The aftermath of the Heaven Vanguard's defeat left the mortal lands near the Shadow Abyss trembling. Villages and sects whispered of the Crimson Devil, a being who devoured life itself and commanded shadows as if they were living weapons.
But Aadhir did not linger. The taste of blood, power, and conquest still burned in his veins. His army of devils had grown exponentially, fed by the souls of mortals, rival clans, and celestial scouts alike.
He stood atop a ridge, overlooking a sprawling human city, its walls fortified with spiritual wards and divine runes. Even from here, he could feel the presence of a powerful heavenly general approaching, drawn by the echoes of chaos he had unleashed.
Crimson eyes narrowed. "So… the heavens send their first true storm. How delightful." He grinned, twin blades shimmering with abyssal energy. Shadows writhed around him, hungry and alive, ready to strike.
---
The Approach of the General
The ground shook as a figure descended from the sky, radiant with holy light. His aura was intense, far beyond the mortals Aadhir had slaughtered before. This was General Tian Xu, one of the elite enforcers of the Celestial Alliance, known for his skill in heavenly martial techniques and soul-purging spells.
"You… devil of the Abyss," Tian Xu said, voice resonating with divine authority. "Your rampage ends today. I will purge your corruption and return balance to these lands."
Aadhir tilted his head, amused. "Balance? There is no balance. Only power and weakness. And you… are about to learn which side you are on."
---
The Clash
Before Tian Xu could react further, Aadhir struck. Shadows erupted from the ground, wrapping around the general's legs and arms, lashing with crushing force. Tian Xu countered with a sword of radiant light, slicing through tendrils, but the shadows reformed instantly, coiling around him like living chains.
The first clash was cataclysmic. Crimson blades met heavenly steel, and sparks of light and darkness filled the air. Each strike shattered stone and warped the terrain, a violent storm of destruction.
Aadhir moved faster than thought, a blur of shadows and blood. He extended his twin blades, slicing through Tian Xu's defenses, tearing flesh, and striking at the general's spiritual core. But Tian Xu was no ordinary enemy. With divine energy, he blocked, countered, and retaliated, forcing Aadhir to adapt instantly.
The battle escalated. Tian Xu's strikes split the air with searing light, each one capable of annihilating a mortal sect. But Aadhir's blood magic responded in tandem—absorbing, redirecting, and converting the energy into raw power that surged through his veins.
---
Blood and Shadow
As the fight dragged on, Aadhir realized brute force alone would not win. He extended his abyssal blood, letting it merge with the shadows around him. Tendrils lashed out like vipers, piercing Tian Xu's armor, tearing flesh, and corrupting his spiritual energy.
Tian Xu screamed, summoning a massive divine barrier, but Aadhir's twin blades were already inside it. Shadow and steel intertwined, slicing through divine magic like paper. The general's aura flickered; he was strong, but Aadhir was faster, smarter, hungrier.
With a final, decisive strike, Aadhir's blades pierced Tian Xu's chest. The general's life essence was drawn into the Abyss, his body collapsing in a heap of smoke and divine energy. Shadows rose, absorbing every fragment of power and binding it to Aadhir's growing aura.
---
Aftermath
The battlefield lay in ruin. The mortal city's walls were scorched, trees uprooted, and the ground cracked under the force of the duel. Aadhir stood tall amidst the carnage, twin blades dripping with crimson energy and divine light. Shadows wriggled at his feet, carrying whispers of fear and loyalty.
"Let this be a lesson to mortals and heavens alike…" he whispered. "I am no longer a fledgling devil. I am the storm, the shadow, the blade that devours life itself. I am… the Devil who defies Heaven."
His victory sent tremors across the realms. Whispers of Aadhir's growing power spread like wildfire, reaching mortal sects, rival devil clans, and the celestial towers above. The first heavenly general had fallen, and now every sect, every clan, every celestial watcher would know: the Crimson Devil of the Abyss is rising, unstoppable, and hungry for dominion.
---