The One King

The battlefield had not calmed down.

After Azrael’s descent, the fighting stopped for a few moments, as if everyone had sensed that something greater than the war itself had appeared in the sky.

Azrael stood above the battlefield.

His black armor, covered with sharp edges, completely enveloped his body, while his massive axe with its long handle rested on his shoulder.

Red lightning revolved around his body, while black-purple dragon flames danced behind him, wrapping around him as though they were living creatures.

His face was grim.

Calm.

But his calmness was more terrifying than anger.

Below him, Leon stood with his sword in his hand.

He had not retreated.

He knew that Azrael had come for him.

But before the confrontation could begin...

A celestial-blue light appeared in the sky.

Everyone raised their heads.

The light grew stronger, then a massive vortex of energy formed within it.

And moments later...

A gigantic celestial-blue portal appeared.

It was different from the portals of the Council.

Mysterious glowing inscriptions surrounded the portal, and a powerful aura spread from it, causing even the air itself to tremble.

One of the soldiers of the Species Protection Association said:

"What is that portal?"

One of the mages answered:

"I don't know..."

Then his eyes widened.

"But something is coming through it."

The first soldier emerged.

Then the second.

Then dozens.

Then hundreds.

And a massive army began pouring out of the portal.

They wore white and golden armor and carried various weapons, while the banners of the Heavenly Council fluttered above their ranks.

The portal continued releasing soldiers.

Thousands.

Then tens of thousands.

Until the heavenly army stretched across a vast portion of the battlefield.

The voices of the soldiers of the Species Protection Association began to rise.

"They're our allies!"

"The Heavenly Council has arrived!"

"They've come to help us!"

At the forefront of the heavenly army...

Five individuals appeared.

They were different from the rest of the soldiers.

The auras emanating from their bodies were far more powerful.

All five were at the Divine Ascension Realm.

Among them was Andor.

Two other men.

A woman.

Then the last of them appeared...

An old man with long white hair and a long white beard.

His face possessed youthful features despite his obvious age.

His name was:

Silvus Grandus.

The five members of the Heavenly Council stood at the front of their army.

Their expressions were serious.

Then their eyes fell upon Azrael.

Andor's expression darkened.

The expressions of the other members darkened as well.

As for Silvus...

He said nothing.

He silently surveyed the battlefield.

Then his eyes moved through the masses.

Suddenly...

His eyes stopped.

Lilianne was standing among the members of the Foyd family.

Silvus looked at her.

His expression slowly changed.

His eyes widened slightly.

Then emotions he could no longer conceal appeared on his face.

Sadness.

Regret.

And guilt.

As for Lilianne...

The moment she saw his face, she froze.

She recognized him immediately.

That face.

That white hair.

And that long beard.

The man who had once been her teacher.

Her lips moved unconsciously.

She whispered:

"Master..."

The word reached Silvus.

He turned toward her.

His eyes carried a deep sadness.

Then he said:

"My disciple..."

Lilianne froze.

She could not respond.

But that moment did not last long.

For in the sky...

Azrael laughed.

"Hahahaha..."

He raised his eyes toward the heavenly army.

Then said with contempt:

"You pathetic ants know nothing except multiplying through others to achieve victory."

The expressions of the five members of the Heavenly Council darkened.

Andor was the first to tighten his grip around his weapon.

As for Silvus...

He closed his eyes for a moment.

Then opened them again.

But he said nothing.

Azrael looked at the heavenly army.

Then at the Species Protection Association.

He said:

"You brought an entire army..."

Then he smiled mockingly.

"And yet you still believe numbers will change anything."

No one answered.

Azrael raised his hand.

Then snapped his fingers.

Snap!

At that very moment...

A massive void appeared behind him.

A gigantic portal began to emerge.

It was similar to the portal that had appeared at the beginning of the war.

But this time...

It was far larger.

An immense heat spread throughout the area.

The ground beneath it began to crack.

Then the first creature emerged.

It was made entirely of fire.

Then another emerged.

Then dozens.

Then hundreds.

Then thousands.

Fire creatures began pouring out of the portal in different shapes and sizes.

Some were human-sized.

Others were larger than giant beasts.

Some were dozens of meters tall.

Their power levels varied as well.

The creatures continued pouring out.

Ten thousand.

One hundred thousand.

Three hundred thousand.

Until the ground was filled.

Half a million fire creatures.

The soldiers of the alliance stopped moving.

Their faces began to pale.

One soldier stared at the creatures before him.

He said in a trembling voice:

"Half a million..."

Another soldier answered:

"How can he possess this many?"

One of the mages said:

"Look at their power levels..."

Then he swallowed nervously.

"These aren't merely fire beasts."

The creatures stood behind Azrael.

Their flames filled the horizon.

The heat they generated caused the air itself to tremble.

Azrael raised his axe.

He pointed it toward the heavenly army and the Species Protection Association.

"Destroy them."

In the next moment...

The fire creatures charged.

BOOOOM!

The ground shook.

The commanders of the Species Protection Association shouted:

"Prepare yourselves!"

"Defensive formations!"

"Mages to the rear!"

At the same time, the heavenly army moved as well.

The two forces collided.

Flames exploded everywhere.

The fire creatures began clashing with the soldiers of the Heavenly Council and the Species Protection Association.

Screams rose.

Weapons collided.

And flames spread across the battlefield.

But Azrael did not look at the battle.

His eyes remained fixed on Leon.

As for Leon...

He stared at him in silence.

Azrael said:

"Now..."

He raised his massive axe.

"No one will disturb us."

But before he could move...

Andor stepped forward.

He stood between Azrael and Leon.

He said:

"You will not reach him."

Azrael looked at him.

His expression did not change.

"Move."

Andor answered:

"I won't."

The aura around Azrael intensified.

But Silvus stepped forward as well.

His expression was serious.

He said:

"Azrael..."

Azrael looked at him.

There was no sign in his eyes that indicated any prior knowledge of him.

Silvus said:

"This war will not end by killing one person."

Azrael answered coldly:

"I don't care."

Then he looked at Leon.

"I'm here for him."

Silence fell for several moments.

As for Lilianne...

She was still looking at Silvus.

There were countless questions in her eyes.

But she could not ask any of them.

Not now.

Not in the middle of this war.

In the sky...

A red lightning bolt revolved around Azrael.

The black-purple dragon flames behind him erupted.

He raised his axe.

"Come."

He looked at the members of the Heavenly Council.

Then at the army that had come with them.

"Show me..."

The red lightning intensified.

"How many ants you can gather before I crush them all."

In the next moment...

The battlefield exploded into chaos once again.

The army of the Heavenly Council fought alongside the Species Protection Association.

Half a million fire creatures fought alongside the Council.

And in the sky...

Azrael and Leon stood facing one another.

Between them...

stood an entire army.

But everyone knew the truth.

All of this war...

was nothing more than the prelude to the confrontation that was about to begin.

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