A/N: So the reason I haven't been uploading for so long is because an idiot friend of mine put me on to Fire Force 😭. For the past 4 days I've been doing nothing but watching that peak show.
But I finished it yesterday. I'm low-key sad, but whatever. It's back to consistent posting for now
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Razen was still shaking.
His knees felt weak, as if the strength had been drained straight from his bones. His breath came out uneven, shallow gasps escaping his throat as his eyes darted toward Loki, then away, then back again, unable to decide whether looking at him was safer than not.
"Why…" Razen muttered, his voice trembling. "Why is another Primordial in the Cardinal World… What is happening in the North…?"
His thoughts were in chaos.
This makes no sense.
Years ago, he was weak. I defeated him.
That wasn't a lie. I remember it clearly.
Yet the being standing before him now
Razen flinched as Loki's voice cut through his spiraling thoughts, cold and absolute.
"Get up."
Razen stiffened.
Slowly, hesitantly, he raised his head.
Fear was written plainly across his face. To him now, Loki didn't look like a mere demon, nor even like the terrifying Archdemons spoken of in forbidden texts.
No.
He looked like a true Demon King.
Razen's hands trembled as his mind screamed in protest.
Why was he so weak back then?
Why did I win?
This shouldn't be possible
The weight of Loki's presence pressed down on him, crushing those questions before they could form answers.
Without realizing it, Razen dropped fully to his knees.
Tears welled up and spilled over as his forehead touched the ground.
"L-Loki-sama…" he choked out. "Forgive my insolence. I did not know. I truly did not know. Please, please don't kill me."
The words spilled out in a rush, stripped of pride, stripped of dignity.
Loki twitched.
His brow furrowed as he stared down at the kneeling mage.
…There's no way.
He gave up already?
He clicked his tongue softly.
Rain, standing a short distance away with her arms crossed, let out a quiet sigh.
"What did you expect, Loki?" she said flatly. "Nobody in this world is dumb enough to continue fighting a Primordial once they realize what you are."
Loki's shoulders slumped slightly.
"That's…" he muttered. "…no fun at all."
Razen's voice broke again.
"Please, Loki-sama. I beg you. Forgive me."
Loki stared at him for a long moment, maroon eyes unreadable.
Then he sighed.
"…Fine."
Razen froze.
Loki continued casually, as if discussing the weather.
"I'll let you go. On one condition."
Razen snapped his head up, hope flooding his eyes.
"A-Anything! Name it, Loki-sama!"
Loki smiled faintly.
"Become my subordinate."
For a heartbeat, silence reigned.
Then Razen's face split into a wide, almost manic smile.
"Of course!" he said instantly. "I would be honored, no, delighted to serve one as powerful as you, Loki-sama!"
From the side, Shogo stared in utter disbelief.
"…That old man," he muttered under his breath.
Loki winced slightly.
"Hey, stop glazing me so hard," he said with a grimace. "It's embarrassing."
Rain walked up beside him, her expression sharp.
"Loki," she said firmly. "Surely you're joking. How can you trust someone like Razen so easily?"
She glanced down at the kneeling mage, eyes narrowed.
"And more importantly, do you even need subordinates? You don't strike me as the type who enjoys that sort of thing."
Loki paused, genuinely thinking this time.
…She's not wrong.
I hate being tied down.
He rubbed the back of his neck.
"Yeah," he admitted. "You're right."
Razen stiffened slightly.
Loki continued.
"I don't really need subordinates. I guess…" He shrugged. "…I just want one. Besides, having a high-ranking mage inside the country could be useful."
Rain sighed deeply.
"You know what? Do whatever you want."
Razen looked up eagerly.
"Then, Loki-sama," he said with reverence. "What is your command? I shall carry it out with my all."
Loki raised a finger.
"Hold on."
Razen blinked.
"…What do you mean?"
Loki's smile slowly twisted into something far more menacing.
"You didn't think becoming my subordinate would be that easy, did you?"
A chill ran down Razen's spine.
"…Then… what do you mean, Loki-sama?"
Instead of answering, Loki lifted his hand and pointed upward.
Everyone instinctively followed his gesture.
The sky was clear.
Empty.
Kirara squinted.
"What are we looking at?"
Rain frowned.
"Loki," she said flatly. "Is this one of your stupid tricks?"
Razen swallowed.
"Loki-sama… is this a test?"
Loki's grin widened.
"Just wait for it."
Seconds passed.
Then more.
The air began to hum.
Loki suddenly scratched his cheek.
"Ah, sorry for the wait," he said casually. "This time I pulled one quite big."
The four of them looked up again.
And froze.
The sky was no longer empty.
A massive meteor tore through the clouds, its surface burning crimson as it descended with terrifying speed, the atmosphere screaming around it.
The sheer scale of it eclipsed the castle below.
All color drained from Razen's face.
Kirara's mouth fell open, her body trembling.
"…You've got to be kidding me," Shogo whispered.
Rain pinched the bridge of her nose.
"…This guy truly is an idiot."
Loki turned back to Razen, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"The test is simple," he said lightly. "Stop it."
The meteor roared closer.
"Or destroy it."
Loki's smile sharpened.
"Welcome to the 'Become a Subordinate of Loki' exam."
Razen slowly lifted his head.
The sky was burning.
No, falling.
A colossal meteor tore through the heavens, its surface glowing molten red, fragments shearing off as it screamed toward the capital. The sheer mass of it warped the air, casting a vast shadow over the royal palace grounds below.
Razen's breath caught in his throat.
What… what the hell is this…
His mind screamed calculations at him, instincts honed over decades of sorcery firing all at once.
It's enormous.
That thing is the size of the entire royal palace grounds.
If it hits…
He didn't finish the thought.
There would be no palace. No capital. No people.
Everyone would be vaporized.
Razen's gaze snapped back to Loki.
The demon stood relaxed, hands in his pockets, watching the descending meteor as if it were a passing cloud.
Does he think he can survive that? Razen thought wildly.
No… he's a Primordial. Of course he can.
That realization made his stomach twist.
This wasn't a test meant to be fair.
All across the royal grounds, panic erupted.
Soldiers froze mid-step, eyes snapping skyward as the shadow swallowed the sunlight.
"What is that!?"
"The sky, something's falling!"
"A monster!? Is it a spell!?"
Civilians screamed as the heat washed over them, windows rattling, birds fleeing in chaotic swarms.
Inside the royal palace, King Edmaris stood abruptly from his throne.
His crown slipped slightly as his face drained of color.
"W-What is that…" he whispered, voice hollow.
The massive window behind the throne framed the descending meteor perfectly.
The king's legs trembled.
"…We're going to die."
Courtiers collapsed to their knees. Knights reached for swords that suddenly felt like toys.
"Your Majesty!" someone shouted. "We must evacuate—!"
But even as the words were spoken, it was obvious.
There was nowhere to run.
Back on the training grounds, Razen clenched his fists.
His fear burned away, replaced by grim resolve.
If this is the price… then I'll pay it.
He stepped forward, planting his feet into the stone.
Mana erupted from him in a violent surge.
"Multi-Layered Anti-Impact Barrier!"
A massive translucent wall formed above the grounds, hexagonal patterns overlapping as layer upon layer stacked together.
The meteor smashed into the first barrier.
BOOM.
The shockwave blasted outward, cracking the stone beneath Razen's feet.
The first layer shattered instantly.
Razen grit his teeth.
"Don't you dare—!"
"Reinforced Holy Barrier!"
Golden light flared, holy runes spinning into place. The second impact slowed the meteor, just barely. Its descent grinding as friction screamed through the air.
Razen's nose bled.
It's not enough.
I need more
"Earth Binding Formula! Gravity Anchor, Maximum Output!"
The ground beneath him split apart as countless magic circles bloomed, chains of compressed earth-element mana latching onto the meteor, dragging against its mass.
Razen screamed as the recoil tore through his body.
Muscles shredded. Bones cracked.
"Ghh—!"
He coughed blood but didn't stop.
"Mana Conversion, Overdrive!"
He burned his own reserves recklessly, life force mixing with magic as spell after spell stacked atop one another.
The meteor slowed.
Inch by inch.
The palace grounds shook violently. Towers cracked. People screamed.
Razen's vision blurred.
Just… a little more…
"Final Break, Meteor Annihilation!"
A beam of condensed magic erupted upward, drilling into the meteor's core.
For a split second, everything went silent.
Then—
CRACK.
The meteor shattered.
A blinding explosion of light and debris filled the sky as molten fragments disintegrated into harmless dust, burning away before they could fall.
The pressure vanished.
The heat faded.
The sky cleared.
Razen stood frozen, arm still raised.
Then his knees buckled.
He collapsed face-first into the shattered stone, unconscious.
Silence reigned.
Loki blinked.
Once.
Then twice.
"…Huh."
A slow grin spread across his face, equal parts shock and amusement.
"He actually did it," Loki said, letting out a low chuckle.
Rain's eye twitched violently.
A vein popped on her forehead.
"You had zero faith in him, didn't you."
Loki laughed.
"Less than zero," he replied cheerfully.
Rain snapped.
She grabbed Loki by the collar and began shaking him violently.
"ARE YOU STUPID!?" she screamed. "Do you have any idea what you almost caused!? Are you trying to anger the Western Nations."
Loki laughed even harder.
"What's the problem?" he said. "It's not like the Western Nations can do anything about it."
Rain's shaking intensified.
"THAT'S NOT THE POINT!" she roared. "A world war would completely disrupt the balance Guy-sama has worked so hard to maintain!"
Loki shrugged, still smiling.
"Eh. He'll figure it out."
Nearby, Kirara and Shogo stood frozen.
Their faces were pale, eyes wide, bodies trembling.
Kirara hugged herself tightly.
"…So these are demons," she whispered. "The power to destroy a country… and treat it like a game…"
Her voice cracked.
"I want to go home," she said softly. "I don't want to be in this world anymore."
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