Amidst the chaos in the arena, Atrox made an unexpected choice. Instead of rushing back into the frey, enveloped himself with his bone wings and was transformed into an armored version of his demonic transformation. Atrox stood in the epicenter of the crater clenching his fist feeling the familiar power.

This was a transformation he had not used for a long while but its defensive nature and speed was unparalleled.

Meanwhile, at the opposite end of the arena, Diablo's lips curled into a self-assured smile. He brushed dust from his form and rose to his feet, his large, imposing frame morphing and compressing into a more compact stature. From the center of his forehead, a mesmerizing purple gem condensed and sparkled with a unique radiance.

His body began to emit a crimson mist as it shifted into a more defined humanoid form, ultimately settling into a shape that mirrored that of an average adult male. An extra pair of arms sprouted from his sides, each muscle sculpted like steel.

Bliss watched the transformations unfold, the weight of the situation bearing down on him. As the tension in the air grew thicker, a bead of sweat traced its way down his forehead. The overwhelming pressure emanating from his opponents left him with a sinking sense of despair.

"I can't afford to hold back," Bliss whispered to himself, his voice trembling with resolve. He clenched his fists, attempting to clear the fog of doubt that had settled in his mind.

It took a full minute of intense concentration, but Bliss finally reached deep within himself.

Bliss felt a stinging sensation in the back of his mind as he tried to clear the fog in his mind. It took him a minute but eventually he felt it and his eyes opened wide.

The moment he did his eyes that were normally yellow looked blood red and a wave of shadows and mist pulsated out from Bliss’s body.

Both Diablo and Atrox who felt the wave were pushed back a few feet as their eyes opened wide seeing what had changed with Bliss.

Bliss stood the same height and figure with only two changes, his eyes looked blood red but the most striking feature was the black crystal that was now at the center of his forehead.

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Both Diablo and Atrox looked at the crystal in bafflement, understanding what it meant, afterall, as senior demons they both understood what the gem signified.

Diablo most of all understood, afterall he had a miniature version of the crystal on his forehead right now.

The crystal was the mark of a royal demon, originally, only the first monarchs of the demon kind had demon crystals, and overtime the size of a crystal determined a demon’s power. But after each generation the crystal would get smaller and smaller until now during modern times the crystal had been reduced to a few milligrams or virtually non-existent in the lower class demons.

A few families had preserved their crystals through inbreeding within the monarch families but generally the crystals only existed among the most noble of demons.

But the main worry at hand was the sheer size of the crystal Bliss had. Even his grandfather who was a more pureblooded demon than him had a crystal less than half the size of what Bliss was wearing now and if he was any indication then it meant Bliss’s strength was about to be off the charts.

The crowd grew quiet, everyone darting around at each other wondering if they were seeing the same thing. It had to be understood that the demon’s were no stranger to their own social workings, they understood the correlation between the size of the crystal and the purity of a demon’s bloodline and powers.

The tension in the atmosphere was palpable but it took only one demon to break the silence;

"Demon King," a lone voice murmured, hesitant yet sincere. The chant started as a quiet whisper, as if the audience dared not voice their belief. But soon, it swelled into a deafening roar, echoing throughout the dungeon.

"Demon King!"

"Demon King!"

The fervent shouts of the crowd reached a crescendo, shaking the very foundations of the arena. Even Diablo and Atrox had to pause in their preparations, their eyes drawn to the demons who cheered with fervent madness. Pride welled up within one, while the other felt the sting of jealousy.

Meanwhile, Bliss marveled at the swirling shadows and mist around his form, his fingers brushing against the black crystal on his forehead. Notifications flickered before him, drawing his attention.

[The Lesser Blessing of the Decrepit God MorningStar has been activated!]

[You have gained a small authority over the demonic corrupt energy nearby for five minutes]

[All Skills have increased by two ranks]

[The demonic energy has fully restored all of your faculties]

The dark energy swirled around Bliss, instantly rejuvenating his battered body. His stamina returned, and his once-mangled face now bore no scars.

Bliss couldn't help but feel dejected by the outcome. He had hoped for a substantial boost in his basic attributes or a new power to level the playing field. Yet, what he received fell short of his expectations. While a full restore was beneficial, the lack of new abilities left him apprehensive, especially now that Diablo and Atrox regarded him with predatory gazes.

Seeking to make the best of a grim situation, Bliss summoned his bravado and taunted the two looming demons.

"Come on, show me who the true demon is!"

Bliss yelled and instantly Atrox and Diablo were looking down on him with fists poised for a devastating dual assault that promised to be cataclysmic.