In the Nahlara Kingdom, a land close to the Sunstone Kingdom, where Legion Academy was located, a tall, dark-skinned, handsome man sat alone on a throne inside the royal palace's audience chamber.
He appeared to be middle-aged, and golden accessories adorned his body. As he sat comfortably on his throne, he tapped his fingers against the armrest, seemingly lost in his thoughts.
A low growl echoed through the room as the doors slowly opened.
A woman with brown hair stepped inside. Her figure was neither particularly tall nor short, and her expression was difficult to read. Behind her followed several demonic creatures, moving silently as they remained close to her.
She walked toward the man seated on the throne.
"My sincere greetings, Your Majesty," she said.
She paused, then knelt and bowed her head. The demonic creatures accompanying her followed her example.
"My lord…" she began.
"I have come to speak with you about a vision I foresaw," she continued, raising her head to look at him.
"You might not take the news very well, my lord."
For a moment, silence filled the chamber.
Then the man broke it with a burst of laughter.
"Ahahaha!"
He leaned back on his throne, looking at the woman with amusement.
"Nyx, my dear, why do you keep calling me 'my lord'? After all, I am married to you, which makes me your husband, doesn't it?"
Nyx maintained her composed expression.
"Calling you that, my lord, makes me appear more respectful than all your worthless servants."
She delivered the response without hesitation.
He smiled.
"Please, stand up," he said.
"And try calling me by sweeter names, my love."
"Understood," she replied.
"Ahaha! You said you wanted to discuss something with me. What was it again? I'm all ears, my love."
"Yes, I did," Nyx answered.
"It's about a vision I foresaw concerning you."
"Ah, let me guess. Another vision about my glorious victory and my eventual rule over the entire world, right?"
He spoke with confidence, as though the outcome had already been decided.
"No, Lord Abel. This time, I had a vision of your defeat."
For a brief moment, confusion filled the chamber.
Then the atmosphere changed.
The room grew tense, and a powerful aura seemed to radiate from Lord Abel. His smile slowly faded as his expression became more serious.
"Really?" he asked. "Perhaps those visions of yours are beginning to fail you, my love."
He paused before continuing.
"Because I, Abel Velvet Tyrant, ruler of the Nahlara Kingdom and king of all demons, can never be defeated."
He spoke calmly, as though the possibility itself was too ridiculous to consider.
"Rather, I can control death with my own hands. I possess countless forms of magic and an endless supply of demonic energy. I can grant strength, and I can take it away just as easily."
His expression remained composed.
"My abilities surpass the capabilities of ordinary humans. It would take a god to match my power."
He paused briefly.
"And even the gods fear my presence. They tremble at my feet."
His voice remained calm, but there was something intimidating about the certainty behind his words.
"I cannot die," he continued. "I am immortal."
He leaned forward slightly.
"So tell me, who on earth could possibly reach my level, force me to my knees, and call it a defeat?"
His eyes narrowed.
"Is it Legion Academy, the institution I could destroy? Or perhaps the Royal Guards, whom I could wipe out without much difficulty?"
He scoffed.
"Bullshit. They are nothing more than scraps, my love."
After expressing his contempt, Abel's attention returned to Nyx.
"But tell me, who was the person you foresaw? What did he actually look like?"
Nyx sighed before answering.
"My lord, I was meditating in the chamber when I saw something."
She paused briefly, gathering her thoughts.
"I saw a figure—a human male, surrounded by darkness. Yet, at the same time, it wasn't ordinary darkness."
Her expression grew more serious as she recalled the vision.
"He was holding a sword. It wasn't forged from ordinary metal, nor was it made of light. It was something else entirely—something that didn't belong to any known power."
She looked directly at Abel.
"And that sword brought you down, my lord."
For the first time, her voice carried a hint of uncertainty.
"I couldn't see or sense anything about him. I couldn't even make out his face. It was as though my abilities were being disrupted by some unknown force."
She paused before revealing the most troubling part of the vision.
"It was almost as if he controlled Anti-Energy—a nullifying force capable of disturbing space and time themselves."
Her words grew more deliberate.
"It didn't attack. It erased."
She lowered her gaze momentarily.
"Abilities vanished in an instant."
With that, Nyx finished describing the vision.
For a moment, Abel remained silent.
Then the Demon King laughed.
At first, it was a low, quiet sound. But gradually, his laughter grew louder, echoing through the palace like rolling thunder.
"So…" he said.
He slowly rose from his throne.
"At last, a human who dares to challenge me."
Abel stepped forward, his presence seeming to press against the very air around him.
"A sword that doesn't belong to this world. A power that erases instead of destroys."
His eyes gleamed with interest rather than fear.
"Good!"
He smiled.
"I do not fear what refuses to be seen."
He took another step forward.
"If this person truly exists… if he genuinely believes he can bring me down…"
Abel's smile widened.
"Then he has made the greatest mistake of his life."
He turned back toward Nyx.
"Good work, my love. You did well."
"My sincere pleasure, my lord," she replied.
Abel's expression remained calm, but his words carried a hint of excitement.
"Now, all that's left is to find him first."
He paused.
"Then, let's play a little game of hide-and-seek."
Suddenly, his attention shifted toward another part of the chamber.
His expression changed slightly.
"Show yourself," he commanded.
Near the far wall, a presence stirred.
Someone—or something—was there.
And it had finally been noticed.