The universe held its breath.
The soil could not suppress its terror and began to shudder, while the air became saturated with a peculiar heat that blended the acrid stench of scorched oxygen with the heavy, mineral aroma of ancient peaks.
Clouds drifted away in every direction like a panicked herd, and even the sun surrendered its radiance, fading into a ghostly, colorless circle.
Thump!
Within the absolute darkness where both luminescence and vibration had died away, only the rhythmic beating of mortal hearts remained. Using that pulse, heavy with dread and hopelessness, as a rhythmic cadence, a supreme entity began to emerge from the bowels of the earth.
Kuwaaaaang!
The ground finally buckled under the strain and shrieked. Tremendous fissures raced across the horizon, cleaving through mountain ranges and parching rivers as expansive as seas.
The crimson radiance that had already scarred the land seemed driven by an unquenchable gluttony as it pushed out its malevolent ripples.
From the depths of the chasms rending the world, a scarlet glow deeper than gore throbbed. This was not the molten rock that forged the first continents, but the sovereignty of a transcendent being gathered over millennia, bathed in the light of majesty and branding the entire world with permanent trauma.
"Aaaah..."
"Wh-what is that thing..."
"That isn't a person. That can't possibly be a human being..."
"I—I can't draw air. My limbs are moving against my will..."
"Gueup!"
The Ghost of Eden and the warriors of Light Wind Palace were flattened by the horrific pressure emanating from the red light, causing thick veins to bulge across their features and eyes.
They dropped to their knees as if they lacked the right to even glance upward, bowing their heads like broken-winged birds.
"Heup..."
"Aaaak!"
Burren and Martha were likewise unable to resist, collapsing to the ground with their eyes squeezed shut.
"Uu..."
Even Runaan, who had stepped into Transcendence and activated her Sword Domain, appeared incapable of holding firm; she could only just barely keep her head up while in a kneeling posture.
"D-damn it!"
Even the Silent Serpent Swordsman, who usually maintained a relaxed air, had no room for composure and was gnawing on his lip until it bled.
Kuguuguugu!
Raon bit down hard on his own lip as he observed the red undulations growing increasingly profound.
'Is this the Monarch of Pride?'
He retreated from the scarlet brilliance where a terrifying sovereignty flourished, tightening his grip on his Divine Sword and Demonic Sword even as their innate heat and frost were being snuffed out.
-That’s him!
Wrath signaled his confirmation.
-That disgusting and arrogant weight is something only that miserable wretch possesses!
The entity ground his teeth so violently they emitted a rasping noise, as if the mere sight of the newcomer caused him physical irritation.
'The Monarch of Pride...'
Raon knit his brows slightly as he absorbed the weight of the red light hammering against his frame.
'What a monstrous pressure.'
Simply watching the crimson surges erupting from the earth made his spirit cry out and his skeleton tremble as if it were on the verge of splintering.
Had he not attained the Absolute realm, he would have been forced to the ground like the others, unable to even look his foe in the eye.
'I see why you labeled that man your greatest rival.'
He existed on a plane far beyond other demon kings.
Sloth, Envy, and the rest had also radiated immense power that could crush a body upon their arrival, but their fundamental nature differed from Pride’s.
Despite having honed his combat skills to a point where he could challenge demon kings, he felt a burden so heavy it threatened to contort his body, making him feel as though he had reverted to his days as a mere novice.
The Monarch of Pride, Pride, manifesting before him, seemed to be a demon king of an entirely different grade, much like Wrath himself.
Kwaaaaaaaa!
The moment the red glow produced by the Monarch of Pride, Pride, expanded far enough to swallow the primary stronghold of Eden, a column of fire erupted from the massive rent in the earth as if to incinerate both the sky and the soil.
That blaze was no ordinary combustion. It was a despotic authority that consumed every other light in existence, an expression of total force.
Step.
From the heart of the magnificent fire pillar that looked capable of liquefying the world, a lone human silhouette finally started to take shape.
A striking young man with a frame as sturdy and imposing as a mountain range stepped out of the colossal inferno with his lids lowered. He possessed swept-back hair the color of embers, skin as dark as if it had been tempered by lava, and, following the fashion of ancient combatants, he wore no shirt, while his legs were covered by trousers decorated with intricate designs.
Gooooo!
The demon king identified as Pride slowly revealed his eyes. His pupils burned with a mixture of tyranny and ancient knowledge, looking as though the sun had been compressed into two small spheres.
It felt as though the mere intensity of the gaze offered by the Monarch of Pride would be enough to incinerate every living soul on the continent.
"So someone dared to lay hands on what belongs to this king..."
Pride’s red eyes glimmered with a playful malice, yet within them, the violent strength of the Authority of Pride burned to a nauseating degree.
Much like Wrath, he referred to himself as "this king," which was grating, but his presence was a perfect match for the concept of pride.
"Ah, so it was <Wrath>’s plaything."
Pride uttered the name of wrath as if he had instantly deciphered Raon’s true nature.
'His very presence feels like a hallucination...'
Raon swallowed hard as he stared at the Monarch of Pride who had finally shown his true form.
'I was told he was powerful, but I didn't imagine it would be like this.'
In contrast to Wrath, Pride was a demon king who acted as a conduit for his full power and sovereignty.
Simply standing in his shadow felt as though one's soul was being dissolved, making it nearly impossible for Raon to maintain a neutral mask.
-Stay alert!
Wrath prodded his consciousness, warning him not to relax for a second.
-That lunatic is out of his mind! Unlike the other demon king idiots, he might not engage in dialogue at all, so you had better get ready to fight this instant!
The entity bit his lip, indicating that the circumstances were dire.
'I'm aware.'
Raon nodded, mentally stabilizing his pulse.
'But that guy is a lot like you.'
-What? Wh-what garbage are you spewing! Why would this king be anything like that wretch...
'Pride also employs the phrase "this king" just like you do. You and he are the only ones who use such embarrassing terminology.'
He had encountered many titans, but Wrath and Pride were unique in their use of self-exalting titles. Just as they identified as archenemies, they clearly shared certain traits.
-No! Definitely not!
Wrath gnawed on his metaphorical shoulder, demanding he stop making such comparisons. Thanks to the distraction, Raon managed to find a sliver of composure amidst the suffocating aura Pride was projecting.
"I was aware <Wrath> was training a human, but he seems quite devoted."
Pride stroked his chin with a condescending air, as if he had previously received intelligence regarding Raon and Wrath.
"Surely you aren't attempting to mimic this king? A pathetic creature like <Wrath>?"
As he curled his lip in a sneer, a monumental weight bore down on Raon’s shoulders, as if the entire planet were expressing its fury.
"......"
Raon withstood Pride’s sovereignty and pressure with an almost impossible level of endurance, calmly blinking his eyes.
'Just as I thought, the Heavenly Demon was a creation of Pride.'
Synthesizing Pride’s comments with Wrath’s information, it seemed undeniable that the being known as the Heavenly Demon of Eden was a project overseen by Pride.
"No, hold on. You didn't just receive <Wrath>."
Pride let out a soft sound of surprise while rubbing his jaw.
"<Sloth>, <Envy>, <Gluttony>, <Lust>, and even <Greed>? You even possess Greed's power?"
He immediately identified every demon king’s mark that Raon carried and his eyes widened in curiosity.
"Did the demon kings have a gathering without inviting me? That is quite hurtful."
Pride’s voice was airy and flippant, but his absolute aura and the Authority of Pride instinctively created an atmosphere of crushing gravity.
"Fascinating. A truly fascinating development."
Pride fingered his smooth jawline as if Raon’s existence was a riddle he enjoyed solving.
"So where is that disrespectful <Wrath>? He will have to pay the toll for interfering with my property once again."
He gestured with a large finger, beckoning for Wrath to show himself.
-Now it makes sense.
Wrath exhaled, a realization dawning on him.
-The headpiece that woman is wearing is a demonic relic.
'A relic?'
Raon swallowed again, glancing at the helmet of the Death Sword Spirit positioned behind Pride.
-Exactly.
Wrath shook his head in revulsion.
-That is a helmet containing the essence of the Demon Sword Marquis Sikyur, someone who once nearly touched the status of a demon king.
The entity frowned, explaining that the original master of the mask Death Sword Spirit wore was a woman celebrated as the Sword Marquis in the Devildom.
'But why would that bring Pride out?'
Raon tilted his head, still confused despite Wrath’s explanation.
-Because Pride was infatuated with Sikyur.
Wrath clicked his tongue, noting that Pride had once pursued her relentlessly.
-Naturally, even this king didn't expect him to try and bring her back in such a twisted way out of sheer obsession!
The entity moved his head back and forth, calling the behavior utterly pitiable.
"D-do not involve yourself in my path!"
Death Sword Spirit ground her teeth while staring at Pride’s back.
"I fought with everything I had and I was beaten fairly! Just let me perish!"
She reached out and gripped Pride’s foot while bleeding, pleading for him not to intervene in her fate.
"Ah, I am aware."
Pride reached down and ran a hand over Death Sword Spirit’s dark hair.
"I will ensure your vengeance is exacted. So that wretch and <Wrath> can never approach you again!"
He spoke only his own thoughts, completely ignoring the words of the Death Sword Spirit.
It was irrational, yet a behavior that perfectly exemplified the title of pride.
'But Pride mentioned someone touching his things again. That implies...'
Raon glanced back at Wrath and narrowed his eyes.
-Ahem!
Wrath cleared his throat awkwardly and looked away toward the helmet of Demon Sword Marquis Sikyur.
-Sikyur was the object of Pride’s affection, but the one she actually favored was this king.
The entity licked his lips as if feeling a bit sheepish.
-That delusional lunatic seems to have had his ego bruised by that turn of events and still refuses to let go of Sikyur.
Wrath shook his head, reiterating that Pride was mentally unstable.
'That's obvious.'
Raon frowned while observing Pride.
'Despite his looks and his martial skill, his psyche is a mess.'
Pride, acting as the living embodiment of his namesake authority, viewed every event in the world through a lens centered entirely on himself. It was obvious he would twist the words of others to fit his own narrative.
"I will ask one more time. Where is Wrath?"
Pride dismissed Death Sword Spirit’s protests one last time and signaled to Raon with a hand.
"If you do not summon him this instant, I shall delete your presence from this realm."
He rubbed his fingers together, which were glowing with the Authority of Pride, as if he intended to reduce Raon to ash on the spot.
Kuguuugu!
Though it was a minor gesture, the heavens and the earth shook violently as if they were preparing to swallow Raon whole.
-As I thought, this won't work.
Wrath let out a heavy sigh and shook his head.
-Since this king is also a party to this, I will assist! Step back this second and call upon this king! The only one who can match that bastard is this king...
Just as the entity was urging him to retreat and activate Demon King's Descent.
"He is..."
Ignoring Wrath’s suggestion, Raon moved forward a step and shook his head.
"observing you from above."
He stated that Wrath was positioned directly overhead and pointed a finger toward the flaming red sky.
"What?"
-What?
Pride and Wrath both widened their eyes in shock. Perhaps due to their long history as rivals, even their expressions of disbelief mirrored one another.
"And..."
Raon allowed a steady smile to form, refusing to shrink back even within Pride’s overwhelming presence.
"He is offering you a challenge."
He tilted his head back, claiming he would relay Wrath’s terms, projecting an aura even more self-assured than Pride’s.
-Wh-when did this king ever say that!
Wrath’s pale lips quivered as if he were utterly stunned.
-This lunatic is trying to swindle Pride as well!
-
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