Chapter 92: Walpurgis: The Shocking Revelation
The grand hall of Walpurgis was shrouded in an eerie silence as all the Demon Lords sat at the round table of power.
Dark flames flickered along the torches lining the chamber, casting dancing shadows on the obsidian walls.
Then, Misery, her expression as cold as ever, took a step forward, her voice calm but authoritative:
"All Demon Lords are present. The Walpurgis can now commence."
She bowed slightly and took a step back, standing beside Rain, both of them like sentinels guarding their Lord.
All eyes turned toward Guy Crimson, the Crimson King, the strongest Demon Lord, the uncontested ruler of the Ice Continent.
He leaned forward, placing his hands on the table, his crimson eyes gleaming with an intensity that immediately commanded attention.
Then, he spoke.
"It has been a while… and I know you are all surprised by this sudden Walpurgis."
He paused, scanning the room.
Milim tilted her head, her usual grin still present, but curiosity sparkled in her golden eyes.
Leon Cromwell sat with his arms crossed, waiting.
Luminous Valentine tapped her gloved fingers on the table, already suspicious.
Ramiris was hovering over the table, legs crossed in midair, waiting to hear something interesting.
Carrion and Frey exchanged glances, both aware that Guy wouldn't call for Walpurgis unless something major had happened.
Dragruel remained silent, his enormous arms folded, listening intently.
Clayman, with his usual sly smirk, was observing everyone's reactions.
Dino looked half-asleep, but his aura shifted slightly—meaning he was paying attention.
Then Guy continued.
"Well… there is a reason."
He paused.
For a brief moment, the air in the room felt thicker, heavier.
Then, his next words shattered the silence.
"The reason I was gone all this time… is because I was killed."
Silence.
Time itself seemed to halt.
Every Demon Lord froze.
A heavy, oppressive stillness blanketed the room.
Then—
A sharp sound broke it.
The sound of Luminous's nails scraping against the table.
"…What?"
Her voice was quiet, almost a whisper, yet it carried a deadly undertone.
Milim blinked, her previous playful expression completely gone.
Ramiris' tiny mouth fell open.
Even Rain and Misery, the two most loyal to Guy, turned toward him, their usually impassive faces showing clear disbelief.
Carrion's eyes narrowed. "Killed? You?"
Clayman's smirk faltered for the first time. Even he couldn't hide his shock.
Dragruel, the Titan of Destruction, let out a low, rumbling sound, his golden eyes narrowing.
Leon Cromwell leaned forward slightly, his usual indifferent expression turning serious.
No one spoke.
No one could.
Because if Guy Crimson—one of the strongest beings in existence—was killed… then what did that mean for the rest of them?
Guy let them process his words before he continued, his tone calm, but his eyes glowed with an unspoken fury.
"I know you are all shocked. But it is true."
He let his gaze sweep across the table before he dropped the next bombshell.
"I was attacked by four Primordial Demons."
The shock deepened.
Whispers erupted.
Leon's brows furrowed. "The Primordials? But there are only seven… and we already know most of them."
Luminous( who forgot she was supposed to be a maid) eyes darkened. "Which ones?"
Guy's next words only made things worse.
"Noir. Blanc. Jaune. Violet."
Rain and Misery's expressions hardened—rage bubbling beneath the surface.
Milim slammed her hands on the table. "WHAT?!"
Frey's wings twitched, her calm demeanor cracking slightly.
Carrion clenched his fists.
Clayman's smirk was gone entirely now.
Ramiris, for once, had no words.
Leon's usual cold gaze sharpened like a sword. "That's impossible. The Primordial Demons don't work together like that. And there's no way they could overpower you unless—"
"Unless they were named," Guy cut in.
The room grew even colder.
Luminous' fingers tightened into fists. "Who?"
Guy's gaze grew darker. "I don't know."
"But they were definitely named."
He exhaled slowly, his voice steady but carrying the weight of something that deeply unsettled even him.
"Not only that… but the way they fought—
their coordination, their techniques—it was different from anything I've seen before."
His crimson eyes flashed.
"They were trained."
The words hung in the air like a guillotine.
Milim clenched her fists, her energy flaring slightly. "That means someone is behind them."
Leon, his analytical mind already working, nodded. "Someone powerful enough to name four Primordial Demons… and train them to the point of defeating you."
Frey narrowed her eyes. "That means this 'someone' is more dangerous than the Primordials themselves."
Luminous' lips curled into a cold, deadly smirk. "Whoever they are… they must be eliminated."
Everyone in the room silently agreed.
Then—
"That's not all."
Guy's voice pulled them back, making them tense.
Luminous sighed. "Oh, for the love of—what now?"
Guy's eyes burned.
"When I resurrected… I was faced with four women in black masks and black tight suits."
The room fell into a deadly silence.
"They called themselves the 'Eminence in the Shadows'… and they attacked me before vanishing."
Shock returned—but this time, it was mixed with dread.
Milim's grin was completely gone now.
Luminous sat still. Unmoving. Thinking.
Leon, for the first time, looked… concerned.
Clayman's hand twitched. Even he had never heard of such a group.
Dino rubbed his face, finally looking awake. "Great… more mysterious freaks."
Carrion muttered, "This is getting out of hand."
Frey leaned forward, her sharp eyes locked onto Guy. "And you have no idea who they are?"
Guy shook his head. "None."
Luminous exhaled slowly. "We have a new player in the shadows… and we don't know their goals."
Ramiris, still floating midair, hugged herself, her tiny face scrunched in thought. "This is bad, isn't it?"
Guy leaned forward, placing his hands together.
His crimson eyes glowed.
"Things are about to change."
A heavy silence followed.
The Demon Lords exchanged glances.
For the first time in history… all of them were faced with an unknown enemy.
The game had changed.
And none of them knew the new rules.
Guy exhaled, his fingers lightly tapping the table.
Then, his gaze sharpened.
"There is one person…"
Everyone turned to him once more.
His voice was lower this time, laced with something uncharacteristic—not fear, but deep uncertainty.
"I have never seen his face, nor do I know his name. But there was one time, long ago… when we were helping Veldanava seal Ivarage."
Silence fell again, this time heavy with deep intrigue.
Dragruel, who had remained mostly silent, narrowed his eyes. "You were there?"
Guy nodded. "I was. And on that day… someone else appeared."
Luminous frowned. "What do you mean?"
Guy leaned forward.
"Ivarage was rampaging, as you all know, and it took everything we had to restrain him."
The room felt colder as memories of that time surfaced.
Ivarage—the world destroying dragon, a being so powerful that even Veldanava himself took direct action to subdue him.
Guy continued, his voice calm, but the weight behind his words was undeniable.
"And then… he came."
Milim tilted her head. "Who?"
Guy's crimson eyes glowed.
"A man. One I had never seen before. He moved in the shadows… and in a single strike—
He clenched his fists.
"He knocked Ivarage out."
A chill ran through the room.
"One move?"
Leon's usually calm demeanor cracked slightly.
Ramiris floated closer to the table, staring at Guy with wide eyes. "W-Wait… wait… you're saying someone appeared, instantly took down Ivarage, and then just… disappeared?!"
Guy's lips pressed into a firm line. "Yes."
Everyone shuddered slightly.
Even among them—the most powerful Demon Lords in existence—none could even imagine such a feat.
Frey furrowed her brows. "And Veldanava… didn't say anything?"
Guy nodded.
"He refused to tell us who it was."
Luminous exhaled sharply. "If Veldanava himself chose to keep that secret, then this person is beyond anything we've ever encountered."
The weight of those words settled into their minds.
Someone out there—someone who had been strong enough to one-shot Ivarage—had existed for a long time. And they still knew nothing about him.
Then—
Leon spoke.
His voice was calm, but his eyes glowed with hidden intensity.
"I remember now."
All eyes turned to him.
Luminous narrowed her eyes. "What do you mean?"
Leon leaned back in his chair, folding his arms. "I've heard of them before… this 'Eminence in the Shadows.'"
A wave of tension rolled through the room.
Milim perked up, looking genuinely interested.
"Rumors… of four beings dressed in all black. Moving only at night."
Clayman, whose cunning nature thrived on hidden knowledge, leaned forward. "Go on."
Leon's golden eyes gleamed.
"They strike from the darkness. So fast… you can't even see them move."
The table grew silent.
Then—one by one—the other Demon Lords started murmuring.
Luminous frowned, deep in thought. "Now that you mention it… I have heard whispers in the Holy Church. Stories of 'silent reapers' eliminating enemies in the dead of night."
Carrion nodded. "My Beastmen warriors spoke of a legend—of specters that stalk the night, eliminating entire squads before they even had a chance to react."
Frey's wings trembled slightly. "I've heard of disappearances. Nobles in my territory speaking of assassins who leave no trace."
Ramiris hugged herself. "W-Well, I always thought they were just scary bedtime stories!"
Clayman tapped his fingers together, his usual smirk returning slightly. "The fact that we all have rumors of them… yet none of us knew? That's terrifying."
Dragruel finally spoke, his deep voice shaking the air. "I thought it was an old tale… but now, it makes sense."
Dino, who had been half-asleep, finally opened his eyes completely.
And for the first time in a long while…
He looked serious.
"Damn… we're dealing with monsters, huh?"
The realization sank in.
This was no mere faction.
This was a force that had been operating in the darkness for centuries.
And now—they had made their presence known.
"Whoever they are… we need to find them."
His crimson eyes burned.
"Before they find us first."
And with those words—
The atmosphere of Walpurgis changed forever.
In a dimly lit, luxurious chamber filled with floating orbs of magic, a massive projection screen displayed the ongoing Walpurgis.
Every word, every reaction, every murmured conspiracy of the Demon Lords was being carefully watched… by Arion and his companions.
The tension in the Demon Lord meeting was palpable—their fear of the unknown, their hushed discussions about the Eminence in the Shadows, and their growing realization that they were being outplayed.
And in contrast…
The group watching?
They were having a blast.
Velzard leaned back on a luxurious couch, resting her chin in her palm, her icy blue eyes shimmering with amusement. "I didn't know we were so popular now."
She smirked, flicking her silver hair over her shoulder as she watched the Demon Lords struggle to make sense of their own reality.
Ultima, sitting cross-legged on the floor, eyes glued to the screen, practically vibrated with excitement. She clasped her hands together and squealed. "Eminence in the Shadows rock!~"
Carrera, arms folded, threw her head back and laughed. "Did you hear Clayman? 'That's terrifying!' She mocked in a high-pitched, whiny voice. "Pfft! What a weakling!"
Testarossa, the ever-composed, elegant one, took a slow sip of wine before smiling deviously. "It's delightful, isn't it? Watching the so-called 'rulers of the world' realizing that they're merely chess pieces on someone else's board."
She giggled. "Oh, the irony."
Then—
Diablo—who had been leaning forward, eyes gleaming maniacally, suddenly spoke.
"My Lord Arion… they're saying they want to find us."
His voice was silky, filled with amusement, yet laced with something… darker.
The entire group froze for a second.
Then—
Velzard turned to face Arion with a teasing grin. "Ooooh, how scary~! The Demon Lords are coming for us! Whatever shall we do?"
Ultima gasped dramatically, hands on her cheeks. "Nooo! We've been exposed! Time to erase the entire world before they find us, right?!"
Carrera snickered. "Or maybe we should just show up at the next Walpurgis and be like, 'Sup losers, looking for us?'"
Testarossa sighed theatrically. "It's adorable, really… seeing them act all tough when they don't even know who they're up against."
Diablo, still grinning, turned his glowing crimson eyes toward Arion. "Shall we… entertain their little game, my Lord?"
All eyes fell on Arion.
The true mastermind.
He sat, silent, watching the projection. His expression unreadable.
Then—he smirked.
A slow, dark, amused smirk.
And in that moment—
The entire room burst into laughter.