The cave was quiet except for the faint sound of dripping water.
Rai sat on a large flat stone deep inside the Rare Demon's former cave.
In front of him, the pile of mana crystals glowed softly, lighting the dark walls with faint blue light.
Outside the cave entrance…
Five small demons waited nervously.
They were thin creatures with crooked horns and gray skin. Clearly the lowest class of demons.
Outcasts.
Just like this land itself.
One of them finally whispered, "Should we go inside…?"
Another quickly shook its head.
"Are you crazy?! That human killed the Rare Demon!"
"But… he said we could work for him…"
The smallest demon gulped.
"What if he eats us?"
Before their argument could continue—
A calm voice echoed from inside the cave.
"Come in."
The demons froze.
Then slowly walked into the cave.
Their eyes widened when they saw Rai sitting calmly among the glowing crystals.
The Fear Aura in the air made their legs tremble.
Rai looked at them silently.
The five demons immediately dropped to their knees.
"We swear loyalty!" one of them blurted.
"Please don't kill us!"
Rai leaned back slightly.
His ice-blue eyes studied them carefully.
These demons were weak.
Extremely weak.
But they had survived the Outcast Demon Land.
That meant they were resourceful.
"Names," Rai said calmly.
The demons looked at each other nervously.
Then one spoke.
"I'm Grik."
Another followed.
"Tora."
"Mek."
"Ruun."
"And… I'm Zik."
Rai nodded slightly.
"So… Grik, Tora, Mek, Ruun, and Zik."
The demons quickly bowed again.
"Yes, Lord!"
Rai frowned slightly.
"Don't call me that."
The demons blinked.
"…Then what should we call you?"
Rai thought for a moment.
Then he said simply:
"Rai."
The demons looked confused.
A powerful demon slayer…
A territory owner…
And he wanted to be called by name?
But none of them dared question it.
"Yes… Rai!"
Rai stood up slowly.
His height alone made the small demons nervous.
He walked toward the cave entrance and looked out across the wasteland.
"This land…"
He spoke quietly.
"…is full of outcasts."
The demons nodded quickly.
"Yes!"
"Most of us here were banished from demon clans."
"Or defeated in battles."
"Or simply born weak."
Grik looked down at the ground.
"No demon lord wants us."
Rai crossed his arms.
He had expected something like that.
The Demon Realm was probably built on strength.
Weak demons were thrown away.
But Rai didn't see weakness.
He saw opportunity.
He turned back to them.
"How many demons live in this wasteland?"
The demons hesitated.
Then Tora answered.
"Thousands."
Rai's eyes sharpened.
Thousands.
An army of outcasts.
An idea slowly formed in his mind.
A place where all outcasts could live.
Humans.
Demons.
Elves.
Anyone rejected by the world.
A place free from discrimination.
Rai's calm expression hid the ambition forming inside him.
But the system suddenly appeared again.
---
SYSTEM NOTIFICATION
New Quest Available.
Quest: Build Your First Territory
Requirements:
Recruit 10 Followers
Secure Food Source
Defend Territory from Enemy Demons
Reward: Territory Skill Unlock
---
Rai looked at the screen quietly.
Then he looked at the five demons again.
"You said there are thousands of outcasts here."
They nodded.
"Yes."
Rai spoke calmly.
"Bring them."
The demons blinked.
"…Bring them?"
"Anyone who wants protection."
His eyes grew colder.
"And anyone who tries to take this territory…"
A faint dark aura spread through the cave.
"…will die."
The five demons trembled.
Then they nodded excitedly.
"Yes! We'll gather them!"
They quickly ran out of the cave.
Rai stood silently in the entrance.
Watching the red wasteland.
The first steps of his kingdom had begun.
And somewhere far away…
A powerful demon lord watched everything.
Smiling.
Because the Demon King Vessel was beginning to build something dangerous.