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Vanishing from his spot, Benimaru reappeared in her room—gaze hardened as he stared down the portal.
He glanced sideways one last time, sighing. He consoled himself sadly. "It's what needs to be done."
With a bitter smile on his face, he stepped through the portal—his view changing completely.
The sight was like nothing he had ever seen.
Jagged red cliffs with abnormal shapes, purple creatures flying high in the air, molten lava flowing from every corner.
A putrid smell filled his senses, covering his nose in haste. It was horrible—almost unbearable.
"That's the smell of demon flesh, better get used to it."
Chandler materialised beside Benimaru in an instant, making his eyes widen.
Is he...faster?
Chandler, as if reading his thoughts, responded. "Demons become stronger the closer they are to the source of their strength."
A smirk graced his lips. "You can feel it too, can't you? The extra power flowing through your veins."
Benimaru nodded, clenching his fist—he did indeed feel stronger.
The smirk on Chandler's face widened. Strength wasn't something one could necessarily feel.
One could only tell they had grown stronger from their new capabilities—not just by feeling.
It was more than a sensation; it was a testament to one's growth and determination.
This boy was truly a prodigy to be able to feel such a thing—not so surprising since he was Lord Zeldris' grandson.
Chandler's eyes sharpened. They had a job to do. But then...he smiled—this boy was his student, and he would ensure he would be one of the greats.
Luckily, Benimaru didn't notice his mentor's change in expression—too engrossed in the strange scenery of the Demon Realm to notice.
Clearing his throat, Chandler pointed at a large castle in the distance. "And that...is our source."
The Ryota's eyes glazed over in determination. His tone laced with ferocity and barely contained anxiety. "Let's go."
From the shadows, a figure watched the duo walk through the town and towards the palace.
An evil grin glued to his face, he vanished—reappearing in the throne room.
In the palace, Zeldris sat atop his throne, filing paperwork and attending to his duties.
Noticing the new presence in the room, he waved his hand for him to speak. "What is it…brother?"
The man smiled, short in stature like his brother, and hair blond instead of black—he wore an all-white shirt and pants and gloves—with iron leggings.
He had a short sword strapped to his back, and a demon mark on his forehead.
He was Meliodas the Love, leader of the Ten Commandments, the Commandment of Love—and the brother of the Demon King.
With a grin still stuck on his face, Meliodas spoke—a teasing but serious edge in his voice.
"Looks like your grandson has arrived, why don't we meet him in person?"
Zeldris scoffed.
"Why should I lower myself to meet with a pathetic hybrid?"
Meliodas' brow furrowed, frowning. He continued—voice turning solemn:
"Is that what…she would've wanted?"
Gripping his sword, Zeldris grew enraged.
"Don't you dare bring her into this."
Zeldris pointed his blade at his brother.
"Don't test my patience, brother."
Meliodas did the same, unsheathing Lostvayne—his sacred treasure.
"Then don't pretend like she didn't exist."
Zeldris glared at him.
"You ask if this is what she would've wanted? It was those pathetic humans that led to her death."
Meliodas' smile dropped.
"I'm not here to pick a fight with you, brother."
Taking a deep breath, Zeldris calmed himself. He was a ruler—one who demanded utmost respect.
"Then you should've watched your tone before your king."
With steady breathing and drawn blades—they locked gazes.
Without hesitation, they blitzed towards each other—materializing in the center.
For a second, their physical bodies vanished. Even their auras couldn't keep up with them—it lagged behind them like a gamer's bad WiFi.
The very next instant, the clash resounded. The sound of steel clashing steel echoed across the palace.
Their mere aura tore apart the walls and floor—decimating it instantly.
Each brother stood their ground, neither refusing to yield.
Their chakra alone broke through the roof, piercing the skies—and even…
"Reaching the heavens."
Both brothers glared at each other.
Meliodas' eyes filled with obvious guilt and shame.
And Zeldris' eyes filled with an anger and loss that he would never truly overcome.
Zeldris began using more power, attempting to overwhelm his brother—but he stayed strong.
"You forget your place."
Meliodas gripped his sword tighter, refusing to lose.
"And you forget your heart."
With all the power he had, he rebelled against his brother's will.
One last clash.
One last strike from both siblings.
A sonic boom was what proceeded, shaking the palace massively.
It collapsed from just the pure pressure, but neither brother cared—continuing to oppose the other.
But then, Meliodas released first—stepping back with a sigh.
"This isn't why I came. The boy's here… and he's not weak."
The silence that followed was deafening, the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Meliodas' aura had dissipated, but Zeldris' aura remained.
Sparking with a purple regal glow—before dissolving into nothingness.
The Demon King sat back into his chair, leaning backward.
"I won't accept that you're right…but I won't say you're wrong either."
Meliodas smiled, grinning at his brother.
"It's progress."
The Commandment of Love vanished in an instant—feeling presences near.
Mere moments later, footsteps echoed through the ruins of the destroyed palace.
Chandler and Benimaru walked through the decimated palace with a purposeful stride.
Chandler whistled slightly.
"Looks like you've been busy."
Chandler knelt down in the presence of Zeldris
"Lord Zeldris, I have brought the boy to you as instructed."
Benimaru smirked, holding his sword without fear—the only thing he brought with him from the human realm.
"Last time I underestimated you. But now…
He declared,
"I'm gonna go all out from the start."
His demon mark spiraled radically as he activated his stage two mark—black flames spreading across his whole face.
Raising his blade in the air, a compressed coating of Hellblaze surrounded it.
Pure golden chakra with a dark outline hue made it glow with a large amount of power.
A shocked expression etched itself on Chandler's face.
"Stop, boy. What are you doing?"
But Benimaru didn't listen. His chakra surged higher and higher.
The Demon King's face curved into an evil grin.
"I see you've grown stronger, but that won't be enough."
With all his chakra at the moment, he concentrated it into the tip of his blade—as it gained an electric edge.
"We'll see about that."
He swung his sword downward in a magnificent arc.
"This is…"
He shouted,
"ELECTRIC HELLBLAZE: FULL POWER GETSUGA TENSHOU!"
The blast hurled towards the Demon King, splitting the skies themselves—erasing everything it touched from existence.
As it loomed closer and closer, Zeldris refused to dodge.
His tone as mocking as ever, he spoke.
"An interesting parlor trick, boy. But you waste the power of the Demon Realm by diluting it with human tricks. Never mix the pure with the pathetic."
Raising his palm upward, a compressed sphere of blue chakra could be seen.
When the attack made contact, the Hellblaze vanished—Zeldris had absorbed it back into himself without effort.
The electric chakra and chakra slash dissipated abruptly—feeling one of their core components removed.
All that remained was a cloud of smoke and dust where a sky-splitting attack had been dissected.
"You are simply borrowing my own power. I could take it back at any point."
The owner of the attack, Benimaru, was barely standing—expending all his chakra in that one move.
His mouth agape in pure awe as he fell to his knees in exhaustion.
"What…are you?"
A malicious smile graced the king's lips.
"What am I?"
He continued, aura flaring up into the form of a dragon—large, purple, demonic.
"I…am a king."
At that moment, Benimaru fell unconscious. But even while asleep, a smile crept unto his face—he had never been so excited to become stronger.
Zeldris turned to Chandler, who bowed a perfect 90 in response.
"I am very sorry for the boy's actions, my lord."
But Zeldris could care less.
"The boy has earned my respect, at least a little. You have trained him well."
Chandler raised his head slightly.
"I thank you for the praise, my lord."
Zeldris nodded before continuing.
"But there are more things he must learn. When he wakes, send him to Estarossa for traini–"
Meliodas asked, reappearing.
"Why don't I train the boy? I left to assess his capabilities from a distance; I'm impressed."
He stared down at the sleeping form of Benimaru with a smile.
"He truly does remind me of her."
Zeldris thought for a second, not responding to his brother's remark, before sighing.
"I'll allow it. Take the boy and train him well."
He continued, warning him,
"And don't be too soft on him."
Meliodas smiled mockingly.
"And why would I do that?"
But a glare from Zeldris shut him up fast—he was still the Demon King after all.
"Let's go, kid."
He carried Benimaru over his back, leaping into the distance.
CHAPTER END
Final Reader Note
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