The sky didn't just darken; it died. From the swirling violet abyss of the portal, the Monarch of Demons (1000021984.png) descended.
The Appearance of the Dread King
He stood nearly ten feet tall, his skin the color of dried blood and etched with black, pulsating veins. Four eyes, glowing with a cruel crimson light, scanned the battlefield with terrifying intelligence. He wore armor forged from obsidian and gold that seemed to swallow the light around it. In his hand, a sphere of Void Matter crackled, hissing like a thousand dying souls. His presence alone made the oxygen feel like lead in the lungs of everyone present.
Potash, still wearing the tattered, horrific remnants of Elisa's face, crawled forward on the magma-cracked ground. "Great Monarch of Demons! I am your humble servant! I have opened the—"
"You forgot to kneel."
The Monarch didn't even look at him. He simply flicked his wrist. A concentrated burst of demonic energy, faster than Techyon's 0.10ms perception, slammed into Potash. There was no scream—only a sickening pop as the servant was erased from existence.
The resulting shockwave was so massive it sent Techyon and Alya flying back dozens of meters, their bodies tumbling across the glass-shard earth. Only two figures remained standing: Neweland and Lapis.
Neweland dropped his Hydro Shield, the crystalline water dissolving into the air. His face was a mask of grim determination.
The Monarch's four eyes narrowed as he locked onto the Arcon. "You traitor," the Monarch hissed, his voice echoing like grinding stone. "Why do you, the Monarch of Hydro, sit among these pathetic humans and Arcons? Have you forgotten your true blood?"
"I told you a thousand years ago," Neweland replied, his blue eyes turning into freezing glaciers. "I am not with you anymore. I chose a different path."
The Monarch's gaze shifted. He noticed the boy in the goggles. Lapis hadn't moved an inch during the shockwave; his Honoured Eyes (1000021806.png) were wide, reflecting the dark energy without fear.
"You, kid. What is your name?" the Monarch demanded.
Lapis adjusted his goggles, a cold, defiant smirk crossing his face. "I don't need to tell any low-class monster my name."
The air around the Monarch ignited. "Your ego is the biggest thing holding you back. I will kill you, and then I will shatter that ego into dust."
The two stared at each other—the ancient King of Terror and the Boy who saw the Void. The continent-shaking battle was about to begin.