As soon as Elianna and Aman returned to the City of Saligao—they both imdiately headed to the palace to inform King Erui of the failure of the expedition.
They were disheveled, their armor dented, and their expressions hollow, carrying the heavy weight of their survival. They marched through the grand, marble-floored hallways of the royal palace, ignoring the shocked stares of the courtiers and servants who had expected a triumphant return of the kingdom’s greatest warriors.
When they finally stood before the throne, King Erui, who had been pacing nervously for weeks, stopped mid-step.
And of course—the news they brought shocked the whole Arcanis.
Not only they failed once again in conquering the [Cursed Forest]—but a 14th Demon King appeared too!
The silence that followed their report was absolute. It felt as if all the air had been sucked out of the room, leaving the monarch and his advisors gasping.
"A Demon King? You are certain?"
King Erui asked, his voice trembling as he gripped the armrests of his golden throne.
"We are, Your Majesty. His power... it was beyond anything we have ever witnessed."
Aman Veluz stated, bowing his head in sha.
So doubted the news first, but because Elianna—the new saintess, vouched for Aman’s words; they had no choice but to accept it as fact.
Her reputation was sothing noone can ignore, and her word was considered divine truth by a lot of people. If the Saintess herself confird the existence of this new threat, no amount of political denial could erase the reality of it.
And not just them, the sixty-six prisoners that were freed spread the word, and it spread like wildfire!
Every knight, rcenary, mage, and young master who had been released by Verc acted as a living herald of the disaster. They told their stories in every tavern, at every street corner, and in every village they passed on their way ho.
The appearance of a new Demon King spread wide and fast that it beca known to the whole Arcanis in just two weeks!
It was a shock that rippled through the foundations of every major kingdom.
And not just to humans—
Deep within the fractured realms and isolated territories of the world, beings of imnse power felt a shift in the balance of existence.
"Hmm? A new one appeared?"
... ... ...
"A new demon king? I wonder what kind of demonic race they are."
... ... ...
"My Lord, what do you think of the new demon king?"
"Hmm, I don’t really care."
"Let them play with their new title. We shall see if they survive the first year. Most of them die after boldly claiming that they’re a demon king in arrogance."
... ... ...
The demon kings, who had been silent for a long ti now, had heard the news as well!
So showed interest, so indifference, so confusion, attraction, hostility—and many more.
The world was changing.
The silence that had persisted for ages was finally broken, and the gears of a massive, impending conflict began to turn.
... ... ...
... ... ...
*****
A month and a half had passed since the expedition team attacked Verc’s village.
Life inside the castle had fallen into a rhythm of constant growth and silent preparation. The village was expanding, the defenses were being reinforced, and the population was thriving under the shadow of the new title Verc had claid.
And Verc, who was now being recorded in Arcanis’ history as the 14th demon king—
He was in his room, his breathing heavy and ragged, his skin slick with sweat. He held his sword in a low, tight grip, his muscles vibrating with the exertion of the last few hours of non-stop repetition.
SLASH—!
He executed a final, sweeping strike, and with that single movent, sothing clicked deep within his mind.
He just evolved [Sovereign Swordsmanship] into [Supre Sovereign Swordsmanship]!
The air in the room seed to stabilize instantly. The mana that had been swirling around him during his training coalesced, responding to the absolute perfection of his technique.
"Fuuuhhh~"
Verc let out a sigh, he’s dripping with sweat and his muscle aches. He can feel that he reached a new height at swordsmanship.
He felt lighter, faster, and significantly more efficient. Every movent was now calculated, devoid of any wasted motion. It was no longer just about strength; it was about the absolute mastery of the blade.
A small smile appeared on his face as he felt it.
"Hmm?"
But then, looking at his sword—he saw its blade worn with a small crack on it.
A thin, jagged fissure had appeared on the surface of the tal, running almost halfway through the width of the steel.
"I guess it already reached its limit."
Verc mumbled to himself seeing that.
The sword he was using—he acquired it back at the labyrinth, at the City of Zore. He got it after conquering his first dungeon.
It had seen him through countless battles, from the skirmishes in the early days of his settlent to the intense fight against the Lich.
The sword was a ceremonial one to begin with, decorated with gems as well with a golden hilt.
It was a piece of art, ant to be displayed in a noble’s hall, not to be battered against monsters and infused with the raw, chaotic energy he frequently channeled through his hands.
"It’s a surprise it lasted this long."
Verc whispered as he sheated the sword.
The tal groaned in protest as it slid back into the scabbard, the sound signaling the end of its service as a combat weapon. It wasn’t made for combat, and with how rough he used it in fights and with all the mana he carelessly injected in it—he was already expecting it to break sooner or later.
"If I rembered right, we confiscated all the weapons of the expedition team... I’ll look at them later to find a new weapon."
Verc said, then looking at his sheated sword—
"Throwing this thing away feels like a waste and wrong after using it for a long ti... I’ll have Aodh and the guys repair it instead and just use it as a ceremonial or decoration like it was intented to be."
He added that.
*****
It was morning when Verc finished training his sword.
The early rays of the sun filtered through the high windows of the castle, casting long, golden streaks across the stone floors. The castle was already coming to life, the distant sounds of construction and daily labor drifting up to his floor.
Onyx wasn’t in the room with him—it was with Nara the whole night so he could focus on training.
Nara has her own room in the library, along with Pwyll and Bernia. It was a quieter part of the castle, perfect for the little pup to rest without being disturbed by the clanging of Verc’s practice sessions.
Anyway, Verc took a bath before heading down to the first floor to eat breakfast.
The cool water washed away the fatigue of the morning, refreshing his senses and preparing him for the day’s tasks. He dressed in simple, comfortable clothing and made his way down the winding staircases.
... ... ...
Ashley and Maya just finished cooking when he got on the first floor.
The scent of hot soup, roasted grains, and fresh herbs wafted through the dining hall. The two of them were busy setting the plates, their movents efficient and synchronized.
"Good morning, you two."
"Good morning, Lord Verc!"
He greeted them and the girls greeted him back, he sat down and they imdiately gave him his food, he thanked them before he started eating.
The warmth of the al felt good in his stomach. He ate with focus, appreciating the quietness of the hall before the busy work of the day truly began.
-ARF!
Midway eating, Verc heard a bark, then Onyx ca in the dining area while skipping.
The little creature was clearly in a high mood, his paws clicking rapidly against the stone floor as he trotted into the room.
The little pup ran straight to Verc, Verc patted him, then—Ashley gave Onyx his own food too.
Onyx nudged Verc’s hand with his wet nose before settling down next to his chair, waiting impatiently for his own bowl. The companionship was a welco break from the solitude of his training.
... ... ...
After eating, Verc thanked the girls.
"It was delicious as usual, thanks for the hard work."
Ashley and Maya bowed deeply, their faces showing genuine happiness at having served him a good al.
"Hup...! You’re coming with ."
Verc took Onyx in his arms, the pup wriggling slightly, content to be carried.
Then finally—he headed to the 2nd floor to find his new weapon.
... ... ...
The second floor of the castle beca the main storage place of the village; there’s a room dedicated for crop storage, another for monster corpses... and a new one as a treasury.
Verc made this on his own using [Dungeon Genesis] to store all the weapons and artifacts they got from the expedition group. It was a secure, fortified area, protected by the heavy stone walls he had raised himself.
Anyway, Verc got to the 2nd floor not long, he stood in front of two tall iron doors—he placed one hand on them and pushed them open.
CREAAAAAK--!
The doors groaned, the hinges ancient and sturdy, revealing the room inside.
Tap—
Verc entered the treasury room.
The air inside was cool. Shelves lined the walls, filled with crates and stands displaying the gear they had stripped from the expedition force. There were rows of spears, high-quality steel shortswords, enchanted armors, and various utility artifacts that could be useful for the village’s expansion.
And after briefly looking around—
"Ti to find a new weapon."
Verc declared that, smiling a little in excitent.
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