"Ouch... that fall was beyond painful. It felt like my bones weren't just breaking, but twisting into shapes they were never meant to hold."
It reminded me of the victims of the Qyjo Sect—those fanatics who worship the Demon Curse, Qyjo. What? You want to know who Qyjo is? Fine. Legend says he was one of the closest generals to the Fourth King of all Demons, Vanth. And believe me, according to the stories, Vanth was just a toddler compared to the three Demon Kings who came before him.
Oh, now you're curious about the first three? You're starting to sound like a bunch of gossiping old hags.
I'll try to explain it simply. The First King of all Demons was a former half-god named Malakor. He was cast out of the heavens—because, surprise, the Gods are absolute arseholes. Malakor didn't just survive the fall; he tore down the old chaotic regimes of the demon world and established the first true Monarchy. He turned a wasteland into an empire.
The Second was Yanahm, the seventh son of Malakor. He was even more terrifying than his father. They say he used the exiled All-Mother and her eight daughters—who were rumored to be part of his own bloodline—to enforce his authority. He manipulated every major faction in the demon realm until they were all under his thumb. He fought countless wars and won them all, until he was eventually slain by an Asura. Even today, the 'Shadows of Yanahm' worship him like a god. Creepy, right?
Then came Zuna, the Third King and son of Yanahm. He spent his reign fighting off demon vassals and ambitious lords just to keep his inheritance. He tried to do what no one else could: wipe out the Asuras. He marched far, but he never actually reached the Asura Empire. He ran into the Hyuga, and they brought him and his entire army to their knees.
I'm rambling again, aren't I? My bad. Now you want to know who the Hyuga are? I don't know everything, but I can give you the basics.
The Hyuga are a family that, every so often, births a single child whose power eclipses everyone else on the planet. They belong to the 12 Great Magical Families of Humanity. In the hierarchy of the world, they're near the top—Rank 2 or 3, I think. Only the Asura Family is considered stronger, as they also produce a 'singular' child every generation. Though, if you ask me, the Scarlett Clan is breathing right down the Hyuga's necks.
Are you satisfied now, you nosy bastards?
How do I, an "uneducated street rat," know all this? You idiots, this is common knowledge! Especially the part about the 12 Families, specifically the fact that the Asuras and the Hyugas have been at war for centuries. Everyone knows that!
"Stop dreaming, you street cur, or I'll castrate you myself! Understand?!"
Folia's scream snapped me back to the present. The sick psycho actually saved me, because in that exact moment, Jessica—that arrogant bitch—unleashed a White Flame Magic attack. It was blinding, pure, and absolutely lethal against my Shadow Magic.
I panicked. I tried to counter with a Kyrokinesis burst, but my aim was off. The white fire missed my vitals but slammed into my left foot. I felt the heat bypass my skin and char the bone instantly. My body went into shock, my mana circuits screaming as my system tried to shut down.
I thought I was going to die by "Holy Light." What a pathetic way for a Demon to go.
But Folia lunged between us. He roared as he activated what he called Ultimate Primordial Bolt Magic. He didn't just use electricity; he gathered the elemental nature of the air around him and condensed it into a jagged, violet lightning strike. It moved faster than the eye could follow, slamming into Jessica's left hand. The bitch's "karma" came back fast—her hand was scorched to a crisp before she could even scream.
But Folia had overextended.
The moment he landed, his guard was down. The Shadow Hunters, smelling blood, attacked from multiple directions. One of them caught him in the left shoulder with a Shadow Blade. He twisted to avoid a fatal blow, but Jessica chose that exact second to unleash a forbidden combination: Electro-Pyro Sun Magic.
A miniature sun, crackling with electrical discharge, exploded against Folia's left side. I watched in horror as his entire left arm was charred black, hanging useless at his side. But that wasn't the worst part. The blast caught the left side of his face. His eye... he was blinded instantly.
"The end is near," I whispered, clutching my burnt foot.
Just then, the air grew heavy with moisture. A cold, regal voice echoed through the clearing.
"In the name of Prince Folia the First, I declare you enemies of my House and sentence you to death!"
It was Yulea. She looked like a goddess of wrath as she unleashed Rain Magic combined with Cursed Wind Blades. The rain didn't just fall; it stripped the skin off the Shadow Hunters. It was terrifyingly beautiful. But wait... did she just say "Prince Folia the First"?
I really have a talent for picking fights with the highest-ranking people in existence.
For a second, I thought we were saved. But Jessica Tiulo wasn't a Death Angel for nothing. She laughed—a jagged, melodic sound—and used the very moisture Yulea had created to fuel her own counter-attack.
"Four-Color Sawing Sun!"
A halo of spinning, multi-colored solar energy erupted from Jessica's blade. It sliced through Yulea's rain and wind as if they were nothing more than paper. The shockwave hit Yulea squarely in the chest, throwing her back against a stone pillar. She hit the ground and didn't move. She was out cold.
Folia was still reeling from the loss of his eye and his arm, his golden aura flickering like a dying candle. I was on the ground with a foot that felt like it was made of molten glass. And Jessica was stepping forward, her silver hair flowing in the wind, looking like she hadn't even started to try.
I'm screwed. If I don't think of something in the next ten seconds, my head is going to be a Nordaran trophy.
Until next time.