Devil Prime floated calmly with his hands behind his back, overseeing everything like a deity.
Below him, the black dot he had created began to emit gravitational pull. Weak at first, but with each passing moment, the air around it began rippled and warped, and it take about ten seconds for the sphere's pulling force grew strong enough to prey on clouds.
Ruinous Moon—it's one of his many technique.
Eltsopa, as mighty as they might seems, are born with but a single ability. Even an Emperor was no exception. But what separates Unranked and elite Eltsopa were their talent to derive power from that one ability.
In this regard, Devil Prime believed that he was unmatched. He had derived tens of power, weak and strong alike, from his single born ability.
He categorized his derived power in five Tiers, and the one he deployed right now was Tier-3 power.
It wasn't especially strong, and its need time to charge.
In normal situation, that might not sounds like a trouble at all. But in life and death situation, even a second of safety were luxury. Thus based on the concept of this derivation, he derived another even more powerful, deadly, and easy to use.
But was there any need to use it here? Clear NO.
All he wanted to do right now is to announce his presence to the world, and to accomplish that, he didn't need killing technique.
Instead, something grand and dramatic will do the job.
Below him, the black dot had grown into a tiny black hole, its surface shimmering with distortions.
The void consumed everything it touched—light, sound, and matter alike—pulling fragments of the Demonland into its unrelenting grasp. The molten rivers spiraled upward, their fiery streams coalescing into the dot. Shattered stones, fragments of ancient towers, and even the earth itself were dragged toward the sphere, creating a maelstrom of destruction.
From the destruction, incessant boom, screams, and gore—Devil Prime observed everything calmly. For the first time since his descent into this age, there was no laughter, no madness, no taunts.
He was still.
His long tongue flicked out occasionally, tasting the air like a snake, savoring the contrasting peace.
The scene was almost serene.
"Peace," he murmured, his voice a soft growl, "Such a fragile thing. Fleeting, like the flicker of a candle... but isn't it beautiful?"
He tilted his head to the sky, "Perhaps that's why they feared me. They couldn't understand why I loved to destroy such a fragile thing. But now, they're all gone. Every last one of them."
Just as he sighed, a faint rustling broke the stillness.
His senses prickling as a unnatural and mysterious mist thickened around him like a playful caterpillar. From the swirling fog on his shoulder emerged a tiny figure, her silhouette shimmering in the sunlight.
She was no larger than a human hand, her delicate, black-rainbow butterfly wings fluttering softly. Her long, black hair cascaded down her back like a river of night, and her luminous golden eyes glowed faintly. She carried an air of otherworldly grace as she sat on his shoulder, her presence primordial yet eternal.
"Welcome back, Master…" she lowered her head slightly, her voice soft like breeze yet full of respect, "It has been far too long."
Devil Prime grinned without turning to her, "Well, well, if it isn't my little pixie."
He chuckled, "Far too long, indeed. I thought you'd vanished with the rest of them, Xian. And yet, here you are. Still alive... or something like that."
Xian smiled faintly, her delicate wings fluttered, "Don't joke around, master." she continued, "I'm immortal."
"Ah, right, you are." he simply nodded, "So? Tell me, what brings you out of your misty little home? Surely not nostalgia."
"What?" she cocked her head adorably, "Shouldn't I get my Master? It's been hundreds of thousands years since we last met."
"Now don't joke around with me, I'm not your master." he chuckled, "She is."
"But you're the one who force her on me!" Xian sounds almost desperate before she laughed.
Her smile faded slightly, and then, a shadow of seriousness crossed her delicate features, "I came because it is time. The prophecy, Master. Everything has been for this moment—for your return."
Devil's grin twisted, sharp and dangerous.
"The prophecy," he echoed, his tone dripping with disdain, "You mean the Humans nonsense that caused the Elden beasts' extinction?"
Xian flinched and punched his cheek softly, "Don't call it nonsense, what the human's said may fragmented, but Shen has checked it herself and it's true."
"Even Shen?" he frowned, "Now it's sounds serious. Tell me."
"Not only shen, in fact, many factions has checked it as well. After all, that human, Mirza the Tri Eye-Oracle, was a special-class Eltsopa specialized in divination. It could be said that the aside from the Void Emperor, she had played the greatest role in the Court's today prestige" she continued darkly, "Yet, she died from the sheer terror out of what she saw it the distant future, thus causing ripples that shake all powerhouse in the world—[The rainbow will guide the lost demon god return, chaos, eternal flower bloom]—"
"I know I know," he dismissed her impatiently, "Even I know that much. Just tell me what that old Shen said. Also did Lai said anything about it?"
"..Shen said…" she closed her eyes, her voice taking on a melodic quality as she recited: "[He will sat back on his dark throne, god and demon weep, the golden little devil grinned]—"
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"AT LEAST LET ME FINISH MY WORDS!" she punched his cheek again, this time she truly agitated.
"Alright, alright. Just don't waste my time!"
"Hmph!" she then continued while pouting, arms crossed on her flat chest, "[He] was obviously you and your throne down below. [God and Demon] I don't think I need to say it to you and your beef with those sun dweller, as for [Golden little devil]... we are not sure, but it should be a human like you. Anyway, this isn't about you. As a whole... It's about the Eternal Flower and the Petals left behind. The First shattered it for whatever reason he has, and in doing so, he doomed every one of us to inherit the chaos."
His jagged grin returned, "Doomed, you say? I prefer to call it... interesting."
"Whatever." she smiled dismissively, "What we do know is this: the First didn't do that heinous deed by accident. He chose his path."
"Hey, I owe him a thank-you." he said lightly, "After all, without him, I wouldn't be here."
She clenched her tiny fist, holding the urge to beat this abominable darkness, "But you should've also notice it by now. The existence of the Tenth Emperor clearly forebode something bad. There are only nine Petals, Master. The Tenth shouldn't exist, yet he is."
"…."
Devil Prime frowned again before asking, "About all of your prophecy, does it mentioned anything about the twin or whatever I gave them?"
"…no? I don't think they are.." she noticed his smirk and immediately think harder, "Yes, about the Elden beast, on one of the prophecy I heard.. [The last rainbow will receive his blessing to plunged the world into chaos]."
"…..now that's just straight up nonsense."
"…maybe," even Xian herself also doubtful, " You've meet them, right? He had lost his grace, so the last rainbow was obviously his sister, but… did she could, ever do that..? I mean, I watched them as they grow, and that child was so soft-natured she became a vegetarian for a whole year."
"Haha, you and your stalking classic!" Devil Prime almost burst out laughing, ignoring the little fists that struck his cheek again and again, "Who said that line anyway?"
"Uh, um..Lai…"
He choked and stopped laughing abruptly, "…she said that..?"
They both looking at each other, speechless.
"Ahem," he cleared his throat, "Then I guess we could only wait for the future to unfold. But really, the last? I could smell the stench of the third from all the way up here."
"It's their mother, but no, she was no Elden beast."
"You mean to say..?"
Xian answered flatly, "She had lost her heart."
"I see, just a husk left? Then it's true that his sister is the last Elden beast." he recalled his meetings with the twin just few hours ago, "But that fella, he's gonna have a really hard time from now on."
"Zesh?" Xian nodded in understanding, "Yeah... it's unfortunate that he succumbed to his darkness, thus losing his rainbow and the Elden's grace."
"No, no, no~" Devil Prime smirked, "Ah, it's something that my old friend always said during that time when I stuck on Alkimera age, you remember? But have you heard of Heart Devil?"
"Heart Devil…? Who said that? Anu?" she tilted her head, "No, I don't think I have…"
"You didn't?" he chuckled, "Then I suggest you continue your stalking on them, especially that good brother fella. He's gonna be a real interesting thing to watch as you had your meal."
"And what's that supposed to mean?"
"Anyway," he shrugged, "So, you all expect me to fix the First's mess? To rebuild your precious flower?"
"Master," Xian said softly, "You have the power to break the cycle. The Eternal Flower waits for you, its fragments scattered across the realm. Whether you destroy or rebuild, only you can decide."
Devil Prime didn't reply, he gazed below.
It was such a grand sight like a newly formed planet building its orbital system from scratch. And amidst that, there's magic; flame lance rushed towards the black dot, giant golem punched building after building to protect its conjurer, a demons used ice to form a armour, and so on. Together, they created a great live view of survival.
But Devil didn't bother with their pathetic sight.
His sphere done charging.
"Maybe…" his tone low and dangerous, "Or perhaps... I'll do something none of you expected."
He raised one elongated hand, his jagged fingers splayed. The motion sent a pulse of energy that trigger the activation switch in the black dot.
The sphere pulsed in response, its gravitational pull increasing. Entire sections of the city has long been uprooted, massive chunks of obsidian and molten rock tearing free and hurtling skyward. The remains of the castle, once the proud seat of the king, crumbled into dust as they joined the swirling storm of debris and covered the black dot like a rolling snowball.
Amidst the chaos, demons are suffering.
After all, as strong as demons may be, they are but a creature of flesh and blood. Against the floating, adrift stone and steels, most of them practically helpless.
As for those who strong enough to defend? They busy saving their own ass.
Those who strong enough to defend and attack like the Four Minister? It didn't take long before despair to clung on their neck once they realized that their attack on the black dot are the same as meaningless.
Thus, the beautiful sight from afar was a bloodbath.
Screams, tears, blood.
Whisper of love, sorry and forgiveness, lovers promised each other to meet again in another life—
"Oh, c'mon!" Devil Prime almost throwing up upon the sight, "Are demons so drama queen nowadays? I still remember the day when they will madly marched to the battlefield even when they lost their head!"
With a lazy wave of his hand, Devil Prime froze the rising masses in mid-air; Demons, animals, and every living creatures alike were suspended, their trembling form hung helplessly amidst the destruction, staring down at the chaos unfolding around.
They were suspended by an unknown forces.
They couldn't see it but they could perceived it clearly.
After all, just a moment ago they were basically stuck to contest with the flying giant building, rushing steel, thrown animal, etc. But now it was as if they had divine protection, causing things to unable to touch them.
It was truly a salvation.
Yet, none of them cheered.
Saved from the destruction and chaos, lifted from the certain death—their situation was like the old saying, "walked out of the crocodile's maw only to enter the tiger jaw"—they felt it too clearly.
The ominous breath.
His overwhelming presence.
Even nine horned demons couldn't help but paled under Devil Prime's ancient emperor aura.
No one spoke; no one dared to even whisper.
The silence deepened, broken only by the hum of the gravity sphere above and the uprooted block of lands piercing the air and rushed out to join above. It was fortunate that those things avoided them as if alive, or else, who knows what would become of them?
The demons couldn't help but stared wide-eyed at the apocalyptic display, their terror and confusion written plainly across their faces.
Moments passed like eternity.
With every resounding boom, the black dot growing bigger and bigger in speed clear to naked eyes.
Every boom was like a hammer on everyone's heart, a cold heart reminder that this is not a dream nor illusion but a cold reality.
"Haish, look at them. Even nine horned are so weak!" Devil Prime gestured with frustration, "Just what the hell happened in all the years I'm gone? They wasted my investment!"
"You can't say that, Master." Xian smiled helplessly, "It's just that the damage left from the last war were just too great! Void Emperor basically butchered every ten horned demons."
"…what?" he asked in disbelief, "Is he that strong? I don't get that feeling from our exchange…"
"…about that, yes, I guess demons are getting too cozy since your disappearance and, uh, things happen they even buried your throne..." she turned her face away.
"I wanted to ask about THAT." he pointed at where Tom stand, "Why didn't you... Wait, did she made you..…"
"..yes….."
"…"
After a long while, he chuckled, "Alright, get off. It's about time I made my grand entrance~"
"…you and your narcissistic tendencies.."
"Hey, at least I'm not a stalker!"
Xian landed another punch before flapping away.