A planet tens of times larger than the human world rotates around a massive red star. It is the only planet with life within this solar system, however it houses enough life to count for hundreds of planets.

Endless varying landscapes rise and fall from natural disasters, civilizations are born, and cultures thrive to grow and go to war on every corner of this world.

Some regions are devoid of life for tens of thousands of kilometers, while others are full of monsters wielding dark black and purple energy.

Some form intelligent societies that grow and prosper, taking advantage of the rifts that appear leading to mana-dense worlds; while others endlessly roam to kill each other and eat their next meal, relying solely on animalistic instincts.

The soil and plants of this world are tinted black and red from the energy given off by the wildlife and stars in the system.

There aren't many creatures that ever travel far enough around this globe to meet other civilizations.

Even the most powerful beings on this world can travel for a lifetime and not make it back to where they've started.

This is why it is known not as a world, but for its inhabitants that are intelligent enough to speak a language; it is known as the Demonic Realm.

In one of the northernmost regions of this Realm, five enormous black towers stand looking down at the most powerful known Demon Society. The Demons are the Superior Race on this massive planet and have been for hundreds of thousands of years.

Far below these towers, which are known to be owned by the five great families, the massive black castles and training facilities for the families' armies look down at the city below as well.

They are all made of the same dark black material that the towers are made of, making it impossible for even the strongest Arch Demons who have returned from mana-rich worlds to see inside.

The only way they will even get a shot at glory is to make an offering during one of the ceremonies when a great family decides to have recruitment rituals.

For a normal citizen, this is merely a dream that rests above their great city for tens of thousands of Demonic Generations.

Surrounding the five pillars that watch over the realm, millions of Fledgling and Greater Demons are being brought up from their youths.

Expeditions into the surrounding riftlands to farm resources from Demonic Beasts, collect Originator artifacts, and take the leap into newfound rifts to mana-based worlds happen every day.

–

However, a very unique event is happening at the base of one of the towers owned by the Vermillion Family.

Within a large black hall, completely isolated from the rest of the realm, a single Ascended Arch Demon with a True Core burning bright yellow-white in its chest approaches the base of the tower slowly with its hand outreached.

Its heart rate rises with every slow step it takes forward, and a line of six yellow-cored Demon Generals line the back wall at attention, staring straight ahead as their leader places his hand on what appears to be a closed arching doorway.

The room is silent for a few moments, but the True Core's energy from the demon that touches the tower is being siphoned out at an alarming rate.

It stands tall, with a confident expression on its face, while the arching outer crack of the door slowly begins to light up with a bright yellow light.

It becomes brighter and brighter, then shifts in color, turning light green as the intensity of the divine energy makes a major shift.

The True Core releases his hand from the door and takes a step back, grinning ear to ear while the green light glows brighter within him, without having to sacrifice any more of his own power.

A pulse of green energy comes out from the cracks of the door, and the gravity in the room increases tenfold, forcing all of the yellow generals to fall to one knee in an instant.

It pulses again, even stronger, releasing even more pressure, and even the True Core bows his head and falls to a knee as well.

He speaks in a tone as if he's addressing a god.

"Lord Vermillion. I come to give you a report on our family's weekly progress. There have been seventeen new offerings, totaling 329 Quintillion Mana Points worth of new resources farmed. After our screening process, nine of these new arch demons have been appointed to the 216th and 217th Red Core squads to begin their training beneath the Demonic Knights."

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The True Cored Demon goes into great detail about the promotion ceremony of two of the Red Cored Demonic Knights still being in process, as new Orange Cored Commanders are needed for the growing numbers of squads.

Then he gives a rundown on all of the Originator Stone mining operations being conducted out in the riftlands, and the off-planet missions being conducted by a few private Yellow General Squads.

However, there is no reply or reaction from the green outline of the glowing doors until the Demon reports an unexpected piece of news.

"There is a planet that you've told us to keep tabs on. It is a human-based world, specifically planet M3-99051. A rare world that had an abnormally high amount of Originator Artifacts present, but its mana availability was not very impressive. I was tasked to plant a throne here as per your request, and it appears to have been awakened a few years early."

The Demon bows his head as another pulse of green threads erupts out from the edges of the door, followed by a deep voice so loud and powerful that everyone's minds focus solely on its words. The separation of the telepathic channel being tethered with divine energy, and true sound around them, is blurred.

"It is early indeed... That world was the one with three humans holding near-saturated True Cores..."

The Demon's bowed head is pushed down even further by the intense gravity, so much so that it touches the dark black floor.

"Yes, that is correct, Lord."

There's a pause as the pressure in the room grows even greater, and the older guards in the back of the room begin to pass out and fall completely limp.

"Very well. The contract made with that world fifty years ago in their time is still active. They shall yield 100% of their Originator Artifacts, 95% of their mana resources and over 75% of their population to the Demon that claims the throne. In return, they won't attempt to fatally injure you in the final battle. Though, I have found humans not to be very long-term focused creatures. They will most likely breach the pact, and I advise you to not hold back and exterminate anyone you must to claim this world."

The Demon's eyes widen as he realizes what the Demon Lord's words mean.

"Ascended Drako Vermillion, True Core Royal Descendant of the Vermillion Family; you now have the right to claim this throne in our family name, to add to the collection growing our empire. Take the necessary resources required to build a thriving civilization on this world. Your 337 years of service have been appreciated greatly; you may now become a Demon Lord."

The moment the words finish, the intensity in the room vanishes, and the green light around the arching doorway ceases.

Drako keeps his head against the floor for a few more seconds before raising it with a proud and determined look on his face, then turning to face the yellow-cored generals at the back of the room.

"You heard the Lord. I need each of you to round up your orange-cored commanders and have them bring their red-cored demonic knights to meet me here in seventy-two hours, ready to venture to a new world. That will be about eighteen full squads. More than enough to take over a human world with 3rd Tier mana availability."

With a smile across the Demon's face, he opens the back door of the black contact room they all stand in and makes their way back to the main palace.

One of the yellow generals walks closer to him, and the other five follow at a distance.

The True Core gives him an order while they walk back to his private quarters.

"This honorable day has finally come. I'm off to notify the other eleven Royal Descendants of my Lord Ascension; they will need to have a new Royal fill my spot. There hasn't been a ceremony like this in over a hundred years."

The yellow-cored general bows as they split paths and replies.

"Indeed it is, Captain. Or—soon to be Lord. I look forward to serving you in your new world. I shall make sure all of the necessary troops are ready within three days as requested."

The yellow general walks off down a long hall, while the True Core opens a new door and uses a black tablet powered by dark purple demonic energy, linking all of the Vermillion Family's True Core Royal Descendants together to notify them of the news.

–

Meanwhile, back on the human world, within three floating originator artifacts high above a mountain that holds almost 25% of the world's population, three True Cores speak to each other with mixed emotions.

Redgrave laughs loudly to himself as he hears the news of two more Order Members lashing out at Angelica in a trade deal gone wrong, bragging to the other two members through their closed circuit.

"Looks like my flames still work! I set them up over two decades ago, and they're still burning with enough heat to fry that sorry excuse for a King and Queen to a crisp before they could even react."

He laughs loudly and energetically throws more yellow flames around the room as he dances to pass the time.

Elara replies.

"Hey, I set up those domes years before your flames were even there. This only means your flames are weaker than my ice if there haven't been any complaints about them breaking since the start."

Redgrave knows Elara is just poking him to fight back, but he's itching for some fun considering the throne awakening is so close.

"Ahh! You know I could go down there right now and re-light them! I've grown almost twice as strong since I lit those flames, I bet I could melt your domes in a minute if I—"

Beckman cuts off their antics.

"Enough, you two!"

Over the last few minutes, he has been studying the instant deaths of the King and Queen, making calculations in his system interface while listening to the recording of the call from Angelica on repeat.

"Something is not right... There is a few minute lag between their death and this call... and quite frankly, Redgrave, I believe your flames should have killed them much faster than the time it took for them to die. It took approximately 0.21 seconds too long..."

More taps and clicks come from Beckman's tablet, and Elara and Redgrave seem interested for a moment but go back to mindlessly bickering to pass the time while Beckman continues to tap away and look for more inconsistencies.

—

While all of this occurs, I float all the way up the scorched mountain cliffs of central headquarters and finally glide down into the bustling streets.

I feel a heavy mana-based surveillance system activate in the city, similar to that of Valor City's tech, but I hop into a dark alley and reverse my stealth skill to now reveal my identical appearance to any other average citizen roaming the streets in the dead of night.

I'll most likely leave before anyone double-checks the footage and sees a random middle-aged drunken man walk out from a dark alley where no other people were previously.

For now, I walk into a local bar district filled with people, flashing lights, dancing, and loud blaring music to see if I can eavesdrop and talk to some people, getting a feel for how this city operates from the locals.