Demon castle! Loot!

Meanwhile in hell

Two days had passed since Aria's meeting with the pope and her subsequent endeavours to spread fear and uncertainty within Valeria. While she meticulously continued her mission, King Edmund remained unaware of the creeping shadows on the horizon. 

In the world of Terresia, Alex, now back from his weekend break with Emma, found himself seated upon his infernal throne. His hell had grown in size and complexity, now the size of a small city, and at its heart stood a small demonic castle that rivalled the grandeur of any earthly fortress.

From the perspective of an unseen observer, the castle appeared as a foreboding citadel that dominated the landscape. Its towering walls, constructed from obsidian-black stone, seemed to absorb the very light around them. A series of imposing spires adorned the structure, each adorned with menacing gargoyles that leered at any who dared approach. The castle's architecture was a nightmarish fusion of Gothic and infernal aesthetics.

As one ventured closer to the castle, its details became more apparent. The walls bore intricate carvings of demonic faces and otherworldly landscapes. The main entrance was a colossal gate adorned with wickedly sharp spikes, and at the apex, the fiery emblem of a scythe, encircled by flames, loomed ominously.

Within the castle, the grandeur continued. The entrance hall was a cavernous space with a blood-red carpet leading to the throne room. Torches on the walls emitted an eerie green flame, casting unsettling shadows that danced along the cold, stone floor.

The throne room itself was a sight to behold. Gigantic obsidian pillars supported the vaulted ceiling, while the walls were adorned with dark tapestries depicting scenes of torment and chaos. The ceiling bore a monstrous chandelier, its grotesque iron arms holding dozens of flickering hellfire candles.

At the heart of the room was the throne—an imposing ebony monstrosity that appeared as though it had been forged from the bones of the damned. The armrests featured intricate, twisted designs, and the backrest was adorned with jagged spikes.

Before the throne, Anubis 1 and Anubis 2 prostrated themselves. Their heads were bowed, and their bodies trembled slightly in deference to their lord.

Upon the throne, Alex sat with an air of sinister authority. His white hair framed his dark, otherworldly visage, and his demonic red eyes glistened with an unsettling intelligence. His attire consisted of black robes similar to that of the grim reapers, his bone wings that he never really used due to instant transportation were unfurled. In his hand, he clutched the legendary Lord's Scythe.

As Alex gazed down upon his loyal Anubises, a chilling smile played upon his lips. His reign in Terresia's underworld had grown more powerful with each passing day, and the news of Aria's plan had only solidified his position as a mastermind in the shadows.

Anubis 1 continued his relentless search for the prophet's location, driven by a determination to uncover the secrets that lay hidden. However, it was one of the demons under his command who brought forth crucial information. After discreetly investigating a few merchants and commoners outside the city's borders, they had stumbled upon something that piqued their curiosity.

Anubis 1, suspicious of this unexpected turn of events, decided to rendezvous with Anubis 2, who had also sensed a disturbance in the world above. Together, they delved deeper into the matter, using their infernal powers to unearth the truth that had been concealed.

Their investigation led them to an encounter with one of the knights who had been following the mysterious commands issued by their lord, Alex. The pieces began to fall into place, and the demons realised the true extent of their lord's cunning and genius. While the revelation left them in awe, there was no time to waste.

Anubis 1 and Anubis 2 knew that they had to report their findings to Alex immediately. As they made their way back to their lord's presence in the awe-inspiring castle, leading up to present time

'Aria…she gives me the creeps, however she is efficient, I shall use her to dominate this kingdom! Her plan is of extreme intelligence'

"Well done Anubis 1, Anubis 2, for bringing Aria's plan to my attention, you are to work with her to complete her plan, once the plan is done you may report to me, forget about reaping souls until the entire kingdom believes in hell!"

"YES MY LORD, YOUR RULE IS ETERNAL!" 

They spoke in sync and bowed once more before exiting the throne room, their synchronized movements mirroring the precision of a well-choreographed dance.

As the grand doors of the throne room slammed shut behind them, Alex let out a frustrated sigh. His inquisitive nature was getting the better of him, and the cryptic events unfolding in his hellish domain left him hungry for answers.

"What the hell happens in 2 days?" 

Alex muttered, his eyes darting to the intricate system panel that held many of the secrets to his newfound power.

[10 super fearful souls converted into 5000 hell points

1200 hell points collected from your demons

Total: 11,696 hell points

After many long hours of punishment almost 10,000 souls were punished repeatedly. You are rewarded with -1052 common demon shards, which can be converted into 5052 uncommon demon shards, 1000 rare demon shards, or 100 epic demon shards!]" the system's voice informed him.

'Wait what?! 100 epic demon shards already? Isn't this way way too easy?!'

[The lord of hell is made to give the user the maximum amount of rewards in the shortest time, 100 epic demons are nothing in comparison to the grand scheme of things]."

Alex felt a shiver run down his spine at the cryptic reply. The system's casual dismissal of epic demons, beings that should be the pinnacle of power, only heightened his unease.

"Calm down, I'm just a beginner," Alex reassured himself, attempting to quell the anxiety gnawing at him. "100 epic demons? So what?"

He tried to maintain his composure, but the lingering sense of foreboding remained.

"System, convert into 100 epic demon shards," Alex commanded, determined to harness the power these shards represented.

[Converting]

[Successful]

[You have completed quest, gain 1 epic demon, reward: 20 stat points to intelligence

You have completed quest, gain 100 epic demons, reward: Demonic Evolution skill]

'Ho…what's this skill?'

[Demonic Evolution: the lord of hell can evolve lower level demons to higher ranks by using higher ranked demons, demons evolved with this skill will be stronger than a regular demon of that rank, for example, a common demon could be evolved by using 2 uncommon demons, this not only evolves the demon but gives it the strength of 2 uncommon demons, this number can be increased as the lord could use 100 uncommon demons to evolve a common ranked demon, this then gives it the power of 100 uncommon demons, becoming unmatched within their rank, this skill has a cooldown of 24 hours]

'.....What's with becoming so OP in such early stages of the game?!'

Before Alex's repetitive thoughts could continue, the cave in his hell expanded and contracted, a sight that never ceased to amaze him. From the depths of this supernatural cavern emerged the demons, a hundred of them, each more nightmarish than the last.

Their grotesque appearances, brimming with malevolence, sent shivers down Alex's spine. He could feel their bloodthirsty auras pressing against him like an invisible force.

These demons one could not even stand to look at in their nightmares were here right before Alex's eyes, the graphics of the game shocking him once again, yet Scythes face bore a mask of coldness

Their auras were more intimidating and bloodthirsty than any he had ever seen, but it was fine, in the end…

'I'm the lord of hell'

That's right, and Alex's skill still was activated to these demons who had not reached the distant rank beyond legendary, he appeared like a God

As the eerie assembly of demons took shape, one figure among them stood out. It possessed a humanoid form, a stark contrast to the grotesque and inhuman appearances of its brethren. Clad in a blood-red jester-like outfit adorned with hints of gold, its face was an unsettling mask of white, featuring a pointed nose, chin, and elfin ears.

Its grin stretched upwards, revealing sharp teeth that seemed too prominent for its face. Atop its head rested a red mitre, adding an almost regal touch to its otherwise nightmarish visage.

This peculiar demon, with its strangely human-like features, stirred a flicker of interest within Alex.