[Creston City]

Creston City was a place of order and structure, its high walls and watchtowers a testament to its dedication to security.

The prison, a massive fortress of steel and stone, loomed over the city like a silent guardian.

For years, it had been a symbol of safety, a place where society's worst were locked away.

No one believed it could ever fall.

Until now.

The attack began in the dead of night, swift and brutal.

Golems, their massive forms glinting in the moonlight, marched toward the prison gates with a terrifying inevitability.

Their footsteps thundered like drums of war, shaking the ground beneath them.

The guards manning the walls scrambled to respond, their shouts ringing out across the city.

"Enemies! Sound the alarm!"

Arrows rained down on the advancing forces, but they bounced harmlessly off the Golems’ hardened exteriors.

Chimeras, grotesque amalgamations of ants and horrors, leapt at the walls with terrifying agility, tearing through defenses with razor-sharp jaws.

Their roars echoed through the streets, sending waves of terror through the city.

The guards fought valiantly, their swords and spears flashing in the dim light, but they were no match for the overwhelming force.

One by one, the defenses crumbled.

Inside the prison, the rumble of battle grew louder.

The inmates, hardened criminals who had given up hope of freedom, began to stir in their cells.

Fear and hope battled in their hearts as the sounds of explosions and crumbling stone grew nearer.

When the gates were finally breached, the inmates hesitated, their eyes wide with disbelief as the monstrous Golems stormed in, flanked by the Demonic Guild.

“What’s happening?” one prisoner whispered, his voice trembling.

“They’re… freeing us?” another said, his tone wavering between disbelief and excitement.

Rick, one of the Demonic Guild, stepped into the cell block, his dark aura commanding attention.

“Join us, and you’ll taste freedom again. Fight, or die in your cages.”

Fear gave way to desperation.

The inmates surged forward, their rage and hope driving them into the fray.

Armed with whatever they could find—chains, makeshift weapons, even their bare fists—they joined the assault, adding to the chaos.

The city was soon in chaos.

The battle spilled into the streets of Creston City, transforming it into a war zone.

Buildings burned as Golems smashed through walls, their massive hands reducing homes and shops to rubble.

Chimeras prowled through the alleys, their jaws dripping with blood as they hunted down anyone who dared resist.

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Civilians screamed and scattered, their faces etched with terror.

Mothers clutched their children, hiding in basements or behind overturned carts.

Some ran toward the city gates, only to be cut down by the rampaging criminals.

Amid the chaos, Black Serpent's subsidiary guilds sprang into action.

They moved swiftly and with precision, their forces splitting into two groups.

The first group focused on capturing Demonic Guild members alive, their leader barking orders over the roar of battle.

“We need them for interrogation! Focus on immobilizing, not killing!”

They used nets, enchanted chains, and tranquilizing spells to subdue their targets.

The second group took on the grim task of dealing with the escaped criminals.

These men and women, hardened by years under Cain's ruthless leadership, showed no hesitation.

The orders were clear: Kill them all.

One criminal, armed with a stolen blade, charged a Black Serpent hunter.

The hunter dodged effortlessly, his blade flashing once.

The criminal fell, clutching his throat as blood pooled beneath him.

Another tried to beg for mercy, dropping his weapon and raising his hands.

The hunter hesitated for only a moment before driving his blade into the man’s chest.

“This isn’t justice,” one younger guild member muttered, his voice shaky as he wiped blood from his sword.

“It’s survival,” his commander snapped. “Don’t falter.”

As the battle raged on, the tide began to turn.

The Golems, formidable as they were, started to fall under the relentless attacks of the Black Serpent guilds.

Explosive spells targeted their cores, and coordinated strikes brought them crashing to the ground.

Rick, watching from a distance, cursed under his breath.

“Damn it! These Black Serpent bastards were ready for us!”

He turned to his remaining forces, his voice cutting through the chaos.

“Retreat! Fall back to the hideout!”

Reluctantly, the Demonic Guild members obeyed, their ranks thinning as they escaped through the shadows.

The criminals, abandoned and leaderless, were quickly overwhelmed and executed.

As the sun began to rise, Creston City lay in ruins.

Smoke rose from the charred remains of buildings, and the streets were littered with the dead—guards, civilians, criminals, and monsters alike.

The surviving citizens emerged from their hiding places, their faces pale and drawn.

Some wept for lost loved ones, while others stared blankly at the devastation.

Amid the wreckage, the Black Serpent guild members regrouped, their expressions grim but determined.

“Report to department head,” one leader said, his voice heavy with exhaustion.

“Tell him we captured several Demonic members alive. We’ll get the answers we need.”

The battle for Creston City was over, but the war had only just begun.

-----

[Demonic Guild’s Hideout]

The hideout, nestled deep underground, was a maze of damp corridors and dimly lit chambers.

The retreating Demonic Guild members poured into the central hall, their faces haggard, some bearing wounds from the failed assault on Creston City.

Tension hung thick in the air, the weight of failure pressing down on everyone present.

Rick strutted into the chamber, his armor scuffed but his pride intact.

Kevin, the Guildmaster, sat on a makeshift throne of stone, his piercing eyes narrowing as Rick approached.

“What happened? Did you succeed?” Kevin asked, his tone clipped and impatient.

Rick smirked, puffing out his chest.

“Yes, Guildmaster. I managed to accomplish the task. The prison gates are broken, and the criminals have been unleashed.”

Kevin’s stern expression softened slightly, but his attention shifted as I stepped into the room.

My presence silenced the murmurs of the others, my pale skin glistening faintly under the dim lights.

“And where are the other Golems and Chimeras?” I asked, my voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

Rick hesitated, his smirk faltering. “Oh, uh... we lost them in the fight.”

My gaze sharpened, and the air seemed to grow colder. “Lost them? Against the guards?”

“No,” Rick stammered, visibly unnerved. “It wasn’t the guards. We crushed them easily. It was the Black Serpent Guild’s subsidiaries. They ambushed us.”

For a moment, silence reigned.

Then, I spoke, my voice like ice.

“Are you stupid?”

“What?!” Rick exclaimed, his pride wounded.

“The plan was to retreat immediately after breaking the prison,” I said, my tone now dangerously low.

“Who told you to engage further? You weren’t there to fight a prolonged battle. You were there to create chaos and fall back. Instead, you lost valuable Golems and Chimeras for nothing.”

Rick’s face flushed with anger and embarrassment.

“I thought we could take them down! And anyway, can’t you just make more of those things?”

My eyes narrowed, the Black Sphere in my possession humming faintly at my side.

“You thought?” I repeated, my voice sharp and mocking.

“You thought. Your arrogance cost us valuable resources, and now you have the audacity to stand here and ask me to replace them like they’re nothing?”

Rick bristled, his temper flaring.

“Who do you think you are? You wouldn’t even be out of that dungeon without us! You owe your freedom to the Demonic Guild!”

“Rick, enough!” Kevin barked, his voice commanding.

But Rick wasn’t done.

He turned back to me, his face twisted with fury.

“You think you’re superior to us? Let me remind you—”

Before he could finish, there was a blur of movement.

A wet, gurgling sound filled the chamber as Rick’s words died in his throat.

He staggered forward, his hands clutching at the deep gash across his neck.

Blood spilled freely, staining the cold stone floor.

Standing behind him was Magal, my Chimera Ant General, his claws dripping crimson.

Magal’s glowing eyes, now enhanced with the Demonic Sphere’s power, flickered with an eerie light.

“Aagh!” Rick gasped, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

The chamber erupted into chaos.

Demonic Guild members shouted, some reaching for their weapons, others frozen in fear. Kevin shot to his feet, his aura flaring.

“You!” Kevin roared, his fists clenched.

“How dare you kill one of my commanders without my permission!”

I met his rage with calm indifference, my voice steady but laced with menace.

“I promised to help you, Kevin. But make no mistake—I will not tolerate stupidity or disrespect.”

Around the room, more Golems emerged, their hulking forms casting long shadows.

Chimeras crept out of the darkness, their predatory gazes fixed on the Demonic Guild members.

The power dynamic in the room shifted palpably, and everyone present felt it.

“You think you’re in control here?” Kevin snarled, his aura spiking with dark energy.

I stepped forward, unbothered by his display.

“Control is earned, Kevin. And from now on, I will be the one making decisions. You’ve had your chance to lead, but your people’s incompetence has cost us too much.”

The tension in the room was suffocating.

Kevin’s fists trembled, but he didn’t make a move.

He knew better.

“Magal,” I said, my tone firm but calm, “remove this mess.”

Magal dragged Rick’s lifeless body away without a word, his claws scraping against the stone floor.

I turned back to the rest of the Demonic Guild.

Their faces were pale, their confidence shaken.

“From this moment on, I will handle all operations personally. Your failures have proven that you are not capable of executing my plans without supervision. Disobey me, and you will end up like him.”

The room fell silent, the weight of my words sinking in.