EThe carriage wheels groaned, eating up the distance toward the border of the Demon Realm.
Inside, the silence was suffocating.
James glanced at Amilea. In his notes, she was just a sentence: 'The sister died in the purge.' Now, she was a living, breathing girl with dirt on her face and eyes that refused to give up.
"Are we there yet?" the Priest snapped, his fingers twitching with greed.
"Almost," James replied, his voice steady.
I'm taking you as close to the border as possible, James thought, his eyes narrowing. Once we're clear of the spatial barrier, I'm gone.
He summoned his status one more time.
--------------------[Status]---------------------
Name: Malverkor Junior
Age: 16
Race: Archdemon
Rank: F (Lowest Grade)
[Stats]
• Strength: F
• Speed:F+
• CHARISMA F
• Vitality: E+
• Mana: 184 / 184
[Bloodline Ability]: [Demon Domain - Locked]
[Assessment]: A pathetic disappointment. You are the weakest 'Demon King' candidate in history.
---------------------------------------------------
I have zero combat skills, James realized, his grip tightening on a small, serrated knife he'd swiped from the carriage floor.
"We're here," James announced.
The carriage lurched to a halt near a cluster of jagged rocks and ancient, withered trees.
The border was only fifty meters away. Beyond that line, the Church's spatial barrier ended.
The Priest stepped out, flanked by two elite Holy Knights. "Where is it, boy? The Holy Horn."
"Under that tree. The roots are deep; it's buried in a lead box," James lied, already walking toward the withered oak.
He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder. It was one of the knights, his armor cold and smelling of iron. "We'll follow you. Don't get any ideas."
"Of course," James muttered.
As he and Amilea knelt by the roots, James leaned toward her hair, his voice a ghost of a whisper. "When I move... you run. Don't look back."
Amilea didn't blink. She just gave a tiny, sharp nod.
Smart girl, James thought. Let's hope I'm fast enough.
"Hurry up, you filth!" the knight, Billy, barked.
"I... I think I felt something!" James shouted, his voice cracking with fake excitement.
Both knights leaned in, their greed momentarily over-riding their caution. It was the only opening he needed.
SHUCK.
James didn't aim for the armor. He aimed for the gap in the gorget. The stolen knife sank deep into the knight's throat.
Blood sprayed, hot and metallic.
"RUN!" James roared.
Amilea bolted like a startled deer. James shoved the dying knight's body into the second guard and turned to sprint.
Forty meters. Thirty.
"You treacherous rat!" the second knight roared. He didn't even check on his comrade. He moved with the terrifying speed of a holy knight.
BOOM.
A heavy gauntlet slammed into James's back. He felt his ribs groan as he was sent tumbling into the dirt, the world spinning.
Amilea suddenly looked back and stopped at the sight.
"Just... go..." James coughed, looking at Amilea. He was finished. He knew the stats. An F-Rank couldn't outrun a Knight.
"You should be worried about yourself," the knight snarled, standing over him. He raised his broadsword, the sunlight glinting off the polished steel. "I'll take your head to the Priest."
James closed his eyes. Is this it? Dead again?
[Hidden Condition Met]
[System: 'Demon Domain' Unlocked!]
James's eyes snapped open. The white sclera of his eyes bled into a void-like black. His pupils glowed a predatory crimson.
"Help"
BOOM—!
The ground didn't just shake; it shattered.
From the nearby line of chained prisoners, a massive, four-meter-tall Orc roared. Its chains snapped like dry twigs. Driven by an irresistible, primal command, the beast threw itself at the knight.
The knight was sent flying into a rock wall, his plate armor denting like a soda can.
"A-An Orc!?" the Priest screamed, stumbling back from the carriage.
GRAAAAAH!
The beast didn't care about the Priest. It stood over James, a wall of muscle and rage, protecting its "King."
James didn't waste a second. He scrambled to his feet, grabbed Amilea's hand, and dove across the border line.
He pulled Amilea her chest touching against his, his heart hammering against hers. He felt the soft pressure of her body against his—a sudden, awkward reminder that they were both very much alive.
TEAR.
A blinding flash of blue light swallowed the forest, the Orc's roars, and the Priest's screams.
The Empire Capital
James opened his eyes and gasped. The air here didn't smell like blood. It smelled of fresh bread, blooming jasmine, and wealth.
Above them, massive spires of white stone reached for the clouds. Floating carriages drifted through the sky, and the streets were paved with shimmering quartz.
"Beautiful," James blurted out.
Amilea stood beside him, her face flushed red from the sudden hug, looking at him with a mixture of confusion.
Who is this person? she wondered. His he a hero...
Ding!
[Missions completed]
[Reward: 6000 Glory Points]
James looked at the shimmering capital. He was a Demon Prince in the heart of the Human Empire.
"The real story starts now," he whispered.