[??? POV]

Beyond the countless mortal realms existed a place untouched by sunlight and abandoned by the laws of life itself.

The demons called it Infernum — an ancient realm where darkness flowed endlessly across the skies like an ocean without end.

Countless thick crimson clouds could be easily seen drifting slowly overhead with black lightning occasionally flickered deep within them — illuminating the wasteland below for only a short moment before everything sank back into shadow once more.

And from below?

The land below looked barren.

Jagged masses of blackened obsidian reared from the earth like the exposed horns of some long-dead abomination. Between those vast mountains, thick currents of liquid form Dark Mana flowed sluggishly through the land like black magma.

Ruins of broken citadels, fallen pillars and shattered monoliths could be seen almost everywhere across the wasteland.

And at the center of realm stood the place where the rulers of demonkind resided.

The Demon Lord Castle.

A colossal structure was built from black stone, ancient bones, and creature flesh. Massive pillars rose toward the ceiling above while chains thicker than those towers hung loosely throughout the halls.

Sometimes even, those chains moved slowly on their own without any wind as faint metallic noises echoed endlessly through the darkness.

Numerous green flames burned quietly along the walls inside the castle. Their light barely illuminated the vast chamber, but there was no need for that, as their kind never needs light.

Then, at the center of the grand hall stood seven enormous thrones positioned high above countless kneeling demons gathered below.

They were none other than...

The Seven Supreme Primordial Demons.

The absolute rulers of the infernal hierarchy.

No lower demon dared lift their gaze toward the thrones for too long. Their bodies trembled simply from existing within the same hall as those monstrous beings.

Then, one of the shadows sitting upon the thrones slowly leaned back. A pair of crimson eyes glowed faintly within the darkness.

"What exactly is the meaning of this summons?"

Belzebor, the Supreme Demon of Gluttony spoke.

His voice sounded calm and deep, yet the moment it echoed across the hall, the entire castle trembled lightly.

Several lower demons immediately lowered their heads further in fear.

Another shadow let out a soft laugh afterward.

"You are asking me? Like hell I know!"

Levianor, the Supreme Demon of Envy replied, amusedly.

"I was in the middle of something enjoyable before being dragged here too. Well, as if anyone would care about that."

Then another voice clicked its tongue coldly.

"You should be grateful you were summoned at all. But if this meeting turns out to be meaningless, I will personally slaughter whoever wasted my time."

Molokar, the Supreme Demon of Wrath spoke.

The hall grew colder afterward.

"So violent as always. Can you not control your temper for once?"

The flames burning around the furious throne intensified instantly.

"What? You want to test me, Levianor?"

Dark mana surged heavily throughout the chamber as two terrifying Supreme-level auras collided against one another. The pressure alone cracked parts of the black floor beneath them.

The lower demons trembled in horror.

Some even began bleeding from their mouths.

Then, another Supreme Demon spoke with a mocking laugh.

"How noisy."

A mountain of treasure suddenly manifested behind one of the thrones.

Golden weapons, ancient relics, and cursed crowns piled endlessly into the darkness as overwhelming greed flooded throughout the hall like a living entity.

"Can you all not act like a beast for once? Kuku~ though perhaps that is exactly what you guys are. A ravenous beast enslaved by its own insatiable greed."

Mamveth, the Supreme Demon of Greed joined their bartering.

The furious aura instantly surged once more.

"Keh. Hearing that from the embodiment of greed itself is almost insulting. Do you crave death that badly, Mamveth?"

Before the situation escalated further, another throne released a heavy wave of dark mana.

The hall suddenly became quiet.

Even the moving chains hanging throughout the castle gradually stopped swaying.

A tired voice echoed afterward.

"Why must every little thing become such a nuisance? I would appreciate it if you all caused fewer headaches."

The shadow sitting upon that throne barely moved at all, yawning even, yet the pressure surrounding it felt endless like a bottomless swamp dragging everything downward.

"Hm? Where am I? I woke up for this?"

Somphoros, the Supreme Demon of Sloth said after yawning.

"Haa... Is a peaceful nap truly too much to ask for? If this matter proves unimportant, I may bury all of you and return to sleep."

Then finally, another figure sitting at the farthest throne among the six gave a soft laugh.

The darkness around the throne twisted constantly as though countless screaming souls were trapped within it.

"Even after all these years, you’re all just as unruly as I remember. I guess some things are destined never to change."

The voice sounded pleased.

"Still, it has been a long time since all seven of us gathered together like this. But enough with the nonsense."

Lucifon, the Supreme Demon of Pride finally spoke.

The single word immediately caused the hall to quiet down.

His pair of ancient crimson eyes gazed toward the others quietly from within the darkness.

"Anyway, we were not summoned here to indulge in childish squabbles. The Dark Lord himself called for this gathering."

"!!!—"

At the mention of the Dark Lord, the entire hall fell silent.

Not a single Supreme Demon spoke afterward.

"Good. I will relay his message now."

The other six Supreme Demons sitting upon their enormous thrones gradually straightened slightly.

As for the countless lower-ranked demons kneeling below?

Their bodies instantly became tense.

Then, the Lucifon, who was standing slowly raised one of his hands before casting a certain spell.

Almost instantly, a massive shadow spread throughout the grand hall and covered everything in darkness. Soon afterward, from the center of the long table, enormous shadows slowly began piling on top of one another.

Layer after layer.

Until eventually, they formed the gigantic face of a demon. Its crimson eyes glowed ominously within the darkness.

The moment it appeared, all seven Supreme Demons immediately stood up from their thrones before lowering their heads respectfully. The countless lower-ranked demons kneeling throughout the hall hurriedly did the same.

"All hail the Dark Lord."

Beliath, the True Monarch of the Abyss.

The seven Supreme Demons spoke in unison while lowering their heads deeply toward the enormous shadow before them.

Then, the gigantic shadow slowly opened its glowing crimson eyes wider. An overwhelming pressure immediately descended across the entire hall.

Soon, a deep voice filled with malice echoed throughout the darkness.

"There has been a change to this world yet again."

A terrifying wave of Dark Mana suddenly burst from the enormous shadow, causing the entire hall to tremble violently.

The Dark Lord continued speaking afterward.

"I can no longer sense his presence anymore. That should not be possible. But more importantly, countless things have already begun deviating from the course they were fated to take."

The surrounding darkness twisted violently.

Strange. I have watched this world for longer than anything else. Never once has fate failed to follow its ordained path."

The seven Supreme Demons quietly remained kneeling without daring to interrupt.

"The thread of Fate of this world—"

The gigantic shadow slowly stared down toward the seven Supreme Demons below.

"—no longer belongs to me."

A terrifying pressure slowly spread throughout the grand hall as the gigantic shadow grew larger.

The chains hanging throughout the castle suddenly began rattling endlessly on their own. Tremendous waves of Dark Mana leaked continuously from the enormous shadow, causing the entire hall to tremble violently.

"That self-proclaimed oracle has definitely done something this time again.

Even though I have regressed thousands of times... yet this time, I have suddenly lost all those memories of my regression. So, there must be something wrong here. And the one responsible for that must be HIMM!!"

Silence soon swallowed the entire hall.

’The Dark Lord lost his memory of his regression?’

’How could that be?’

Despite the questioning going on inside their head, the seven Supreme Primordial Demons remained completely motionless while listening quietly to the Dark Lord’s words.

None of them dared interrupt him.

Then, the gigantic shadow spoke once more.

"So before we continue our conquest of the world, and before my return..."

The surrounding darkness twisted violently.

"...I need to know first what exactly that fool, wretched, scandalous bastard has done this time."

"...Find that damned scroll... and bring it... before me."

Soon, the enormous shadow slowly began dispersing back into darkness little by little.

It seemed that was his final message.

However, before the shadow disappeared completely — a furious roar suddenly echoed throughout the entirety of Infernum for the last time..

"NECRAZ LOX MEVILIONNN!!!" 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"—!!!!!"

The entire Demon Lord Castle shook violently from the sheer rage contained within that voice.

Far above the realm, the skies of Infernum trembled endlessly as countless black lightning exploded wildly throughout the thick crimson clouds.

The Dark Lord’s wrathful voice continued echoing across the realm afterward.

"Whatever you have done, whatever alterations you have imposed to the flow of this timeline..."

His crimson eyes glowed ominously one final time within the endless darkness.

"...I will make sure that they will all be in vain."

──────── ✦ ────────

[Chapter 186: On the Other Side of the World]