"A madman's last words."
The knight captain sneered cruelly, finally losing all patience.
His sword, infused with divine holy power, pierced the air with a sharp whistle as he thrust it downward!
With a single strike, this damned prince would be nailed to the prison cart, and his warm blood would stain this eternal wasteland in the most brilliant shade of red.
Yet, just as the gleaming blade approached Lucian's chest—mere inches away—it froze midair.
Not blocked by any physical barrier, but halted by an invisible force—an overwhelming will so terrifying it seemed capable of crushing the heavens themselves.
"Answer my call..."
Lucian slowly raised his head.
Instead of fear, his eyes now burned with golden flames of absolute dominance.
In a tone ancient and forbidden, he uttered the true name:
"Aza—gor!"
The moment the name left his lips, the sky tore apart!
The eternally gray canopy covering the Eternal Frozen Wasteland was ripped open by an overwhelming, brutal force!
A massive abyssal rift gaped open in the heavens, connecting to an unknown dimension.
Pure sulfur and flame poured forth like a heavenly flood, mixed with primal killing intent and an insatiable thirst for conquest, draining the air within a hundred meters completely dry!
"W-What the hell is that?!"
One of the knights screamed, his hand trembling violently as he pointed at the sky.
In the horrified gazes of the knights, a towering figure—nearly five meters tall—stepped forth from the rift. Clad in molten-black armor resembling forged lava, wielding a massive infernal battle axe, the terrifying demon god descended.
BOOM!!!
As his feet touched the ground, the earth sank under his weight. The steel-hard black ice cracked like spiderwebs from the impact.
He spared not even a glance at the surrounding ants.
Striding forward, the demon god knelt before the prison cart, facing Lucian.
Lowering his helmet, adorned with countless howling faces, his voice boomed—not like a bell, but like the eruption of countless volcanoes, shaking the very air to silence:
"Azagor, Demon Lord of War, at your command, my master... Azrael!"
"Az... Azrael?!"
The name struck the knight captain like a thunderclap.
Forbidden!
This was the ultimate taboo etched into every holy scripture of the Church!
The one who once defied the Supreme God, commanding legions of demon lords—the Abyssal Sovereign!
Who was this discarded prince truly?!
Panic shattered every ounce of the captain's reason and pride. Screaming in terror, he yanked his sword free and spun his horse to flee.
Lucian's pale face remained expressionless.
Raising a hand weakly, he pointed at the scattering knights, his voice cold enough to freeze their souls:
"They dared offend the future king."
"Azagor, I don't want to see them again."
"As you command!"
The Demon Lord of War rose.
His towering frame cast a deathly shadow over the snowy field.
Without even using his massive battle axe, Azagor's crimson eyes swept over the knights. The pure will of war descended.
BOOM! BOOM!
The nearest knights burst open without even a scream.
Their steel armor crumpled like paper, and their bodies exploded into crimson vapor under the immense pressure.
The remaining knights went mad with fear, desperately urging their horses to flee.
Azagor let out a disdainful grunt.
Casually, he swung his battle axe.
A flash of crimson-black light sliced through space, leaving faint black scars in its wake.
There was no thunderous crash.
The world fell into deathly silence.
Knights, horses, even their once-blessed holy armor—everything was cleanly bisected.
The cuts were smooth as glass.
No blood spilled; all flesh and bone instantly vaporized by the infernal energy within the axe light.
A subtle pulse stirred deep within Lucian's soul.
[Abyssal Dominion Core fully activated.]
[Holy Alliance knights slain. Holy essence absorbed and converted into life energy. Repairing host body...]
A warm current surged into Lucian's nearly drained body.
The biting cold dissipated, failing organs revived, and strength returned to his limbs.
Gripping the icy bars of the prison cart, he slowly stood as the metal groaned under his weight.
Looking around, he saw the frozen field littered with corpses, yet the world had completely changed.
Before him knelt the Demon Lord of War, pledging eternal loyalty.
Behind him, shrouded in snow, loomed the silhouette of Blackwood Keep—his exiled domain, and soon, his kingdom.
The path of vengeance had officially begun on this godforsaken wasteland.