"Beckman, you felt that too, didn't you?"

Floating above central headquarters, the three strongest True Cored humans on the planet feel real fear for the first time in decades.

"I did, Redgrave. The Vermillion Family has returned..."

Beckman scrolls and taps through his system interface while sweat trickles down his temples.

Elara speaks through the link next.

"It feels like that True Core has grown stronger since the first visit... That Demon's Aura made it through the S-Grade Originator Stone Defenses. It's like he could see right through, as if we're in a glass room."

Beckman looks up from his status screen full of numbers.

"Yes, that wave that hit me was approximately 129% stronger than the strongest attack I felt the last time we met. That is certainly the same Demon, I don't forget faces."

There's silence on the three-way line for a few seconds before a laugh echoes through from Redgrave's crystal.

"We've grown stronger too, you know! Three on one should get the job done, don't you think?"

His transmission device clicks off, but his laughter continues in private as he begins to dance around and send shimmering yellow divine flames at the inner walls of his room. Voices come out of the transmission tablet left behind on the arm of his throne, the first is from Beckman.

"That is not part of the plan. We shall stay on target and wait one more day. The probability of unnecessary fighting is too high if we approach now."

Elara returns a message.

"He won't go unless you give the order, he's just getting overly excited..."

A few dozen messages are sent back and forth between the two of them while Redgrave finally begins to calm himself down and walks back to his transmission tablet to hear Beckman's next words.

"Yes, that would be best. Awaken the emergency squads. I want bases built as close to the abyss as possible, far away from the Vermillion Family's forts, and preferably far from the Flame Emperor's strongest settlement in Sector 2. Have the yellow cores bring the offering package to their leader, for now; we're holding true to the pact."

A satisfied sigh comes through the channel from Redgrave next.

"Fine, fine. Elara, take care of activating my squad. I don't want to talk to either of you until we're actually heading toward the throne."

There's an annoyed click of the tongue from Elara before she speaks.

"You know I can't do that, you need to activate your squad through the designated channel. This is a safety protocol for all of us."

He grumbles back.

"Then at least let me take out that pest calling himself the Flame Emperor on our way over. I want a clear mind before I enter the doors."

There's silence on the channel again, but finally Beckman speaks.

"That shouldn't be a problem. If the Vermillion Leader hasn't killed him first, you're permitted to do as you wish once we make our move. But please, keep the civilian casualties below 1,000,000 if possible this time. We cannot risk losing a portion of central's population if there aren't enough workers left to satisfy the Demons."

Redgrave grins.

"Deal."

Three clicks follow as the transmission tablets all go dark, and many hidden bases deep beneath the divine flames surrounding the city turn their lights on for the first time in decades.

Hundreds of red-cored elite A-Class hunters open their eyes. Dozens of orange cores and a few yellow cores do the same in silver pods lining the walls of mana and divine energy-rich underground fortresses. They all receive voice commands with specific instructions, preparing them for an event they've been waiting for since the Association was founded.

–

Meanwhile, after shaking off the shock of the Demon's gaze, I continue sending my distress message to all loyal teammates and high-ranking followers.

"Be on guard, prepare for war. The Demons have arrived."

Deep in the heart of a volcano, Raven and Maria open their eyes while cultivating in a solid black room surrounded by containment cases full of unique looking treasures.

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I send a message directly to them next.

"Their leader knows we're here, and they don't appear to be aggressive, but whatever you're doing, don't get too absorbed; I could need backup."

In the Apex Region, both Rodrigo and Bri get another unique message from me.

"Our campaign the last two days was a great success, but I want double—no—quadruple the merchants and hunters in the streets of every major city tomorrow morning spreading the word. Empty the Association's treasury, promise to power-level hunters to whatever strength they desire, use every trick in the book you can for a final push. I need every link of loyalty I can get."

Similar messages go out to Chester in Sector 4, and both Monk and Lith in Sector 1. I give an additional warning to Monk to relay to The Saint who is hidden away in the temple, telling him that the final moments are among us, and that the Demons are closest to Sector 1, so be warned.

The final message is sent straight to Abby and Ember, who pause their battle and return to their base forms.

Abby uses her restore skill to soothe both of their minor battle fatigue, and Ember returns to his human state while replying to my words of worry.

"If he wanted you dead, you would be fighting him right now. A warning is good to get everyone ready, but just know an Arch Demon of that caliber can listen in on any telepathy channel they wish. Even now, there is no stopping him from hearing my words."

My mind's eye still watches the unbothered Arch Demon stare off at the slowly receding abyss as his workers continue to build their bases.

Ember speaks again.

"Worlds like this are resources after all, killing the strongest beings on it would only be a waste for their long-term profits."

As these words enter my mind, another oddity tickles my senses in one of the furthest points of my mind within the Dark Continent. It is about 800 kilometers from Solara in Sector 4, on the edge of the receding abyss where some of the red-cored demonic knights are beginning to make their way out to.

My first thought is that it must be another Demonic Rift, as more signatures of Demonic Qi have emerged from seemingly nowhere; however, these thoughts are pushed aside once I see for myself what comes out from the black wall of Demonic Energy.

Two figures emerge shrouded in darkness, moving quickly toward four red-cored knights that survey the lands.

One of the figures carries a bow, and he blips in and out of sight while sending light purple arrows at the demons' arms and legs. The obsidian armor is shot through with ease, immobilizing two demons and forcing them to drop their weapons and shields as they lose access to their limbs.

A woman follows close behind, sending crescents of what looks to be wind magic imbued with dense purple Demonic Soul Energy.

These blades of wind slice through the armor of the demonic knights that approach, doing the same as the archer, forcing them to the ground in a split second, immobilizing them before they were even spotted.

The man and woman have bright purple Soul Energy cores in their chests. The archer has an Arch Demon Core that overlaps with his Demonic Energy core, but I'm certain they're not Demons.

The two of them place a single hand on the fallen demons and drain their bodies of Demonic Energy in seconds, not killing them, but leaving them powerless in the desert as they creep further along the abyss in the dead of night.

The corner of my mouth turns upward as Arie and Luna's name tags within my Rising Emperor's Domain interface come back online, shining brightly as the only purple-colored text in my interface.

I curiously watch as they easily take down five more red-cored demonic knights that followed the scouting squad, and repeat the same process, draining Demonic energy from the immobilized Demons.

As Arie drains the last drop of Demonic Soul Energy from his prey, he notices an orange-cored knight coming their way and whispers to Luna.

"There's a far stronger one coming now. We'll have to fight it together, don't hold back. It's using the same odd gravity magic... I think we can take it. This will be our final test, then we're headed back to the Crimson City to show the others what we found."

Luna nods, not saying a word, and closes her eyes.

Seconds later, a massive purple eye forms high in the sky above them, and a dozen smaller eyes form all around it, looking as though they've been summoned from all kinds of demonic monsters; some resembling snakes, others cats, and some birds.

They all emit their own purple aura, and cover the distance between them and the approaching Orange-Cored Demon while Arie's energy form grows in size and six arms emerge from his back to draw back and load three massive bows.

The Arch Demon that approaches wields a heavy shield and a longsword, and stares at Arie while activating a communication link to his superior.

"General, we've encountered the first threat. They seem to be humanoid Demonic Beasts. Strong ones, they took out seven of our knights. No divine energy is present, but the scent of ascended beasts is all over these two. I'm going to engage, but I'll need backup."

There's a click, and one of the yellow cores sends orders for the requested reinforcements, then turns to their leader and reports the news.

He replies in an unbothered tone. "Intelligent Ascended Beasts? No—it's most likely humans that used the throne's excess radiation as a training ground. Take care of them yourself, I don't want a single orange core injured."

"Yes, Sir!"

The high-level yellow core floats in the air, then heads off in the direction of the disturbance.

–

All 13 of Luna's Eyes simultaneously blink, and at the same time, Arie sends three arrows toward the Orange Core running their way.

The first white arrow bounces off the tough obsidian armor chestplate tethered with orange threads without leaving a mark.

The second light purple arrow hits the demon in the leg as it curves around its massive shield, and a small fragment of armor is broken off, making the demon misstep.

Arie grins as he sends his final dark black and purple arrow toward the commander.

Its core is filled with dense mana, while its outer layer is charged with all of the Demonic Soul Energy that he siphoned out of the Red Cores on his way here. There are leftover red thread residues in this attack, accidentally strengthening it even further.

Arie lets go of the arrow, and it twists around the demon's sword like it has a mind of its own and hits the commander right in the arm, shattering its orange-thread-imbued armor and forcing it to drop its sword.

The 13 eyes above blink three more times, and each time they do, Arie sends out another three shots, hitting the demon's other three limbs, and immobilizing him on the ground.

As Luna and Arie move toward their target, a transmission goes off in the commander's helmet.

"Support is on the way!"

As the poisonous [Demonic Essence of The Ascended Scorpion] laced within Aries arrows flows through the demon's body, its eyes are wide open. It can't speak, move, or even think of the words to reply.

There is only silence as the 13 eyes above stare down and Arie drains the commander's body dry of Demonic Soul Energy.