A place crawling with darkness and evil--lurking with all forms of atrocities.
This was a scene of pitch-black darkness, where creatures of malevolence resided. It was a wasteland where the strong reigned supreme and the weak had no choice but to obey.
--The Demon Realm.
And at the summit of the strict hierarchy in this place, there was the Demon Castle.
It was a massive structure that had six-pronged towers on all sides, and a final massive monolith at the center.
This was the precipice--the heights of power in the Demon Realm.
The six towers housed the most powerful Demons--the Demon Lords--and the final monolith at the center belonged to the Royal bloodline, the chosen and most powerful race of Demons--the Demon King's Manor.
Within this Castle--the Manor to be exact--was a young-looking being.
He had horns protruding from his head, flowing long hair, and near-ebony skin.
He was garbed in royal attire, and a crown hung on his head.
Within the Grand Hall--a place where the King addressed his subjects--he sat with some sort of satisfaction written on his face.
Why was he so happy?
No, it wasn't exactly joy. It was more like excited anticipation.
His buttocks rested atop one of the most coveted objects in the Demon Realm--the Demon King's throne.
The Grand Hall was empty, so this young one--no more than a grown teenager--could comfortably rest in a seat that didn't belong to him.
... At least not yet.
He was the Demon King's only son--the Prince of the Demon Realm.
His father, the Demon King, was currently inactive, so he made sure to indulge in little pleasures like this every now and then. At least, pending the time he would obtain the throne.
Well, that time was drawing ever so closer.
"You seem to be enjoying yourself." A voice rang out.
A voice? In the Grand Hall? During this period?
The Prince would usually be wary and extremely annoyed. He would also probably be worried that someone saw him seated on a throne that wasn't his yet--probably.
Who would disturb him during this period? Even the new Demon Lords didn't dare! After all...
In any case, the Demon Prince displayed none of these emotions.
Rather, he seemed thrilled by the voice he heard.
"I certainly am." His voice responded to the intruder.
It was a deep tone--unbefitting of his looks.
"The chair is a little stiff, but... I can live with it." This statement was accompanied by a chuckle
The initial voice also joined the laugh, and for a moment... the hall was filled with the echoes of two people.
Finally, with a gust of wind, someone appeared before the prince.
Was it a fellow Demon?
No.
It was...
"Legris Damien... it's been a while, no?"
... A HUMAN!
"Haha, what can I say? I've been trying to make ends meet."
"Surely you jest. A man of your means surely doesn't need to engage in such boorish activities."
The human before him had a cheerful expression--a facade--and had the outfit of a dark cloak with a certain emblem embedded in it.
The emblem resembled some sort of badge. An image of an endless abyss was embedded therein.
"Welp, what can I say?"
Both beings laughed once again.
Anyone who witnessed this would find it absurd that a human and a demon were mingling like buddies.
The honest truth was that they actually were.
These two were friends.
The Demon Prince--a being who despised humans with a passion--made an exception with Legris. Why?
'Even though he looks like a human... this man is an actual Demon!'
Since friends helped each other, Legris proved himself to be trustworthy and reliable.
The Prince wouldn't have come this far in his ambition without the human's help. A relationship where both parties understood and used each other--that was their friendship.
"So, why are you here? I assume it's not just to see your friend?"
For a moment, silence pervaded the hall.
They were friends with benefits.
Not just Legris Damien and the Prince--no, it was the Demon Race and the organization Legris belonged to.
Legris was sort of a middleman--an ambassador.
It used to be a man named Kido--someone belonging to the Midas Race. However, they changed the order about nine years ago, so Legris was the new person they dealt with.
The Prince preferred Legris.
Not only was he weaker than Kido, but he was also easier to deal with.
"Oh, I was just dropping by to inform you of some news... about a Demon Lord of yours..."
The moment the Prince heard this, his eyes bulged slightly, and his expression changed into a more serious demeanor.
"...Ah, apologies. I mean, your previous Demon Lord. A Shadow Demon called Kahn."
"Ah, that guy? He was the last to go among the old ones. What about him?"
"Well... he made his way to the human territories... and caused quite the ruckus."
The moment Legris Damien said this, the Prince's expression changed.
"Pfft. Puehehehe... PUAHAHAHAHA!"
His laughter was deafening, filling the hall.
"Oh, please. Do not joke with me. Kahn would never do that. He despises the humans, but he's still loyal to the king."
"Well, believe me if you want to, but... you might want to hear this part."
"What is it?"
"He was defeated--killed by the humans."
A screen popped up before the Prince, and an image of Kahn being destroyed appeared.
Seeing was believing, but... even this Royal was stunned by what he was seeing.
"This is..."
"It was done by a man called Neron Kaelid. Before that, Kahn attacked an Academy and was beaten by the students there. It was only when he was weakened that this man finished the job."
The Prince was even more stunned. However... this surprise transformed into something else--RAGE!
"THOSE DISGUSTING HUMANS... THOSE INFERIOR INSECTS!"
His hands banged the armrest of the throne on which he sat.
His seething rage was evident!
While Kahn had been insignificant to his plans--and was actually better off dead--the fact that humans were the ones who finished the job irked him to no end.
How were they able to defeat a former Demon Lord?
Children in an Academy standing up against a Demon? Inconceivable!
"Those damned humans... so they truly broke the pact. I knew it! Those vermin!"
The Prince was full of anger, but also had a secret satisfaction lurking deep within his heart.
He was glad that he was right.
His father was wrong,
The old ones were ignorant!
That was why he replaced them.
That was why he needed to be king
....
THAT WAS WHY HE NEEDED TO GET RID OF THE THREAT!
"So, what will you do now, Prince Abellion?"
For a moment, silence reigned in the Grand Hall.
But, the silence was short-lived.
Soon, the mighty voice of a tyrant rang out. It was filled with ambition and fury. It contained absolute seriousness and conviction.
"The time has come, my friend..."
Finally... the moment he had been waiting for!
