LightReader

The Ashes of the Weakest

They say that even among the most abominable beings of Hell, there is an order.

A lineage. A hierarchy etched in fire and blood.

And at the very bottom of that pyramid, condemned to eternal scorn, lay Zarkhiel Noctareck, the weakest demon in the universe.

He was a creature whose existence was considered a mistake. A shard of shadow born without purpose. His name barely whispered, his power a mockery to the greater demons.

But on the night his life finally ended—when the flames of Hell devoured his frail body and his executioners withdrew, laughing in contempt—Zarkhiel smiled.

Because even the weakest of demons can harbor a final resentment.

A seed of hatred that, if sown in the right place, might one day bloom.

As his essence unraveled, his last thought clung to a single wish:

To be reborn.

Reborn in a vessel that would never know the cruelty of Hell.

Reborn in a world unprepared for his existence.

Reborn… even if his name was forgotten.

And so, as his body turned to ash, a spark of his power crossed the veil between worlds.

A child was about to be born.

A child with trembling hands and a pure heart.

A child named Ryu Tatzuki.

And though no one knew it yet, the fate of light and darkness had just changed forever.

Far away from the human world, beyond the reach of time and mercy, a black citadel rose above a sea of molten rock.

Within it, shadows moved like serpents, hissing ancient truths through crumbling stone.

On a throne forged from the bones of kings and gods alike, sat a figure draped in darkness, barely distinguishable from the abyss around him.

Two crimson eyes glowed beneath his hood—eyes that burned with eternal hatred.

A portal opened before him, swirling with blood-red energy.

In it, the image of a human boy appeared.

Young. Fragile. Laughing with his friends in the streets of Tokyo.

The figure leaned forward.

His voice, deeper than death, echoed in the throne room:

—At last…

—The successor of the traitor.

A hulking demon emerged from the shadows, kneeling before the throne, muscles tense and claws dripping with searing venom.

—My lord… shall I destroy him? —the creature asked, fangs bared.

The dark figure raised one hand slowly.

—Yes. Go to the human world. Find the boy. Break him.

—Make sure he understands how meaningless he is… before you crush the life from him.

The demon let out a guttural growl of pleasure.

—It will be done.

—But listen well —the voice turned cold, dangerous—. Do not underestimate him. His blood is weak, yes… but even dying embers can ignite a forest.

The portal began to pulse, opening wider.

The demon stepped into the light, vanishing from the throne room.

And just before the portal closed, the figure in the shadows whispered to no one:

—Soon, Ryu Tatzuki… the flame that dares burn in darkness will be snuffed out.

More Chapters