Gozine

The western region, where Grand Duke Amdusias and Pandemonium had expanded their influence.
This area operated under a republican system, home to numerous minority groups.
Among them were beastfolk like the Marang (demonic wolf) tribe, high-ranking demons such as Amdusias, humans, and even a significant number of non-believers in the creator goddess Arden, which rarely seen elsewhere on the continent.
A place for those who denied the world’s pulse and the Philosopher’s Stone to gather secretly.

That was the continent’s western region.

These people, unable to endure oppression elsewhere, had congregated in the west, acting solely for their own absolute benefit.

And Amdusias understood their psychology perfectly.

[How many Philosopher’s Stones have we gathered so far?]

Amdusias’ question.
The atmosphere in Pandemonium’s grand conference hall, filled with high-ranking demons, was electric.
Because those who wish for Baal’s resurrection and the beginning of a new world, which was now truly not far off, were gathered here.

“Recently, we obtained one from Jagan’s base near Avilat in the east, and another from the vicinity of the Iana family in the south. Including the ones Lord Belial previously secured, we’ve successfully gathered seven Philosopher’s Stones.”

“We still haven’t found the whereabouts of one stone…. But once we take it from that arrogant ash-haired bastard, it’s over.”

“That’s correct.”

As Amdusias rested his chin on his hand, the demon assisting him bowed deeply.

Though still nameless and not yet ascended to the rank of Grand duke, he was certain his status would skyrocket once Amdusias awakened Baal.

It was inevitable.

Several Grand dukes, including Paimon, had perished.
The destruction of their magic stones meant their souls couldn’t even linger, no trace of them remained in the realm of the dead.

Unlike Baal, they could never return.
This meant new Grand dukes would rise to fill the void.

Grand duke.
It was a magnificent-sounding title.

But something more important lay ahead.
Gathering all the Philosopher’s Stones, a task not just anyone could accomplish.

The one sealed first among the Grand dukes by King Solomon of Catalyu.
To locate Baal’s magic stone and resurrect him.

Some might see this as dishonorable, but who was it that took such an action? The goddess Arden. Even for a God, Baal was the most terrifying demon.
To resurrect such a being?

It was tantamount to the annihilation of the mortal realm. It also meant the unspeakable springtime of the Demon Realm was coming

‘What if a gate connecting the human and demon realms opens?’

Demons would overcome death and dominate the mortal world.

No matter how strong the continent’s warriors—even the Seven Stars, they couldn’t endlessly contend with demons who grew stronger with each resurrection.
The outcome was predetermined. Demons would inevitably prevail. For this, Amdusias had moved so cautiously.

Avoiding direct conflict with the other Seven Stars, eliminating variables by attacking Nox and Ru.
Of course, though they were defeated in the battle, losing Dantalion, etc, they succeeded in gathering the remaining stones. A quite remarkable achievement.

Now, just one.
Once they seized the final stone, once held by Celcus, a former member of the Seven Stars, the Philosopher’s Stones would be complete.
The stone said to have brought miracles to humanity’s first kingdom. Along with it, Baal would awaken, and the mortal world would drown in corruption.

Amdusias relished the chaos, believing it would only make him stronger.
He even plotted to surpass Agares and Belial, positioning himself as Baal’s second-in-command.

‘Just wait a little longer, Archduke Baal.’

It was truly not far now.

With that thought, Amdusias began mobilizing a massive army.
He began manipulating the people of the West into movement. They would soon sweep everything away.
With certainty, the demons began to prepare, through whispers, for what might be their final battle.

**********

While Nox was explaining the situation he and Paracelsus were facing to his companions.

A secret meeting centered around Theo reached its conclusion.
As expected, the agenda was the resurrection of numerous Grand duke-level demons and how to deal with Baal.

In the end, Theo had managed to draw a conclusion that everyone present could accept.
But whether it was the right decision…
That was another matter entirely.

“Will it really be okay to go with Theo’s plan?”

Noah muttered as they left the meeting room.
Astrid shrugged her shoulders and replied.

“Well. The best scenario would be Baal never resurrecting at all.. but that’s difficult.”

“The missing ‘Philosopher’s Stones’… All but two are already in Pandemonium’s hands. Astrid, he’s coming back.”

“I know. But even if we gather every knight and mage on the continent, fighting as one, victory is far from guaranteed. And worse…”

“There’s infighting even among humans, right? That’s the truth. You’re not wrong. The Holy families and the Dark families. And then there’s the criminal group Lunatic. Not to mention other non-official factions. On top of that, the conflict between commoners and nobles has nearly reached its peak.”

“Emperor Penelope…since the young emperor has ascended the throne, she’s implementing equality policies”

Having succeeded her father, she was reigning as a benevolent monarch, but there were a few rather unexpected problems.

For example, the first issue was her very young age and her failure to unite the existing ruling class forces. This alone was quite serious. The established powers did not look kindly upon Penelope.
From the beginning, they were the faction that supported the First Prince, Louis von Arkheim, as the new ruler. But if all of them were purged, it would be impossible to avoid a situation where the imperial family’s support base was severely shaken.

What does that mean?

She had to secure their support without killing them.
But to do so, she would have to give the nobles what they wanted. Enormous wealth, honor, positions…

However, Penelope was still young. There were many meanings for being young, but it was certain that her benevolent nature was actually holding her back.
Penelope was implementing policies that did not discriminate between nobles and commoners. This was provoking huge backlash from most of the nobility, and even among commoners, it often felt like the collapse of the system.

Is that all?

Through this approach, nobles enraged by the policies began large-scale oppression and purges of commoners.

The nobles were attacking them in various ways. In response, the commoners formed resistance groups, and uprisings were breaking out everywhere.

In this situation, if Baal and the remaining Grand dukes among the demons were to manifest on the continent?
Pandemonium. The worst-case scenario would inevitably unfold.

“I had hoped the little emperor would do well… but I didn’t think her inexperience would have such a huge impact.”

Noah sighed. Already, the royal family and most noble houses, the resistance, and even Lunatic—many factions were preparing for the end.

A dangerous catastrophe was approaching the continent once again.

Back when Baal first manifested in this world. If we go further back, it was during the time when Arden split Baal’s soul with the ‘Philosopher’s Stone’ and sealed it—that era of war was returning.

“In the worst case, a gate will open in this world. A massive and horrific door connecting Hell and the mortal realm. The demons will pour out, and the tragedy will begin.”

Astrid said she would cooperate in order to prevent such a future at all costs, but in truth, it was hard not to doubt just how much help she could really be.
Even during the battle against Paimon, the Night of Slaughter, it took Noah, Theo, and even Celsus, geniuses as bright as the stars—just to barely succeed in sealing it.

‘No one can guarantee the depth and strength of evil.’

That was what the two thought.

In the end, without being able to come to a proper conclusion, the two had to part ways.
If the final battle was about to begin, they had to prepare as much as possible, and Theo von Reinhaver’s decision had come with such great loss that it truly must be reserved.
Only for the very last moment.

At least, that’s what the two of them believed.

**********

Lunatic’s headquarters.
A gathering where Luna and the high-ranking members had all come together in one place.
It had been a very long time since Nox visited the hideout and had a conversation.

A massive round table.
The conversation among those gathered around it was, without exaggeration, chilling.

“Baal will be resurrected without fail.”

That was how Nox began. He added parts of what he had seen, parts of what he had told his companions. Because there was a possibility that a traitor existed among Lunatic’s members, there weren’t many he could trust besides Luna and Marin.

Chief of Staff Izel responded, sounding intrigued.

“Hmm, our adorable little one that the Captain cherishes so much, can you tell this big sister why you think that way?”

“I’ll proceed with the assumption that you all already know Baal’s soul was shattered and sealed in the ‘Philosopher’s Stone,’ and that there are a total of nine fragments.”

Luna’s pupils narrowed.
He was a newcomer known for his knack for gathering information, but even so, she had attended the recent meeting at the Reinhaver house.
That he already knew information even she couldn’t grasp easily made her all the more curious about Nox’s identity. Where exactly had he come from, and how deeply—how far ahead—was he looking?

‘In any case, that’s not what matters now. The most important thing is stopping Baal. And dismantling the central government that’s throwing the continent into chaos, toppling the imperial family.’

Luna still wished for the downfall of the Arkheim Empire.
This was a matter of grave importance.

Though the new emperor appeared to be doing a decent job on the surface, in truth, things were a mess.
If there was ever a moment to overturn it all, it was now, while she had yet to fully solidify her power.

“Fighting the demons comes first. That’s undeniably true. But one of Lunatic’s greatest goals is still the fall of the imperial family. Newcomer, I assume you’re opposed to this idea?”

“No.”

“…That’s a rather interesting answer.”

Izel said, resting her chin on her hand.
Cregoil also crossed his arms.
It looked a little awkward since he was using hooked hands, but it carried its own kind of authority.

“You’re said to have a deep connection with the princess.”

Cain cut in—one of the vice-captains. The mood shifted instantly when he spoke.
Nox replied calmly.

“To defeat Baal and the Grand dukes, humanity will ultimately need to unite and fight with one heart. To make that happen, the current empire has its limits.”

Nox, without emotion, voiced his thoughts about his companion, Penelope.

A ruthless utilitarian.
No matter how much she has improved, at her core she is someone who stakes her life on saving the greatest number of people.
Penelope is such a person. However, Nox was certain, this very personality of hers would never be enough to dispel the dark clouds hanging over the continent.

“In the end, saving more people means that a few, some minority, must inevitably be sacrificed.”

“There’s no such thing as a war without sacrifice. Brazen newcomer, you know that, don’t you?”

Luna spoke, and Nox nodded.

“You’re right, Captain.”

He paused briefly, then continued with a somewhat detached expression.

“That’s why I believe it’s right for the one who is bound to die anyway, to be the one who dies.”

Everyone’s brows furrowed at once. Marin clenched her teeth.
She had seen that expression on Nox’s face once before, she recognized it.

It was familiar.

Though she couldn’t say exactly when, it was the face Nox had made when he risked his life in the past to save her.

Seeing that same expression again, Marin replied in a cold voice.

“Who exactly is this person that’s supposed to be sacrificed?”

“Archer Marin.”

What followed was a wave of doubt, tension, unease—and fear.
How many times had Nox ever referred to her as an Archer? But now, at this very moment, he had spoken that word with respect.
What that meant was crystal clear.

Once again, Nox.

intends to wear the same expression as back then.

Willing to risk his life to save others, without sparing a thought for himself.
The moment she realized this, Marin slammed her hand on the table and stood up. Given the gravity of the matter, no one tried to stop her.

“Why is it always you that makes that kind of decision?! Nox von Reinhaver. You’re strong, I admit that, but you’re still just the youngest in Lunatic”

“Marin is right. You’re too young to carry such a burden. Let others handle this one.”

Luna tried to reason, but Nox cut her off with a gesture and spoke.

“Seven. That’s how many Philosopher’s Stones Pandemonium has collected in the west. There’s only one left now. If Baal is resurrected in this state, there’s only one way to stop him. Shatter his soul. Prevent him from resurrecting again.”

Nox added, with force in his voice.

“To do that, we need a vessel. Someone who is best suited to it—someone with dark-attribute mana, easy to eliminate if needed, with high resistance. Let me be direct. I’m the most suitable candidate. If someone must be sacrificed, this is a chance to end it with just one.”

“…We in Lunatic don’t call that a ‘chance’!”

“Captain.”

For the first time ever, Nox bowed his head—something he had never done before.
To all of them. It was enough to cause a ripple of shock.

“Please give me this chance. I don’t have much time left anyway. If Baal gathers all nine fragments, no one will be able to stand against him. Even though we supposedly have one in our possession… if that’s lost, the complete Demon King will manifest in this world.”

“What do you mean you don’t have much time?”

Luna asked. Nox hesitated for a moment at her words, then responded after forcibly suppressing his emotions.

“I’m terminally-ill. I’m in a condition where it wouldn’t be strange if I died at any moment.”

Luna, Marin, and everyone around them froze, their faces turning harder than ever. They hadn’t expected to hear something like this from this newcomer.

**********

[Then let it begin.]

A demon’s whisper echoed.

This place is Pandemonium.

The gathering ground for heretics who rejected Arden, and exiled prisoners who had been cast out.
All of them had now amassed under the demon Amdusias’s command.
A resistance. An army of commoners rising against the nobility had been formed.

And tragically, the one who brought this all together, was none other than the Grand Duke Amdusias and a single human.

“I want to personally thank each of you for your courage. Under this glorious sun, In the name of Esteban, I swear on this spot to begin the war that will be recorded in history—the war to seize the west, center, and east of the continent!”

Esteban.
Arkheim’s first emperor who had lost his reason, revived by the whispers of a corrupted demon. He had rallied a new force.
He was now becoming a colossal weapon threatening all of humanity, intending to massacre Nox, his companions, the empire he had once built, and even his own daughter.