Hunters were in shock, watching as Ren's army dominated the demons. The abyssal legions devoured their enemies whole, leaving only trails of shadow and silence behind.
Simon, one of the high A-rank hunters who had helped eradicate the first layer of the demon army, could barely believe his eyes. "Is… is this Mr. Ren's army?" he asked, voice trembling.
Daiki replied, "Yes, it is. You people don't know about it, but that man has seen both hell and death at the same time—and came back, conquering them."
Simon stared, astonished. "Is he that strong from the beginning, Mr. Daiki? Because seeing him now, it feels like he has been the strongest ever since he was born."
Daiki shook his head. "No, you're wrong. That boy was the weakest of us all. Fate made it impossible for him to live in peace. But that man overcame everything—and now stands alone at the top. The one who once sought help from us now stands with no power that can bring him down."
Meanwhile, Althric faced off against two upper-ranked demons. Their battle had become brutal—each strike thundered through the ground, each clash sparked waves of black energy that tore through the air. Umbra and Althric, fueled by the abyss, pushed their opponents back again and again. Their strength was overwhelming; they dominated the upper ranks with terrifying ease.
Umbra smirked, his voice dripping with arrogance. "Is this all you've got? I thought it would be fun going toe-to-toe with you, but it seems I could take you all down myself."
"Keep quiet and finish them," Althric ordered coldly.
"As you say." Umbra lunged, his blade whistling through the air—but his opponent blocked the strike.
"I'm not done yet, you moron!" the demon spat.
"Oh yeah?" Umbra's grin widened. "Then show me what you have."
"Alright then!" The upper demon's body expanded, his muscles swelling as he unleashed his full power. "How about now?"
Umbra tilted his head, unimpressed. "Nope. You're still not worth my time."
"Don't look down on me!" The upper-ranked demon roared and threw a massive punch—but Umbra easily dodged it. In the same instant, his blade sliced through the air, cutting cleanly across the demon's neck. The head fell before the body even hit the ground.
"The upper demon has been defeated!" a hunter shouted from afar, disbelief in his voice.
Meanwhile, Althric was toying with the other two upper demons. They screamed in frustration, swinging wildly.
"Don't run like a coward! Fight us face to face!"
Althric smirked. "It looks like your superior has died. It's time for me to end you as well—just as I did your friend."
"Don't you dare compare me with that brat!" one of them roared, his speed increasing, punches flying faster than before. But not a single strike landed.
Althric's blade gleamed in the dim light as he drew it. In an instant, he vanished, and his slashes came from every direction. The upper demons couldn't even track his movements. Within seconds, one fell to his knees, body shredded by cuts.
"You are nothing," Althric whispered coldly, "just a weak pawn."
The demon gasped for breath. "You… bastard… I'll kill—"
Before he could finish, Althric's sword pierced through his chest. Blood splattered the ground.
The battle had shifted completely. The demons were losing ground. Many of the shadow demons were devoured or slain by Ren's abyssal army.
Meanwhile, Yume—her wings glowing faintly with new power—faced Sivrath head-on. Even in her awakened form, she couldn't match him, but she refused to fall. Again and again, she struck, her determination stronger than her fear.
Sivrath dodged each blow effortlessly, almost amused. "Pathetic," he sneered.
Yume gritted her teeth and raised her blade—Astral Requiem—which began to glow with fierce light. "This will end now!" she screamed, unleashing everything she had left.
A wave of blinding energy erupted, covering the battlefield in smoke. When it cleared, Sivrath stood unharmed—but a thin cut bled across his hand.
"It looks like you are strong," he said darkly, "then I'll fight back."
In the blink of an eye, he grabbed her wrist and crushed it. The sound of cracking bone echoed through the air. Yume screamed as pain tore through her body.
Then came his counterattack—a brutal punch straight to her stomach. Blood spilled from her lips as her body was thrown to the ground, bones breaking on impact.
From afar, Ren's heart tightened. His pulse raged, his breath trembled. Seeing her in that state tore him apart inside.
Umbra, Zyra, and Althric were still locked in distant battles, unable to reach her. Sivrath didn't stop. He slammed his fists into her again and again, burying her deeper into the dirt.
"Yume…" Ren whispered. His voice cracked. "Stop it…"
Kuro's trembling voice rose from behind him. "Help her, Ren…"
Daiki shouted, desperate. "Save her, Mr. Ren!"
And at that moment, something deep within Ren—something ancient and buried—awoke.
A whisper echoed in the air, cold and familiar.
"My King… I am here."
In an instant, every demon surrounding him disintegrated into ash. The sky darkened. The ground shook.
As Sivrath raised his hand to snap Yume's neck, his arm was suddenly severed. He froze, staring in shock.
"What… just happened?"
Behind him stood Ren—shrouded entirely in darkness. His presence was suffocating, divine, terrifying.
He knelt beside Yume. The shadows enveloped her body, mending her broken bones, though she had already lost consciousness.
Far away, Althric froze mid-strike. "That power… The King is enraged."
Ren's voice thundered across the battlefield. "Althric!"
In a blur, Althric appeared. "Yes, my King."
Ren's crimson eyes burned. "Kill every single one of them. Leave none alive. Take her and go—she's injured. Tell Zyra to heal her."
Althric bowed. "As you command."
He lifted Yume and began to fly, but Sivrath hurled a massive blast toward him. Althric dodged with ease and vanished into the clouds.
Sivrath glared at Ren, whose aura now devoured the light around him. Every step Ren took made the ground quake. His presence was like a storm about to break.
"You dare harm her," Ren growled, his voice low and furious.
Sivrath regenerated his arm, lowering his stance. "Come then, Ninth King. Show me your true power."
Ren's eyes glowed—one crimson, the other black as void. The darkness around him ignited into black flame. Shadows writhed like serpents, twisting and devouring the air.
"How dare you lay your hand on her…" His voice roared like thunder. "HOW DARE YOU!"
The force of his rage shattered the sky. Wind screamed across the battlefield. The earth cracked beneath him as his power surged like a flood.
Sivrath stumbled back, struggling to keep his footing against the crushing pressure.
From the shelter, hunters stared, frozen in fear and awe.
"Who… who is that man?" one whispered. "Is he with us—or another threat?"
"Quiet!" a higher-ranked hunter barked. "Save your questions for later. Just focus—and pray we don't face something worse."
Even the injured hunters, still healing, could feel the terror in the air.
"What's happening to him?" he muttered. "And Miss Yume… she was so badly hurt…"
Moments later, Althric landed with Yume in his arms. Zyra and Akari rushed to his side.
"Put her down carefully," Akari said.
Althric nodded. "Our King's queen always puts herself in danger… Does she want to annihilate us with worry?" He clenched his fists. "That bastard broke her arm and tried to kill her. If not for her strength, she would've died. Hurry—heal her."
Zyra's hands glowed as she began to heal Yume's broken body.
Althric turned back to the battlefield, his voice echoing across the field. "Not a single demon should be left alive! These are the direct orders of our King! Leave no one standing!"
The abyssal army roared in response—a terrifying, thunderous cry that shook the heavens.
The monsters surged forward once again. Demons tried to flee, but the abyssal titans caught them with monstrous hands and jaws, devouring them alive. Their screams were drowned by the chaos.
Sivrath looked around in disbelief. His army—the once-mighty shadow demons that had crushed humanity—were being torn apart.
The battlefield was drowning in darkness. The hunters could hardly comprehend what they were witnessing.
Monsters who once came with arrogance were now being slaughtered by something far more terrible.
By the will of the Ninth King.
By Ren—the man who had conquered death itself.
The shadow demons, the chaos, the fear—all vanished beneath his darkness.
The era of the demons ended that day…
and The Darkness Return.