The Demon Lord reveled in his triumph, savoring the overwhelming power surging through him as he absorbed the divine essence of the God of Sun. His mismatched eyes glimmered with malice, and a victorious sneer curved across his lips. It was the second time he had brought divinity to its knees, and the intoxicating rush of dominance consumed him.

  But his victory was short-lived.

  Out of nowhere, an emerald blur shot through the air, hurtling toward him with unimaginable speed. Before the Demon Lord could react, a devastating punch landed squarely against his chest, the force so immense it sent him careening backward. The impact tore him from his moment of triumph and interrupted the absorption of the God’s remaining power. The Demon Lord’s form collided with the earth, skidding across the scorched battlefield in a cascade of debris.

  With a low growl, he rose to his feet, his breathing heavy from the toll of his previous battle. His towering, demonic form shimmered and began to diminish, reverting to his normal state. The energy expended in the fight against the God had drained him more than he cared to admit. As he looked ahead, his eyes narrowed in fury at the sight before him.

  There, standing with an almost arrogant ease, was an emerald-skinned demon with flowing red hair. His aura crackled with unrestrained power, and his glowing green eyes radiated a newfound dominance. Ciel. The once-loyal Archdemon was now absorbing the last remnants of the God’s energy, his form brimming with vitality and power. The transformation was complete, his presence radiating with the unholy union of demonic and divine strength.

  Rage ignited within the Demon Lord like an inferno. The theft of what should have been his ultimate prize filled him with a fury he hadn’t felt in centuries. "CIEL, YOU DARE BETRAY YOUR KING?!" he roared, his voice thundering across the smoldering ruins. The weight of his rage seemed to distort the very air around him.

  Ciel turned slowly, his newly evolved form shimmering with emerald energy. His lips curled into a twisted smile, his green eyes filled with dark amusement. Licking his lips, he spoke with mocking condescension. "Thank you, former king, for preparing this meal for me." The tone of his words was venomous, dripping with the satisfaction of his treachery.

  As the last of the God’s energy flowed into him, the divine corpse disintegrated into ash, carried away by the winds of the battlefield. The Demon Lord’s fury erupted as he lunged forward, his fist poised to strike down the traitor. But as his blow descended, Ciel raised a hand and caught it effortlessly, halting the attack mid-air with almost casual ease.

  "Now, let’s have none of that," Ciel said smoothly, his grip tightening around the Demon Lord’s fist. "You must be quite tired after your little duel. Why don’t you relax… and kneel before your new King?" The emerald-skinned demon’s voice dripped with mockery as he exerted his strength, forcing the Demon Lord to his knees.

  But the Demon Lord resisted, his muscles straining as he refused to yield. His aura flared defiantly, his will as unbreakable as the foundations of Hell itself. "Actually," Ciel continued, his grin widening as he relished his newfound power, "why should I stop at being a King? Demon God would be a more fitting title."

  Those words ignited something primal within the Demon Lord. With an enraged roar, he summoned a surge of energy from deep within himself, driving his fist upward in a devastating uppercut. The blow connected with Ciel’s jaw, sending the emerald-skinned traitor hurtling into the sky. The impact left the ground trembling beneath them, cracks spidering outward from where the Demon Lord stood.

  Ciel recovered mid-air, his body flipping gracefully before coming to a halt high above. He circled the Demon Lord with an air of superiority, his voice ringing out with derision. "Tsk, tsk, now that won’t do at all," he taunted, his glowing green eyes locked onto his former master. "It seems there won’t be a place for you in my kingdom after all."

  With a snarl of defiance, the Demon Lord propelled himself into the air, his fists igniting with renewed vigor. He unleashed a furious flurry of punches, each strike aimed to crush his treacherous subordinate. But Ciel moved with elegance, his form twisting and dodging with the precision of a dancer. It was as though the Demon Lord’s attacks were mere trifles, easily avoided.

  As the Demon Lord’s relentless assault continued, one of his punches finally found its mark, landing squarely against Ciel’s chest. The emerald-skinned demon was sent hurtling back to the ground, his impact shattering the stone and leaving a crater in his wake. The Demon Lord wasted no time, diving down after him with a roar of fury.

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  But Ciel was ready. With a motion almost too fast to follow, he unleashed a blast of emerald energy. The magic struck the Demon Lord mid-dive, sending him tumbling backward, his body skidding across the broken battlefield.

  "That’s enough of that," Ciel said, his tone filled with smug finality. He rose from the crater, brushing dust from his green skin as though the fight was little more than a nuisance.

  The Demon Lord stood as well, his body still pulsing with defiance despite his injuries. Both demons locked eyes, their respective auras crackling with lethal intent. The ruins of Verdince smoldered around them as they prepared for the true battle to begin. The betrayal of Ciel had turned the battlefield into a stage for one of the most personal and ferocious conflicts Hell had ever seen.

  The Demon Lord and Ciel surged forward, their forms blurring as they collided in a furious storm of fists and parries. Their expert exchange of punches and blocks echoed across the burning wasteland, each movement precise and calculated. Neither fighter could land a clean hit, their prowess as warriors matched only by their unrelenting ferocity. The flames of destruction raged around them, their battle consuming the ruined landscape.

  All the while, Ciel’s voice rang out over the chaos, unyielding and filled with bitter pride. “Do you know what it was like for me before your rise to power? I was the greatest sorcerer in Hell,” he snarled, his emerald eyes blazing as he deflected a punch. “I had my own little kingdom that I carved out with my own power. My own two hands! Power I achieved all on my own when I singlehandedly killed the Ancient Demons, the Brothers 448 and 449. For a hundred years, I ruled.”

  “Shut up!” the Demon Lord roared, his frustration mounting as he launched another strike, his fist cutting through the air with lethal intent.

  Ciel sidestepped effortlessly, his twisted smile widening. “Then one day, I hear whispers of a new rising star in Hell. A white-haired demon systematically killing the Ancient Demons,” he continued, his tone laced with venom. “At first, I didn’t believe it was possible. I wrote it off as a rumor, as I continued my rule. After all, who could possibly kill all of the Ancient Demons? Especially the upper ten?”

  As his voice rose with fury, Ciel’s attacks intensified. He caught the Demon Lord off guard, landing a devastating blow that sent him hurtling into the ground. The earth cracked and splintered under the force of the impact, dust and debris scattering into the air. Ciel moved quickly, grabbing the Demon Lord by the collar and hauling him up. His voice took on a mocking tone, dripping with scorn. “But you did it! To all of Hell’s surprise, you accomplished the impossible! I thought, ‘Good for him, but who cares?’ Then I received your message—to come and meet the new so-called King of Hell.”

  With a roar fueled by years of suppressed rage, Ciel slammed the Demon Lord’s head into the ground. The impact shook the earth, flames and ash swirling around them like a storm. Ciel’s expression darkened, his voice trembling with the weight of old wounds. “So, being the ignorant fool I was at the time, I came. I thought you wanted to meet a fellow ruler, a king who had carved out his dominion in Hell. But no!” He pulled the Demon Lord closer, his emerald energy crackling violently. “You sat atop your throne and gave me a choice: kneel before you—or die!”

  His grip tightened as his voice grew colder, a dangerous edge creeping into his words. “And so I did. I gave up my kingdom and became your dog. I’d have been a fool not to, after feeling the power you radiated.” He chuckled darkly, his face a mask of twisted satisfaction. “For hundreds of years, I stayed loyal and silent, biding my time, waiting for the opportunity to surpass you.”

  Ciel’s rage reached a fever pitch as he hurled the Demon Lord away like a ragdoll. The Demon Lord’s body skidded across the scorched earth, carving deep trenches into the ground before coming to a halt. Ciel sneered, his voice dripping with mockery as he gestured toward the smoldering remains of their surroundings. “Then I came here and found the grand opportunity—the Emerald Tree! The World Energy it emanated was even greater than your newfound power from the gods. And, well… I think you can figure out the rest.”

  With a derisive laugh, Ciel strode toward the downed Demon Lord, his green aura blazing as he prepared to deliver a decisive blow. But as he raised his foot to strike, his attack was interrupted. Insight and Greed appeared in a blur of motion, their weapons gleaming as they forced Ciel back. The emerald-skinned traitor snarled, glaring at the two Archdemons who now stood protectively before their master, their blades raised and unwavering.

  “After I was so kind as to spare your lives,” Ciel spat, his tone laced with disdain. “Fine. You’ve chosen your side, then.”

  Insight and Greed tightened their grips on their weapons, their fierce gazes fixed on Ciel. Behind them, the Demon Lord rose slowly to his feet, his movements labored. Both of his companions cast worried glances toward him. They had never seen him in such a battered state—not since his early days fighting the Ancient Demons.

  The Demon Lord’s mismatched eyes burned with raw hatred as his voice cut through the tension. “Ciel, you betray me, attack me, and scheme to overthrow my rule. For your punishment, I will not just kill you and consume your power. I will erase your soul from the universe.”

  A smirk tugged at Ciel’s lips, but the laughter that had accompanied his taunts was gone. His green eyes glowed fiercely, his expression deadly serious. “Bold,” he replied coldly, his voice filled with quiet menace. “But I’m more powerful now than you’ve ever been.”

  The two demons stood facing each other, their auras clashing as the ground beneath them quaked. The fires of Verdince burned around them, their heat dwarfed by the inferno of rage and power that now consumed the battlefield. The stage was set for a battle to decide the new King of Hell.