The Damned Demon - Chapter 866

*BOOOOOM!*

The sky was suddenly torn asunder, sliced by an enormous beam of radiant white light, cascading down from the heavens like a divine spear. It pierced through the distant horizon, splitting the clouds and slamming into the ground with a force so immense it made the very earth quake beneath their feet.

People throughout the camp stumbled, gasping, their gazes fixated on the sky in terror. The tremors reverberated through the soil beneath their feet, making everyone instinctively brace themselves. Even from miles away, the power radiating from that mysterious beam of light felt oppressively strong, terrifyingly foreign, and ominous.

[ The Final Reckoning quest has been triggered ]

[ Kill the human who triggered it before it's too late. The longer you take, the more humans will invade. Kill them all before they destroy your world! ]

These messages echoed in everyone's heads, making them gasp in shock and terror, never expecting the dreaded quest to actually get triggered by a human. It was supposed to be a suicidal quest where the human should have no chance of winning.

How could a single human possibly win against millions of demons? It was just as suicidal as the Last Judgmenet quest that a demon could trigger just like their late king and those before him had triggered.

But for a human to trigger it for the first time in their history, it could only mean that they must have done so with a good reason.

Asher's brows knitted tightly, feeling the surge of radiant mana ripple beneath the surface of the earth, branching out slowly and insidiously, like veins through a living body.

"Papa... what is that?" Ravina asked, her large dark golden eyes sparkling with innocent curiosity as she tugged on her father's robe, completely oblivious to the potential danger. "Can we go see? Something in my head tells me we should go kill a human? What does that mean?" She asked with blinking eyes.

Asher shook his head gently yet firmly, his voice serious yet gentle, "No, Ravina. It's something very bad. You can't go near anything like it. Ever."

Ravina's tiny shoulders slumped, her lips curving into an adorable pout, clearly disappointed but still stealing quick peeks at the mesmerizing beam.

The sudden sound of frantic footsteps made Asher glance sideways as Isola and Merina quickly rushed in, their faces visibly tense and anxious. Recognizing the urgency, Asher handed Ravina gently over to Merina.

"Papa has something important to discuss with your uncles and aunties. Can you play with Mimi for a while?" Asher said softly, stroking Ravina's hair soothingly.

Ravina hesitated, sad at the prospect of leaving her father, but quickly perked up seeing Merina. She leaped into her arms with renewed excitement. "Mimi!"

Merina held the little princess firmly, offering her master a reassuring, warm smile, "Don't worry, Master. I'll look after her." She didn't get to spend time with him yet but seeing him like this was more than enough to soothe her heart in these troubled times.

Before Asher could respond, Seron swiftly approached, panting heavily, his expression grave, eyes wide with alarm.

"Your Majesty!" Seron began urgently, his voice quivering. "The humans—they triggered the Final Reckoning quest!"

Jael and Esther along with few other nobles who had been guarding the perimeter also rushed in with grim expressions.

Rowena stepped out from the tent gracefully, the elegance of her regal black gown contrasting starkly with her pale, worried face. She raised her gaze, her crimson eyes narrowing sharply at the colossal beam of radiant light piercing the sky.

"Did that human, Derek Sterling, trigger it?" Rowena asked coldly, her voice cutting in a low yet frigid tone through the tense silence. "He is the one who plans to destroy us, isn't he?"

Asher's expression darkened as he realized that Derek must have accelerated his plans while he was busy training with Skully. He underestimated Derek's desperation. Even if he knew...nothing could have changed since Skully didn't let him leave.

"That bastard," Sabina hissed venomously, her ghostly red eyes narrowing in fury. "Does this mean he's already succeeded? How do we stop him now? He has an army of powerful Hunters, right?"

Silvia anxiously clasped her hands together, nodding fervently alongside Sabina, her delicate features clouded with worry.

"There's no need to panic," Isola calmly interjected, stepping forward confidently. Her serene yet powerful aura subtly calmed those around her. "Our husband is literally the strongest man in both worlds. The fact we can't even sense his aura only proves how much stronger he has grown. Derek should pose no threat to him now."

Seron visibly relaxed, exhaling deeply as he echoed her sentiments. "Exactly. His Majesty and Drogor alone laid waste to Drakar and his armies. The humans can't possibly threaten us now."

But Asher, lost in deep thought, stared at the distant beam thoughtfully. "I'll first go there alone to confirm if it's really Derek standing there. But knowing him... he's not foolish enough to risk his life without having some elaborate plan. Everyone else should stay here and wait for my return."

The group nodded reluctantly, but before Asher could depart, a cold, emotionless voice echoed from behind him.

"You can't go."

Startled, everyone turned to see Valeria, her imposing figure clad entirely in dark armor with her signature crimson cape billowing behind her, striding forward purposefully. Her crimson gaze, sharp and cold, pierced through the slits of her helmet as she approached.

Everyone were surprised as they didn't even sense or hear her coming.

Rowena and Isola exchanged glances. Valeria's sudden presence here could only mean that she must be here because of her mysterious master who has some kind of agreement with Asher.

Asher frowned, instantly realizing the meaning behind her arrival. "Skully told you to tell me I can't go?"

Valeria nodded slowly, her voice unwaveringly neutral yet firm, "Master says you must see him first. Now is not the time to confront whatever is happening out there."

"No," Rowena declared firmly, stepping forward and clasping Asher's hand tightly, her voice resonating with resolve. "I am sorry but he cannot leave us again, Valeria."

Silvia and Sabina moved closer to Rowena, their gazes determined as they echoed Rowena's sentiment silently. Even Isola's usually calm demeanor grew visibly tense, feeling a sense of unease ripple through the air.

Valeria remained motionless, her crimson gaze focused unwaveringly on Asher alone. "You must come with me."

Feeling trapped between his promise to protect his people and his obligation to Skully, Asher hesitated.

All he wanted was just a bit more time to spend with his people and reassure them. But even before he could do that, trouble just keeps coming.

He didn't want to hurt or defy Valeria, especially with Rowena nearby. Valeria will definitely try to stop him at all costs if he refuses and things could get ugly or worse Skully might take action himself.

He didn't like being bound to Skully like this but a part of him felt like trusting what Skully had planned for him since he did help him save his people.

"Fine," Asher finally said calmly, his tone diplomatic yet firm. "I'll come with you—but only if you let our people come along as well. It's no longer safe here. If Derek attacks, he'll bring everything he has. I must be with my people to protect them. Surely you understand this."

Silvia nervously bit her lip, glancing anxiously at Valeria, praying she'd agree.

Valeria paused briefly before nodding slowly. "That is acceptable. Master said there would be more than enough space for everyone."

"Huh? He knew I would ask that?" Asher mumbled with a baffled look but inwardly he felt relaxed.

However, his expression quickly hardened again. "But it will take days to get there, especially with everyone traveling together. Are you certain Skully wants to waste that much time? Derek would have brought over tens of thousands of Hunters to this side by that time."

Valeria didn't say anything but slowly lifted her armored hand, revealing five small metallic spheres gleaming with a faint yet potent dark-green aura. With an elegant yet powerful flick of her wrist, she flung the spheres upward into the air.

All eyes, including Asher's, instinctively followed the spheres as they spun swiftly upwards, ascending high above them before dispersing in five separate directions. Each sphere glowed brighter, trailing ribbons of eerie green mana behind them, cutting through the air in perfect synchronization.

"What is she doing?" Silvia murmured softly, eyes wide in astonishment, the green light reflected vividly in her crimson gaze.

"I've never seen such arrays before," Seron whispered anxiously, glancing nervously at them while Rowena stared unblinkingly at the spheres, fascinated yet cautious.

Within mere moments, the spheres positioned themselves at strategic points far above and around the gathered Bloodburn survivors. Immediately after, thin beams of dark green energy shot out from each sphere, connecting seamlessly and forming a gigantic pentagonal outline high in the sky.

The air shimmered with intensity as the light surged and twisted, the space within rapidly filling with a faint misty glow.

"Wait, is she creating a teleportation formation this massive?" Sabina asked incredulously, disbelief evident on her usually composed face. "Is something like this even possible?"

"Stand your ground," Asher instructed firmly, sensing the immense build-up of mana, his dark yellow eyes sharply analyzing every detail. "Trust her."

Valeria gave no explanation, her face hidden behind her helmet as she merely stood, calm and collected, her crimson cape billowing slightly in the swirling energies.

Suddenly, without further warning, the pentagon above burst into a powerful, expanding sphere of radiant dark-green light, enveloping everything and everyone within dozens of kilometers.

Gasps and murmurs filled the air, confusion and fear momentarily rippling through the crowd as they felt the strange sensation of weightlessness and spatial distortion pulling gently at their very essence.

"What's happening, Papa? Ravina feels heavy!" Ravina cried out, clutching Merina tightly as she buried her face into Merina's chest.

"Don't worry, Ravina. We are right here," Asher reassured swiftly, his voice calm but firm, eyes locked onto the dazzling spectacle above.

Rowena stood protectively close beside Asher, her crimson eyes wide yet filled with quiet trust, "I feel the space around us shifting...This magic, it's unlike anything I have experienced."

Then, in a heartbeat, the radiant green sphere intensified in brightness, becoming blinding. A deep rumble echoed through the air, shaking the very fabric of reality.

When the brilliance faded, the vast expanse of the open grounds they previously stood on vanished, replaced instantaneously by an entirely different location.

A hushed awe rippled through the crowd as they gazed around, bewildered and stunned, realizing they were no longer in familiar surroundings.

Everyone gasped softly, eyes widening as they realized what had happened.

The Bloodburers found themselves standing within the vast, dark confines of ancient underground ruins.

Massive, towering yet broken stone pillars loomed above them, wrapped in twisted vines and adorned with faded carvings from a forgotten age. The air was heavy, filled with the scent of ancient stone and the oppressive aura of untamed mana.

Sabina stumbled slightly, catching herself. "She... She teleported all of us?"

"Impossible...what is this place..." Seron muttered, visibly stunned.

Valeria calmly lowered her hand, her crimson cape settling behind her gracefully. "Master told me not to waste time. He's waiting for you down there."

Rowena's gaze met Asher's, a mixture of tension and anxiety reflecting in her crimson eyes. But Asher, sensing the urgency behind Valeria's actions, gently squeezed Rowena's hand reassuringly.

"Everyone, stay here without wandering around. I'll meet with Skully first and find out exactly what's going on," Asher declared resolutely, his voice steady and strong.

The others nodded firmly, trusting him completely despite the anxiety visibly hanging in the air. They were highly curious to meet this mysterious undead yet powerful creature named "Skully". But they knew now was not the time.

Valeria, satisfied, turned and began leading Asher towards the dark, ominous space of the ruins.

Asher looked back one last time, his gaze softening as it fell on Rowena and the others, lingering especially on Ravina in Merina's gentle embrace. With quiet determination, he stepped forward, ready to face whatever awaited inside, knowing deep down that the coming confrontation or conversation would determine the fate of their world.