The One King

Not long after the Shura Army came to a halt on the western front of the Western Continent, news of what had happened spread throughout the world.

It was not merely a passing rumor.

It was like a shockwave that struck the continents one after another.

A mysterious man... had stopped the Shura Army.

A single person had stood alone before hundreds of thousands of Shura soldiers.

Someone had dared to challenge Azrael Netherval directly.

In cities, palaces, and kingdoms, people began passing the news around with stunned expressions.

In one city, a merchant said:

"Are you certain that's what you heard?"

The man across from him replied:

"The news came from three different sources."

"Impossible..."

"They say he stood alone before an entire army."

An old man raised his head and said:

"Since the Shura began its advance, not a single army has managed to stop it."

He fell silent for a moment.

"Who is this man?"

No one had an answer.

But the question spread even faster than the news itself.

Who was he?

Where had he obtained such power?

And could he truly resist the Shura?

For the first time since the beginning of the war, something appeared in the hearts of some people that they had not felt in a very long time.

Hope.

But that hope was extremely fragile.

Because everyone knew one undeniable truth.

The man had challenged...

Azrael Netherval.

The news reached the capital shortly afterward.

The Foyd family was among the first to hear about it.

Valer was sitting in one of the palace halls with Alex, Miranda, Selena, Lunaria, and Lilian when one of the family's soldiers hurried into the room.

He quickly bowed.

"My lord."

Valer raised his eyes.

"Speak."

The soldier was breathing heavily.

"News has arrived from the western front."

The members of the family exchanged glances.

Valer asked:

"What happened?"

The soldier hesitated for a moment.

Then he said:

"A mysterious man has stopped the Shura Army."

Silence filled the hall.

Alex immediately raised his head.

"What did you say?"

The soldier repeated:

"One man stood in the army's path."

Selena asked:

"Alone?"

The soldier nodded.

"Yes."

Miranda stared at him in disbelief.

Lunaria remained silent, but her eyes narrowed slightly.

Valer asked:

"Do you know his identity?"

"No."

"His strength?"

"We don't know."

Then the soldier added:

"But the reports say that he directly challenged the Shura."

Everyone's expressions changed.

Alex said:

"Challenged the Shura?"

Then he let out a short, nervous laugh.

"Has he lost his mind?"

No one answered him.

Selena said:

"Perhaps he can actually do it."

Alex looked at her.

"After we saw half a million golems standing before the capital?"

He gestured toward the outside.

"And after seeing how the Shura soldiers speak of Azrael as though he were a god?"

His voice lowered.

"That man is either incredibly powerful..."

He paused.

"Or he doesn't know what death is."

Lunaria said calmly:

"Perhaps both."

Everyone turned toward her.

She continued:

"But there is something else."

Valer asked:

"What?"

She looked at Lilian.

"If this man manages to withstand them, he may become the first person since the beginning of the war to force the Shura to reveal more of its strength."

Lilian did not answer.

She was staring at the floor.

But her mind was focused on something else.

Azrael.

Would he become angry?

Would he kill the man?

Or would this challenge make him personally turn his attention toward the battlefield?

Lilian whispered:

"I hope he hasn't chosen the worst person in the world to challenge."

The answer to the world's question was drawing closer.

On the vast plain, the Heavenly General stood before the mysterious man.

The land around them had been transformed into a wasteland of destruction.

The distant mountains were cracked.

Dust covered the sky.

Behind their commander, the Shura Army stood silently, watching the confrontation.

No one spoke anymore.

Everyone knew that this battle had surpassed the boundaries of an ordinary confrontation.

The mysterious man wiped the blood from his mouth.

"I didn't expect one of the Shura's generals to be this powerful."

The Heavenly General replied:

"And I didn't expect an unknown person to endure against me for this long."

The man smiled.

"Then we're even."

"No."

The Heavenly General raised his hand.

"We are not equals."

His aura ignited.

"That battle has only just begun."

His power exploded.

BOOOOOOM!

The earth trembled.

A wave of energy swept across the plain.

The mysterious man charged forward.

His fist collided with the General's.

CRAAACK!

A tremendous shockwave erupted.

But this time...

It was the Heavenly General who remained firmly in place.

He then seized the man's arm.

The mysterious man's eyes widened.

The General said:

"It's over."

A tremendous force erupted from his body.

Then he struck the man directly in the chest.

BOOOOOM!

The mysterious man was sent flying an enormous distance before crashing into the ground.

He tried to rise.

He dropped to one knee.

Blood flowed from his mouth.

But he did not surrender.

He raised his head.

"I..."

He took a deep breath.

"I'm not finished yet."

The General appeared before him in an instant.

Then struck him again.

BOOOOOM!

The man collapsed.

He tried to resist.

But his body no longer responded.

The General stood over him.

"You were given enough chances."

Then he gestured toward the Shura soldiers.

"Bind him."

The soldiers immediately advanced.

They drew strange black chains engraved with silver runes.

The restraints were placed around the man's arms and legs.

When he tried to use his energy...

The runes lit up.

And his power was completely extinguished.

One of the knights shouted:

"He has been restrained!"

A brief silence followed.

Then the banners of the Shura rose high.

"Glory to the Shura!"

"Glory to the Supreme Entity!"

But the Heavenly General was not satisfied with that.

He looked at the restrained man.

Then said:

"No."

He stepped forward.

"We will not kill him."

The knights raised their heads.

He continued:

"He will be displayed before the world."

Then he added:

"So that everyone who considers challenging the Shura will know the fate of anyone who raises their head against the Supreme Entity."

The mysterious man was not allowed to walk.

Instead, the chains were attached to the horses' carriages.

Then the sacred horses began moving.

The man was dragged across the ground behind them, bound and helpless to resist.

His body scraped against the harsh earth.

Sand and stones scattered around him.

The purpose was not merely to transport him.

The purpose was obvious.

To humiliate him before the world.

The mysterious man was no longer the person who had stood alone before the Shura Army.

He had now become a prisoner being dragged behind the army while the banners of the Shura flew above him.

And the road was long.

From the Western Continent...

to the Central Continent.

From one city to another, people came out to watch the procession.

Wherever the army passed, the soldiers' cries spread:

"This is the fate of those who challenge the Shura!"

"This is the fate of those who oppose the Supreme Entity!"

"Let the world learn!"

In some cities, people stood in stunned silence.

One man said:

"Isn't that the man who stopped the Shura Army?"

Another replied:

"He was."

Then he looked at the chains.

"And now... look at him."

The news spread alongside the procession.

The man who had challenged Azrael had been defeated.

The Heavenly General had brought him down.

And the Shura was dragging him across the continents toward Azrael's stronghold.

It was no longer a battle.

It had become a message.

A message directed toward the entire world.

News of the defeat reached the capital.

The Foyd family was gathered together when one of the soldiers rushed inside.

He said:

"He has been defeated."

Alex stood up.

"Who?"

"The mysterious man."

Selena froze.

"He was defeated?"

The soldier nodded.

"The Heavenly General defeated him."

Then he added:

"But he did not kill him."

Valer asked:

"What did they do to him?"

The soldier lowered his head.

"They bound him."

Silence.

Then he continued:

"And they are dragging him behind the army's horses across the continent."

Miranda's eyes widened.

"They're dragging him?"

"Yes."

Then he added:

"They want the world to see him."

Valer clenched his fist.

His face became grim.

"It's not transportation."

Everyone looked at him.

"It's a message."

Lunaria said:

"A message to everyone who is thinking about resisting."

Valer nodded.

"Exactly."

Selena looked deeply shaken.

"He was alone."

Then she looked at her father.

"And yet he stood before an entire army."

She lowered her head.

"And now..."

She could not finish the sentence.

Miranda placed a hand against her chest.

"Where are they taking him?"

The soldier answered:

"To Abaddon."

Everyone froze.

Abaddon.

Azrael's stronghold.

Alex said quietly:

"So they intend to take him before Azrael."

"No."

Valer looked toward the horizon.

"They intend to take him before the entire world."

Lunaria said:

"So that everyone will know that whoever stands in the way of the Shura..."

She fell silent.

Then continued:

"Will end beneath its feet."

But Lilian said nothing.

She stared blankly into the distance.

Selena asked:

"Mother?"

Lilian did not answer.

Then she said quietly:

"He wants to humiliate him..."

She paused.

"Because Azrael doesn't merely want to win."

She raised her eyes.

"He wants the world to remember the price of opposing him."

Days passed.

The procession continued its advance.

Every time it crossed a region, more people came out to watch.

The banners of the Shura came first.

Then the knights.

Then the carriages.

Then the mysterious man, chained behind the horses.

Then hundreds of thousands of soldiers.

There was no celebration.

There was no music.

Only the sound of horses' hooves...

And the sound of chains scraping against the ground.

In some places, people fell silent the moment they saw the banners of the Shura.

No one dared to mock them.

No one dared to openly show pity.

Everyone understood the message.

The Shura never forgot those who challenged it.

And at the end of the road...

Abaddon appeared.

A colossal city rising across a vast expanse of land, surrounded by towering black walls, with enormous towers above them glowing with mysterious runes.

At its center...

stood a colossal palace.

A palace that looked as though it had been built to serve as the seat of the ruler of the world.

When Abaddon appeared before the procession, the soldiers raised their weapons.

Then a single voice thundered:

"Abaddon lies ahead!"

The horses stopped.

The mysterious man slowly raised his head.

His face was exhausted.

His clothes were torn.

And the chains still surrounded his body.

He looked at the city.

Then said in a weak voice:

"So..."

He paused.

"This is Azrael's lair."

No one answered him.

Then the gates opened.

The army entered.

At the top of the palace...

a single person stood upon a high balcony.

Black robes.

Dark hair.

And purple eyes silently watching the procession.

Azrael Netherval.

He did not need to say anything.

The mere sight of him standing on the balcony caused thousands of soldiers to bow.

The banners lowered.

Silence descended.

Azrael raised his eyes toward the restrained man.

Then said calmly:

"You're finally here."

The procession stopped.

The mysterious man raised his head.

For the first time, his eyes met Azrael's.

There was no shouting.

No threat.

No visible anger.

Only two gazes colliding across the distance.

Then Azrael said:

"I was wondering..."

He took a step forward.

"Who was the man who possessed the courage to stand before the Shura?"

Silence prevailed.

Then Azrael smiled faintly.

"And now..."

He looked at the chains.

"I can finally see you clearly."

Behind him, the banners of the Shura fluttered above Abaddon.

Before the palace, the army that had shaken the continents stood in silence.

As for the mysterious man...

He had finally arrived at the place where everything began.

Abaddon.

The stronghold of the entity he had challenged.

And at that moment, the world realized that the procession was not the end of his story.

It was merely the beginning of a meeting that might change the course of the entire war.

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