and brandishing obsidian swords—gritted their teeth, but uncertainty clouded their crimson eyes.
“Who commands us now?” one general growled, his sharp horns reflecting the faint torchlight.
“We wait for a sign,” another snarled.
“No! We cannot stay! The other realms will attack if we’re left vulnerable like this!”
Whispers of rebellion already stirred. Demon Elders, those who had long envied the Emperor’s throne, whispered among themselves. Some demanded the skeletal remains of the Emperor to harness his power.
Others plotted to seize the Abyssal head of demon emperor, The skeletal head said to grant the wielder absolute dominion over the Demon Race.
“Find his body,” a bony elder rasped, leaning heavily on his crooked staff. His eyes gleamed with malice. “He fell somewhere in the desolate sands. Bring me his skull.”
“But… what if that human boy still waits there?” another elder hesitated.
“Then he’ll be buried alongside our dear Emperor,” the old demon sneered.
“Crawwwhhhhllll”
Suddenly, the chaos halted. A chilling wave swept through the air, suffocating the flames in every torch.
A dagger, forged from black metal and covered in ancient runes, rose from the Emperor’s throne. Its blade twisted unnaturally, casting shadows that danced like serpents across the chamber walls.
The dagger vibrated, releasing an eerie howl that echoed across the entire abyss. Then, with a flash of dark crimson light, it flew high above the castle.
As it hovered, a voice boomed—cold, ruthless, and absolute.
“You pathetic creatures…”
The clouds churned violently as the figure of the **Goddess of Destruction and Death** materialized above the Demon Castle. Her hair billowed like black smoke, and her crimson eyes shone brighter than the abyss itself.
She stared down at the scrambling demons with disdain.
“Your weakling of an Emperor has perished,” she said, her voice vibrating through the castle walls. “But do not mourn. For I have chosen another.”
A flash of light erupted from the center of the castle, and **Philip**—a mortal human, clad in battered armor—was lifted into the air by the goddess’s will. His body twisted uncomfortably, and his eyes filled with both awe and terror.
“W-what is happening?!” Philip stammered as his feet left the ground. Explore more stories with My Virtual Library Empire
The Goddess smiled cruelly.
“This human shall rule in this place.”
Murmurs of disbelief rippled through the crowd of demons below.
“A human?!” one demon spat. “This is absurd!”
The Goddess’s eyes flicked to the source of the outburst, and without lifting a finger, the demon exploded into ash.
Silence followed.
“From this day forth, Philip is your Emperor,” the Goddess announced. Her gaze bore into Philip’s trembling form.
“Listen well, mortal. You have two months. If you do not grow strong enough to kill the one named Kent, I will replace you.” Her eyes narrowed, glowing redder. “Use every treasure this castle holds. If you fail… you die.”
Philip swallowed hard. “I-I understand, my Goddess. I swear… I will not fail you.”
The dagger above the castle descended slowly, landing in Philip’s outstretched hand. A dark aura immediately enveloped him, and the ghosts and abyssal beasts that had been freed by the Emperor’s death turned their eyes toward him.
Philip’s skin crawled under their gaze, but then, they knelt.
A roar of infernal cheers erupted from the demons as their new ruler descended to the throne, his eyes darkening with newfound power.
“Long live the new Demon Emperor!”
Philip’s lips twisted into a dangerous grin as the abyssal energy surged through his veins.
—
Meanwhile, far from the castle, in the desolate expanse of dunes, Fatty Ben sat cross-legged, chewing loudly on a piece of dried meat.
Beside him, Seventh Witch Mohini poked at the sand with her staff. Her hood drooped, and she sighed deeply.
“We’ve been walking for days,” Mohini groaned. “I swear these dunes are cursed. There’s nothing but more sand!”
Fatty Ben smirked. “That’s why you need a good stockpile of food and water. I told you, never trust the spirit world!” He took a bite from his large bread piece, smacking his lips loudly.
Mohini scowled. “You’re too relaxed. We’re supposed to find a way out of here, not eating ourselves into oblivion!”
Ben shrugged. “Hey, we’re alive, aren’t we? Look at the others. Half the adventurers might already be dead in this desert.”
Mohini frowned, gazing at the endless horizon. “There’s only two months left before master Kent return to below 9 realms. If we don’t do something soon, this whole trip will be worthless.”
Ben chuckled. “I’ll take living over treasure hunting any day.”
Mohini’s eyes narrowed. “You do realize we might die here, right?”
Fatty Ben leaned back, using his bag as a pillow. “Death, yes. Starving, no. I’ll take that as a warning.”
Mohini rolled her eyes and poked him with her staff.
“Get up. Let’s keep moving before night falls.”
Ben groaned but obliged, heaving himself to his feet.
“Alright, alright. But when we find young master, I get full credit”