The demons of Tartarux were furious.

The mere thought that fragile humans from Xearth dared to invade their realm was nothing short of an insult.

"Whoever they are," one of the demon lords growled, eyes glowing blood red with murderous thirst and intent, "they will regret this decision for the rest of their short, miserable lives."

A low, collective hiss echoed through the dark, sulfuric air of the realm. The lesser demons trembled in the shadow of their superiors, their claws twitching in anticipation. Hatred rippled through the demon cities like wildfire.

But not all shared the same rage for the same reason.

Among the higher ranked demon players, a different kind of displeasure brewed.

If anything, these high ranking demons were filled with envy.

They weren't angry because of the invasion.

No, they were angry because the lower realms had been locked down.

They were shut out from having access to such lower parts of Tartarux.

"I would've loved to taste human blood again," purred a slender, silk-skinned demoness, her eyes shining with a seductive violet gaze as she sucked on her finger with a slow, lustful motion. "It always adds a certain glow to my complexion. Angghh~"

"Me too," another demon grumbled beside her. "But thanks to that guy, we can't even descend into the lower Tartarux. It's as if we have been forcefully forbidden from leaving our territories."

Their words were drenched in frustration.

In truth, demons didn't hold humans in any high regard.

To them, humans were feeble creatures.

Humans, to them, were soft-bodied, easily frightened, and pathetically weak. But to invade their world? That was sheer arrogance.

An arrogance that deserved to be crushed.

The orders spread fast.

Demons on quests stopped midway and began returning to the Ox Demon Empire, the center of the commotion.

Every city lord, every battalion, every demonic tribe sent word and warriors.

The priority was clear.

Find the invaders and erase them from existence with immediate effect.

******

Meanwhile, far from the chaos, Axton sat alone in a desolate wasteland with giant rock spikes strewn round about him as he remained silent.

The red and dark sky above Tartarux burned like molten iron, and the air carried a faint stench of brimstone.

He sat cross-legged in a lotus position, his armor glinting under the red haze. His eyes were closed, his breathing steady and rhythmic, like a man meditating before a storm.

He listened.

Faint echoes of movement reached his ears.

Distant roars, heavy footsteps, wings slicing through the air.

The demons were moving.

He knew they were searching for him.

And yet…

Axton was calm.

He had already recalled his soldiers into the system, sealing them within until he needed them again.

Summoning them now would only make him easier to find.

If the demons were expecting an army, they would soon realize the cruel truth.

It wasn't an army.

It was just one man.

Axton smirked faintly. "Let them search," he whispered.

"They'll never find what they're looking for."

He straightened his back, inhaling deeply, and then his eyes snapped open.

They glowed a deep, blood-red hue.

His face was straightened with rigid features and his gaze…

…His gaze was cold.

"Mystic Eyes of Fate."

At once, the world around him seemed to shatter.

His body went still, but his mind was thrust into a boundless expanse of colorless light. He floated in a space that wasn't space, surrounded by an endless number of visions, memories, possibilities, alternate paths, each playing out like moving tapes in the air.

Countless scenes flashed before him.

Battles he'd never fought.

Paths he hadn't taken.

Choices he could have made.

However, Axton's focus didn't waver.

He searched with precision, scanning each vision like a man reading through pages of his future life itself.

He wasn't here for random glimpses. He was searching for something specific.

The reason he came to Tartarux.

…The divine bracelet.

His breathing slowed. His mind sharpened. Time itself seemed to bend.

He waited until…

"…Found it."

The words slipped out of his mouth with quiet certainty.

At that moment, the knowledge flowed into his mind.

Locations, routes, traps, defenses, all of it downloaded straight into his consciousness. It was overwhelming, like a tidal wave of raw information crashing through his skull.

Axton winced, clutching his head as sharp pain split through it. "Tch! Damn…"

He could feel his head pulsing from the strain, but after several heavy breaths, he regained his composure.

A slow, satisfied smile curved his lips.

"I see…" he murmured. "So that's where it is."

He now knew exactly where the relic was kept and more importantly, how to get there.

The path, however, was anything but smooth.

The route would take him through dense concentrations of demonic territory.

Every step forward would draw him closer to the Ox Demon King's domain.

Regardless, none of that scared him.

Demons? He could deal with them.

He had done that before.

The real problem was time.

How long before the demonic army realized that only one man had come through?

How long before the Ox Demon King himself took action?

Axton couldn't afford to delay.

[Doppelganger]

A form materialised beside him, and another Axton stepped into existence.

What Axton had just done was in no way about strength or numbers.

He had summoned his clone for one purpose — to be a distraction.

The clone would draw every demon's attention, leading them away from the real Axton while he slipped into the heart of the empire undetected.

They exchanged a brief glance.

No words were needed.

Both understood what had to be done.

The real Axton smirked. "Make it flashy."

The clone grinned back. "Always do."

And with that, they split.

The original Axton leapt into the air. The force of his flight cracked the ground beneath him.

The clone went in its own direction, straight toward the demon armies.

Moments later, a massive explosion lit up the horizon.

The demons roared in fury, and the hunt began.

Axton didn't look back. He kept flying.

His destination was at the center of the Ox Demon Empire.

A massive structure of black stone and thick glowing red veins that pulsed like the heartbeat of a god.

The fortress of the Ox Demon King.

…The Horn Castle.

******

(Horn Castle)

Within the sprawling capital of the empire, an ox demon stormed through the corridors of a massive hall. His hooves thundered against the stone floor, his nostrils flaring with every step.

'A human invader?' he thought, fury boiling inside him. 'Could it be… that bastard?'

His pace quickened.

He remembered that face.

The face of the human who had humiliated him in Xearth.

The one who had defeated him before countless eyes.

That shame still burned deep.

His claws clenched tightly enough to draw blood.

"Could it be him?" he muttered under his breath. "Has that bastard come for revenge?"

He charged down the hall, each step heavier than the last.

This demon was none other than Quiala — the Ox Demon commander once sent to invade Newbie Village #666.

And he had failed.

The name 'Khan' was carved into his pride like a wound that refused to heal.

Finally, Quiala stopped before a massive iron door engraved with the head of an ox.

The metallic symbol's eyes gleamed faintly as if alive.

He didn't wait for permission.

*Bang*

He shoved the doors open with a burst of brute strength.

Inside, the air was heavy and dense with tremendous presence.

A domineering figure sat upon a throne carved from volcanic rock. The demon's sheer size almost dwarfed everything in the chamber.

His horns curved like black steel blades, and each exhale from his nostrils sent waves of heat into the room, causing the metal chains hanging from the ceiling to sway and clang softly.

Quiala dropped to one knee instantly. "My Lord."

The enormous demon leaned forward slightly, his eyes glinting with mild curiosity. "What is it, Quiala?"

"My Lord… you've surely heard the reports."

The Ox Demon King chuckled, his deep voice rumbling like thunder. "Of course I have. Do you think anything happens in my domain without my knowing?"

Quiala bowed even lower. "Forgive me for my impatience, my King."

The King tilted his head. "You look troubled. Speak."

"I… request permission to go after the humans."

The King's crimson eyes narrowed. "You?"

Quiala swallowed hard but kept his head low. "Yes, my Lord. I humbly request your permission to hunt them down. I will not fail this time."

For a moment, silence filled the chamber.

The King studied him, his gaze piercing, making Quiala uncomfortable.

"Is this, by any chance, the same human who humiliated you in Xearth, isn't it?"

"I have every reason to believe so, my Lord."

"And you are that desperate to redeem your shame, Quiala?"

Quiala's claws dug into the floor, leaving cracks in the stone.

His voice was cold and trembling with restrained anger. "Desperate? Yes. I cannot live with that disgrace. Grant me this chance, and I will bring you his head along with the heads of every human that dares set foot in Tartarux."

The Ox Demon King leaned back, silent for a few seconds.

He smiled.

A terrifying, fanged grin that could make even lesser demons shudder.

"Very well," he said finally. "Go. But do not disappoint me again."

Quiala's eyes gleamed with bloodlust as he pressed his forehead to the floor.

"I will not fail you, my King."

******

Author's Note: Currently under the weather but getting better surely. So a long single chapter. 2 chs/day resumes tomorrow.

I apologise.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.