The sun hung high above the Beast Kingdom.
Golden light poured over the sprawling plains surrounding the capital of Eurazania, the land ruled by the Beast King.
Dust rose into the air.
The ground trembled beneath the pounding of feet.
At the center of a wide training field stood a towering figure with golden hair and the muscular build of a seasoned warrior.
The Beast King himself.
Carrion.
Across from him, crouched like a predator ready to strike, was a leopard-like Beastman whose eyes burned with excitement.
Phobio.
For a moment—
The two simply stared at each other.
Then—
BOOM.
Phobio exploded forward.
His feet tore into the earth as he launched himself toward Carrion like a missile. His fist pulled back, muscles tightening before snapping forward with brutal force.
Carrion didn't dodge.
He stepped forward.
CRACK.
Their fists collided midair.
The impact blasted dust outward in a violent ring.
Phobio grinned.
"You're holding back again, Lord Carrion!"
Carrion smirked.
"If I didn't, you'd already be unconscious."
Phobio snorted.
"Try me!"
He spun low, sweeping his leg toward Carrion's ankles.
Carrion jumped.
The Beast King's body rose effortlessly into the air before he twisted mid-flight, bringing his heel down toward Phobio's shoulder.
Phobio crossed both arms.
THUD.
The ground beneath him cracked as the force drove him down a step.
Phobio's grin widened.
"Now we're talking!"
He shoved upward, breaking Carrion's balance for a moment before lunging forward again.
Claws.
Fists.
Kicks.
The two tore across the training field like wild beasts, every clash sending tremors through the ground. Soldiers watching from the edges backed away instinctively as shockwaves rippled outward.
Carrion drove a punch forward.
Phobio twisted aside.
Carrion's fist slammed into the ground.
BOOM.
The earth exploded upward in a spray of dirt and stone.
Phobio seized the moment.
His knee drove straight toward Carrion's ribs.
Carrion blocked with one arm.
Then grabbed Phobio by the shoulder. And threw him.
Phobio flew across the field, rolling through the dirt before sliding to a stop.
For a moment—
Silence.
Then Phobio burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! Damn it!"
He pushed himself up, brushing dirt from his arms.
"You're still way stronger than me."
Carrion exhaled slowly.
His muscles relaxed slightly as the tension left the field.
"That's enough for today."
Phobio groaned.
"You say that every time things start getting good."
Carrion ignored the complaint and turned away.
Standing nearby were two familiar figures.
The calm and composed Albis.
And beside her, the energetic and sharp-tongued Suphia.
Albis stepped forward.
"Lord Carrion."
Carrion glanced toward her.
"Yes?"
She folded her arms.
"You have been training nonstop since dawn."
Her eyes studied him carefully.
"Why?"
Carrion didn't answer immediately.
Instead he looked toward the distant plains.
The wind moved slowly through the tall grass.
"…You felt them too."
Suphia tilted her head.
"The tremors?"
Carrion nodded.
"Yeah."
Phobio walked over, stretching his shoulder.
"The whole continent probably felt those."
Carrion's expression hardened slightly.
"That wasn't just an earthquake."
Suphia crouched on a nearby rock.
"Then what was it?"
She looked directly at him.
"You're a Demon Lord. Shouldn't you know?"
Carrion shook his head.
"…No."
Suphia blinked.
"Wait."
"You seriously don't know?"
Carrion crossed his arms.
"That's exactly what makes it terrifying."
The field went quiet.
Carrion continued.
"A couple days ago the earth shook like the world itself was breaking."
His gaze darkened.
"The power behind those tremors…"
He clenched his fist.
"…was monstrous."
Phobio frowned.
"Stronger than a Demon Lord?"
Carrion nodded without hesitation.
"Yes. Without question."
Suphia straightened slowly.
"…Seriously?"
Carrion looked down at his hand.
"I may be called a Demon Lord."
His voice lowered.
"But that tremor reminded me of something."
"There are beings in this world far stronger than me."
Phobio cracked his knuckles.
"Well that's good."
Carrion looked at him.
Phobio grinned.
"Means I've still got someone to surpass."
Suphia rolled her eyes.
"You're insane."
Then she looked back at Carrion.
"But seriously Lord Carrion."
"What caused those tremors?"
Carrion shook his head again.
"I don't know."
He looked toward the horizon.
"And that's the problem."
If something powerful enough to shake the continent existed…
…and he didn't even know what it was…
That meant he wasn't strong enough yet.
For a moment, the four stood in silence.
Then—
Albis sighed lightly.
Carrion looked at her.
"What?"
She shrugged.
"If you want answers…"
"…why don't you ask Guy Crimson?"
The moment the name left her mouth—
Something clicked.
Carrion's eyes widened slightly.
Suphia snapped her fingers.
"Of course!"
Phobio laughed.
"Hah!"
"Why didn't we think of that?"
Carrion smirked.
"Guy…"
Suphia crossed her arms.
"He's the oldest Demon Lord."
Phobio nodded.
"If anyone knows what shook the continent…"
"…it's him."
Carrion stretched his shoulders once.
"Well then."
He turned toward the palace.
"I guess we're going to have a conversation with the Red Devil."
---
The golden city of El Dorado glittered beneath a calm sky.
Its marble towers and radiant streets reflected the sunlight like polished mirrors. The palace at the city's center stood even brighter than the rest. A quiet symbol of its ruler's pride.
Inside one of its high halls, several powerful figures had gathered.
At the center of the room sat Guy Crimson, leaning back lazily in a chair that clearly did not belong to him.
Across from him sat the master of this palace, Leon Cromwell, his posture straight and expression cold as always.
Standing nearby were Guy's maids. Rain and Misery.
Beside them stood the Ice Dragon herself, Velzard, calm and composed, as if the world's events rarely managed to stir her.
Near the back of the room, two figures stood respectfully at attention.
Claude and Arlos, Leon's personal attendants.
Neither spoke.
Neither moved.
But both were listening carefully.
The conversation in the room was far too important to ignore.
For a moment, only silence filled the hall.
Then Leon spoke.
"…Three days."
Guy glanced lazily at him.
Leon continued.
"It has been three days since the battle in the Jura Forest."
His golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"And Loki has yet to regain consciousness."
The name hung in the air.
Rain folded her arms.
"Well… that's not exactly surprising."
Misery nodded.
"That rampage exhausted an unimaginable amount of energy."
Velzard added calmly,
"He burned through magicules at a rate that would have destroyed most beings."
She paused briefly.
"…Including most Demon Lords."
Leon looked toward Guy.
"So."
"Will he wake up?"
Guy leaned back further in his chair.
His crimson eyes glimmered with amusement.
"Oh, he'll wake up."
He said it so casually it almost sounded boring.
Rain tilted her head.
"You sound pretty confident."
Guy shrugged.
"That idiot is stubborn."
His lips curled into a faint grin.
"Something like that isn't enough to kill him."
Misery looked thoughtful.
"But the question is when."
Velzard nodded slightly.
"Indeed."
Her eyes turned briefly toward the distant rooms of the palace.
"…His body is stable."
"But his mind is likely recovering from the strain."
Leon spoke again.
"…Strain."
His tone carried faint disbelief.
"That 'strain' was enough to fight two True Dragons, and one of the most powerful of Demon Lords."
Velzard's expression remained neutral.
"…And still survive. Honestly I'm embarrassed."
Rain whistled softly.
"Yeah."
She rubbed the back of her neck.
"Still hard to believe that guy's only been in this world for a few weeks."
Misery crossed her arms.
"The growth rate is abnormal."
Guy chuckled.
"Abnormal?"
He leaned forward slightly.
"That's putting it lightly."
His crimson eyes gleamed.
"That idiot is terrifying."
Leon watched him carefully.
"And yet you seem pleased."
Guy laughed.
"Of course I'm pleased."
Rain groaned.
"Oh no."
Misery sighed quietly.
Velzard closed her eyes briefly.
Leon simply stared at him.
Guy spread his arms.
"Nothing has changed."
"If anything…"
His grin widened.
"I'm even more excited now."
Leon's voice remained flat.
"You still intend to fight him."
Guy nodded immediately.
"Obviously."
Rain muttered under her breath.
"Battle junkie."
Guy ignored her.
"That brat has potential that rivals even mine."
His eyes sharpened slightly.
"And I want to see how far he can go."
Velzard opened her eyes.
"…Even if that potential becomes dangerous?"
Guy smirked.
"Dangerous?"
He shrugged.
"That's half the fun."
Leon's gaze hardened slightly.
"You're treating this far too casually."
Guy looked at him.
"Oh?"
Leon folded his arms.
"You saw it."
"The power he released."
"If that had continued unchecked…"
He glanced toward Velzard.
"…the Western Nations might have been destroyed."
Velzard nodded.
"That possibility existed."
Guy shrugged.
"Sure."
Rain frowned.
"Sure?!"
Misery sighed.
"Guy-sama…"
But Guy only smiled.
"That's why we stopped him."
He leaned back again.
"But now we know something important."
Leon narrowed his eyes.
"And that is?"
Guy's grin widened.
"That idiot is going to be a monster."
Silence filled the hall again.
Claude and Arlos exchanged brief glances from the back of the room.
Even they could feel the weight of those words.
Then—
BOOM.
The palace doors slammed open.
Everyone in the room turned.
A familiar presence stormed inside the hall.
Her long hair flowed behind her like a banner of war.
Her eyes burned with fury.
Luminous Valentine.
Behind her stood her two attendants.
Roy Valentine and Louis Valentine.
The room immediately grew colder.
Luminous scanned the hall.
Her gaze landed directly on Guy.
"You."
Guy waved lazily.
"Yo."
Luminous's eye twitched.
"You have some nerve acting casual."
She marched forward, heels echoing sharply against the floor.
"I had to search half the continent for you."
Her voice sharpened.
"Because you suddenly decided to move from the North."
Rain muttered quietly.
"Uh oh."
Guy simply leaned back in his chair.
"Relax."
He tilted his head.
"You found me, didn't you?"
Luminous stopped directly in front of him.
Her aura flared dangerously.
"Yes."
Her voice dropped to a cold whisper.
"And now that I have…"
She leaned forward slightly.
"…you are going to explain something to me."
Guy raised an eyebrow.
"Oh?"
Luminous's eyes burned with fury.
"The Angel."
The entire room went silent.
Her voice carried pure anger.
"The one who attacked Lubelius."
Her fists clenched.
"You are going to tell me…"
Her eyes locked onto Guy.
"…exactly what that thing was."
---
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