"So that is it..." Void spoke as the Magi clone disappeared.

Now that he had tested both power systems at similar strength, he could see the result clearly.

Although the Magi system was not weak, in close combat it had various flaws, especially the Magi body itself. It was far too weak. But against a demon that relies only on instinct, the Magi won.

"Interesting..." Void muttered as his eyes glowed with the origin of space and time. Countless possibilities appeared before him.

From the beginning of the battle to its end, different outcomes unfolded, how the fight would have gone if any decision had changed. Nearly infinite possibilities appeared, ranging from both sides dying, to one being gravely injured, to one barely injured.

Finally, Void’s eyes dimmed as he sighed.

He raised his palm as the rules increased slightly in size, but compared to the swirling energy within himself, the rules were almost like dust. Still, Void did not give up.

Although he had not yet fully understood it, at least it had grown slightly. That meant as long as he kept studying different power systems...

Perhaps, in the end, Void would become a terrifying Rank 4 entity.

With that thought, Void resumed his study once more, oblivious to how much time had passed.

*********

Back in the world invaded by demons, Nuk and his army marched out of the ruined city as night blanketed the sky. But for the demons, it was as bright as day as they advanced with precision.

Nuk studied the scale with him, pondering what they were and how they functioned, but it seemed to be an inherent attribute of that existence.

---

Ahead..

While the city had been destroyed, information had finally reached them about the other cities.

A few kilometers away stood a massive city.

Its walls nearly reached the sky as guards patrolled the gates at all times.

Deep within the city, an emergency meeting was being held as the Malard (leader of the city) paced anxiously while his ministers argued.

"News has reached us that forty small cities have fallen, and more than sixty are still holding on, all requesting aid from other safe cities..."

"This cannot continue..." a minister said, his voice raised as his beard trembled.

"Agreed. At this rate, all the small cities will be wiped out, and then we will have to face them ourselves..." another spoke.

"But I thought they were all at the front lines. How did they reach our rear?" a partially blind man asked, and the room fell silent.

"That is unknown. But now, should we send reinforcements to the remaining cities, or form an alliance with the great cities and wait for them to attack us?" a general spoke, his deep voice echoing through the pillars of the room.

"But wouldn’t that mean the loss of millions of lives?" a frail young man asked. From his expression, it was clear he was still inexperienced, meaning he had only recently gained his position.

"How kind... but it is millions against hundreds of millions."

"It seems you cannot grasp how far this could go. They are attacking from the rear, slowly eating us away. If we do not stop them now, unimaginable damage will reach those at the front lines..." an aged minister, one of the highest-ranking officials, said.

The room fell silent as everyone pondered his words.

At that moment, the Malard stopped pacing and sat down.

"Whatever you choose, remember this...our safety comes first. Prepare the army just in case, and also send messages to the other great cities. We need an alliance," the Malard ordered.

"Yes, your lordship," everyone replied, bowing as they got to work.

They then continued discussing preparations for the upcoming war.

When the meeting ended, the Malard returned to his resting chamber.

"Elijah..." the Malard called out. A tall, rough-looking man appeared.

"Prepare the passage. Take my family out of here. Also, leave some of your soldiers behind," the Malard said.

"Yes, sir," the man replied in a raspy voice.

"Oh, and call one of the attractive maidservants here... I cannot cope mentally," the Malard added as he closed his eyes.

"Understood, sir. She will arrive shortly," Elijah said before leaving.

Immediately after he left, the Malard removed his clothes and lay down in his undergarments.

His thick white hair was neatly groomed, highlighting his sharp gaze, while his slightly chubby body was drenched in sweat.

His father had ruled well, and he had expected to do the same as the first son. But he had only ruled for twenty years... far too short. He still had a long life ahead, and he did not want to die at sixty-five.

So, immediately after hearing about the demon invasion, he had already begun preparing an escape route.

Far to the east of the land, the demons had not yet attacked. It was a peaceful province where he could rest and dine in comfort.

He had already purchased large areas of land there and even transferred part of the city’s treasury.

As long as he reached it, he could live comfortably until death. Even his children and grandchildren would be safe.

His future was already secured.

Of course, if they won the war, he had nothing to lose. But it did not seem like they were winning, the casualty reports every week proved otherwise.

With that in mind, the only remaining option was to flee once things began to collapse.

Knock knock...

Soon, the Malard’s train of thought was broken as his eyes lit up with excitement.

"She’s here..."

The Malard thought as he spoke.

"Come in."

With that, the door opened. The Malard’s breathing grew heavier as his heartbeat quickened. She looked stunning, better even than some of his concubines.

Seeing her, he could not resist the urge to reach for her.

"You... come here quickly," the Malard said hastily, gesturing toward the maidservant.

"Yes, my lord," her voice replied, soft and sweet like a melodious harp.

This only made the Malard more excited as she sat beside him.

Just as he was about to continue, a rapid knock sounded at the door.

"Sir! Sir!" a hurried voice called out.

The Malard frowned immediately. His expression twisted in irritation. He swore that if this was not important, he would severely punish whoever disturbed him.

"Who is it?" he asked, standing up reluctantly.

He cast a regretful glance at the maidservant, who only bowed shyly in response, before quickly putting on his clothes.

Opening the door, he saw a young soldier standing there, his expression filled with anxiety.

"What is it?" the Malard asked coldly.

"Sir... sir, the general sent me. We have trouble..." the soldier said hurriedly.

The Malard’s eyes turned even colder.

"Just tell me what happened, you dimwit," he snapped.

The soldier’s body trembled slightly.

"The... the demon army has been spotted. They will arrive soon..."

"What?!" the Malard exclaimed in shock as his heart skipped a beat.

---

Outside the city gates...

Nuk and the rest of his army were only a few kilometers away.

It had taken them approximately a day of walking to reach the city. Although they were demons and far stronger than ordinary beings, they did not possess limitless stamina, so they moved at a steady pace.

Nuk had already noticed several souls observing them from a distance during their march.

By now, he was certain the city was aware of their presence.

He had not killed the spies deliberately.

He wanted them to know.

He remembered the fear humans showed when demons pretended not to notice them...when they were silently hunted without warning.

He wanted the same fear here.

What better feeling than letting them know of their impending death, yet giving them no way to escape it?

Nuk did not realize when a grin formed on his face.

Behind him, the demons growled softly, but Nuk was a high-level demon. None of them could move without his permission.

Even though they saw the spies, they allowed them to go.

The march continued for another hour before they finally reached the massive city walls.

At that moment, they saw countless guards standing atop the walls, bows and arrows aimed outward.

The gates were wide open as soldiers in heavy battle armor marched out.

Their spears were long and sharp, pointed toward the sky, while cavalry units led the formation, the sound of hooves echoing heavily.

Thousands upon thousands of men poured out like a rising tide, quickly blocking the view of the gates.

To Nuk and the demons, it looked like endless waves of souls lined up before them.

Like an all-you-can-eat buffet being served in batches.

As for the human army, the sight of only a thousand demonic anomalies in front of them sent a chill through their ranks.

Of course, their numbers far exceeded the demons...

But these creatures stood over two meters tall, with horrific forms and unsettling growls that shook the air.

For a moment, both sides stared at each other in silence.

The sun shone overhead.

The atmosphere grew heavy.

Cold sweat began to drip down the soldiers’ faces.