The war room of the Ashura Dominion was carved from obsidian stone, etched with ancient sealing runes older than the kingdoms themselves. At the center of the room stood a circular table marked with a single symbol:
"Fuin" – Seal.
Torches flickered with cold blue flame. Shadows danced across the stone walls. Tension lay heavy in the air as the Dominion's highest council convened.
The room was filled with the kingdom's elite: archmages with centuries of knowledge, tacticians born into war, and generals carved from discipline and blood.
And sitting at the head was the High King of Ashura, a man feared for his ruthlessness and unmatched command of sealing magic.
He raised one finger.
"We send one hundred of our finest sealing mages."
His voice was steady, decisive.
"That should be more than enough."
A Calm Before the Storm
They all nodded.
Ashura Dominion had never failed in a sealing mission. From ancient beasts to rogue gods, their magic had subdued all.
The Demon King of Verdantia?
Just another target.
"A tyrant who built his kingdom on corpses. His own people call for his downfall. And we—shall grant it."
The plan was set. The names of the 100 elite mages were already chosen.
Then—
The doors slammed open.
A cold gust of wind blew in.
Everyone turned.
A tall, broad-shouldered man strode into the room in royal armor. His crimson cape trailed behind him, embroidered with the crest of Ashura.
It was Prince Kael, heir to the Dominion's throne.
Behind him followed the Princess of Strategy, sharp-eyed and silent.
The King narrowed his eyes.
"Kael. This is a war meeting. You should not—"
Kael slammed a scroll onto the war table.
"A report. Fresh from Verdantia. You need to read it."
One of the commanders picked it up and read aloud.
Silence fell as the words echoed in the chamber:
"...the Demon King entered Queen Alira's throne room. Her 'Unmoving Soul' barrier was activated. The strongest sacred seal in their kingdom—never broken once. When one moves within the barrier, pain is amplified ten thousand times. Even kings have crumbled under it..."
"He walked through it casually."
A pin could've dropped and shattered the silence.
"Wait… he walked through it?""Not resisted… walked?"
Kael's voice cut through their disbelief.
"And not only that. He broke it—with his aura alone."
A high priest turned pale.
"That's… not possible. Aura cannot disrupt a sacred soul seal unless…"
"Unless it's stronger than the person who created it," the princess finished. Her face was pale but calm.
The Numbers Change
One of the archmages stammered, "W-we were sending 100 elite mages to seal him. That should still—"
"No," Kael snapped. "Double the force. 200."
The council murmured among themselves.
"That should be sufficient. We can revise the spell formations. Four overlapping containment grids. Ten-layered nullification—"
"Still not enough," the princess said coldly. "We need to send everyone."
The room went silent again.
"What?" a councilor asked.
"How many elite sealing mages are present in the Dominion now?" she asked calmly.
A strategist stepped forward. "Out of our 1000 elites, we currently have 500 stationed here."
Kael stood tall and resolute.
"Send them all."
"All 500!?"
"And ten of our top swordmasters. The Ten Heavens. The legends of Ashura. I want them guarding the sealing formation."
There was outrage.
"This is absurd! For one man?"
"We've never mobilized the entire Sealing Corps for any target!"
"Are we fighting a kingdom or a god?"
Kael's eyes narrowed.
"You've heard what he did. That power is no rumor. We've spent our lives training to seal monsters. He is the monster."
The princess stepped forward, backing her brother.
"This isn't a war. It's an execution with one chance. If we fail… Ashura won't survive the retaliation."
Kael gave the final command.
"Send the order. All 500 mages, ten Swordmasters. Full suppression, full barrier domes, nullification towers. He is to be sealed, not killed."
The old king, seated at the end of the table, began to laugh.
"You fools think you're sealing a man. You're sealing a storm… a force of nature. Do not underestimate the pain you will invite."
But none spoke against Kael again.
He was right.
The Demon King had walked through a divine seal as if it were wind.
Fear began to take root.
And across the war room, one question whispered in every heart:
What kind of monster have we been summoned to face?