Man on the ark, forced to become king

The Banshee chose the Tower of Babel long after the civil war, and even now she has not made a clear statement, her attitude remaining ambiguous.

Shapeshifters have an unpredictable style of behavior and are unwilling to participate in political affairs.

The few people sitting here now are all those who sided with Theresis before the civil war.

As for the other generals and officials, they are not qualified to enter this hall today.

Kazdel is different from other countries; the brutal law of the jungle is always out in the open.

Therefore, the final decision on how to proceed in the war will be made jointly by the royal courts and the regent. All others need to do is carry out the orders.

"Your Excellency Regent, you didn't gather us together just to admire the palace's furnishings, did you?"

The silence lingered for a long time before the Blood Demon Lord, growing impatient, spoke first, his tone lacking in respect.

Blood Demon has always acted eccentrically and erratically, so Theresis was not surprised by his attitude. She glanced at him and then looked away, scanning the assembled royal court lords before falling silent.

"War with Colombia is imminent, and we must seize the initiative in the war. Therefore, there is only one issue to be discussed at today's meeting: who will lead the vanguard?"

"Ah."

Upon hearing this, the Blood Demon Lord raised the corner of his mouth and smiled without saying a word.

The Lich King, shrouded in black robes, remained silent, motionless like a statue.

The pardoner stared intently at the table, his expression unchanged, and showed no intention of responding.

Only the King of Carrion paused for a moment in response, holding his staff.

"Forgive my bluntness, Your Majesty, but I see no benefit in this war."

“I do not object to your decision, but the royal courts will not participate in the first battle.”

"Yes, Your Majesty the Regent doesn't want us to send people to lead the charge, does he? I have no objection to you wanting to get rid of those consumables, but don't treat everyone like fools."

The Blood Demon Lord echoed his sentiments, wearing an expression of watching a show.

"you think too much."

A dark glint flashed in Theresis's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged as he tapped the table.

"Indeed, there are not many benefits to be gained in this war, but we need a war now, don't we?"

“I don’t mean for you to take the lead, but we have to make our stance clear so that those people won’t have any objections.”

He had anticipated the current situation. These kings of the royal court were all old monsters who had lived for many years, so they would not be easily fooled. From the beginning, he never thought he could directly lead them into a trap.

His plan was to use the less compliant ordinary Sarkaz as cannon fodder at the beginning of the war to eliminate a group of people. Once the war had fully intensified, it would be much harder for these people to stay out of it. At that time, he would have a lot of room to maneuver by relying on the power in his hands.

But to his surprise, these old guys suddenly changed their attitude and betrayed him in a way that almost tore off their mask. They had clearly been tacitly agreeing in the previous preparations, but after the war actually broke out, they all changed their tune and decided to stand by and watch.

"So what? You are the decision-maker, my esteemed Regent."

The Blood Demon Lord wiped his nails, his words laced with sarcasm, almost openly mocking him.

"These past few years have been tough for everyone. We've finally caught our breath, but we Blood Demons don't have enough manpower to fight you like this. This is... a very difficult situation."

"..."

Theresis's face darkened. How could he not understand the meaning behind the Blood Demon Lord's words?

They simply want to take advantage of this opportunity to gain benefits. These greedy fellows are not satisfied with the current power and status of the royal court. They do not intend to rebel, but they want to get more. As long as they offer enough incentives to satisfy them, the plan can be successfully implemented.

Even if they don't contribute, the plan can still proceed, but if they do, the cost on his side will increase exponentially, and in the end, it might not be worth it.

This was a difficult choice, and ultimately, he underestimated the ruthlessness of these old monsters.

"…Sorry, I was distracted just now."

Suddenly, the Lich King's black robes, which had been silent all along, fluttered, and a hoarse voice, indistinguishable in gender, came from beneath the robes.

"If this is the king's decision, then the lich will take action."

The Lich King's sudden change in attitude startled the Blood Lord. He narrowed his eyes, a cold smile playing on his lips, and looked at Theresis with a sinister gaze: "Regent, you have some good methods, but I'm afraid this is not enough. You must offer something to compensate for our losses, otherwise, this matter will still be difficult to resolve. What do you say?"

"Difficult to handle? Then let's not do it."

boom!

Without warning, an invisible force sent the Blood Demon Lord, who was leaning against his seat, flying. Deep shadows surged into the hall like a tide, and a violent, mountain-collapse-like pressure suddenly descended, filling every corner of the hall.

dong... dong... dong...

Footsteps approached from outside the hall, drawing everyone's attention.

Theresa, dressed in a black and white dress and carrying the Demon King's sword, stepped into the hall. Twisted and bizarre black shadows surged and shifted behind her, and tiny crystals gathered out of thin air, connecting into several chains to bind the Blood Demon Lord who had been knocked away, dragging him close.

"you--"

"It seems the lesson I taught you last time wasn't profound enough. You should learn to recognize your place, Blood Demon."

Theresa's face was cold. Shadows climbed up from her feet, covering her dress and solidifying into jet-black armor. She raised her arm, and her sharp, menacing handcuffs gripped the Blood Demon Lord, who was bound by chains. Behind her, the floating shadows outlined a silhouette several meters high, reaching the top of the hall. Two crimson points lit up, and illusory arms, like gathering mist, made the same movement, grasping the Blood Demon Lord in their hands.

Crunch~ Crunch...

The sound of bones being crushed and shattered erupted from the Blood Demon Lord's body, causing his body to visibly twist. His unparalleled absolute power completely suppressed all his struggles, rendering him unable to cast even the smallest spell. His proud Blood Demon talent was rendered useless, and he was even stripped of his right to speak.

Bang!

With a slight sway of Theresa's arm, the Blood Demon Lord, who was held in the palm of the Shadow Giant, was once again thrown into the air and crashed to the ground, smashing half of the long table to pieces, overturning the chairs, and scattering the utensils on the table all over the floor, leaving the hall in a mess.

However, even so, everyone present remained in their original positions, and no one dared to move.

Inky shadows stretched wildly across the ground, climbed the walls, and enveloped the entire hall, obscuring all color and forming a pitch-black domain.

The crimson sword symbolizing his status rippled, and the oppressive aura emanating from the Demon King descended like a mountain, compressing the air until it became viscous. Even the more fragile decorations and furnishings could not withstand the tangible pressure and quietly shattered.

The killing intent flowed silently, entangling everyone's body.

The dark shadows roared and howled, and the tyrant standing in the shadows displayed the most primal and pure violence, with an indescribable chill seeping into the body and soul.

Everyone, including Theresis, clearly recognized one thing—their king had returned.

Chapter Two: Theresa: I Grant You War

In fact, the influence of the Demon King's power extends far beyond this one side hall.

If observed from outside the city, one could see the strange phenomenon that encompassed the entire city.

Although the newly built royal city consists of only a few blocks, it still occupies a considerable area. Above the city, the once clear sky has been transformed by the changing winds and clouds. An invisible force forcibly dragged the surrounding floating clouds together, shattering and layering them into thick dark clouds. The cloud curtain hangs in the sky, casting shadows that cover the royal city below, and a heavy sense of oppression spreads from top to bottom.

All the Sarkaz within the royal city, regardless of rank or strength, felt a sense of urgency and instinctively looked towards the palace located in the center.

They heard a call from the depths of their blood.

The original purpose of the Demon King's power was to unite all the Sarkaz into one.

This time, Theresa showed no mercy, displaying her full power. No demon king in history could compare to her now.

The Demon King's aura, built upon absolute power, was unprecedentedly strong, reaching heights never before seen.

boom!

Thunder rumbled through the clouds, and the sky darkened completely. In a daze, the Sarkaz watching the royal city seemed to see a colossal black shadow standing between heaven and earth, looking down upon all living beings.

The dark, cloud-covered sky resembled an inverted abyss, threatening to swallow the city whole.

Fear, panic, and trembling surged from the depths of each Sarkaz's heart, causing their bodies to stiffen involuntarily.

Boom!

Finally, the Sarkaz, who were less resilient, could not withstand the ever-growing fear in their hearts and, following the instincts ingrained in their blood, knelt down and bowed in the direction of the royal palace.

His kneeling was a signal, and more and more people followed suit, bowing their heads to the demon king who had descended upon the royal city.

If the outside world is like this, the pressure on the rulers of the royal court inside the palace is even greater. The Demon King's domain spreads out, making them feel as if they are in the depths of an endless abyss. Indescribable and terrifying shadows lurk in the darkness, spreading in all directions, making them feel like they have thorns in their backs, and even controlling their own bodies becomes difficult.

"Kneel down."

Theresa's eyes shimmered with black and red as she uttered two words indifferently.

In the Sarkaz, she was not considered tall to begin with, but in the dark realm of the Demon King, in the eyes of several royal lords, her figure had grown infinitely tall, filling the heavens and the earth, like a mountain peak pressing down.

Boom!

The Lich King, shrouded in black robes, was the first to react, kneeling on one knee. Even though his voice was hoarse and indistinct, his respect remained undiminished.

"I swear to follow you to the death, Your Majesty the Demon King!"

"cough……"

Forced to swallow the blood that spilled from his mouth, the Blood Demon Lord struggled to his feet from the wrecked ground and glared fiercely at the Lich King, who was the first to speak up.

The Demon King's aura was omnipresent, filling every inch of air and suppressing his power to the limit. Even recovering from his injuries became extremely difficult. He had not experienced such a wretched state in a long time.

Theresa... when did this demon lord, rejected by the royal courts, acquire such power?

Compared to that meeting, the current Demon King is terrifyingly strong, making him not even dare to entertain the thought of resistance.

The Blood Demon Lord had no doubt that if he dared to do anything outrageous again, His Majesty the Demon King would crush him without hesitation, just like... crushing an ant.

He didn't know why the Demon King was so strong, or why he had suddenly appeared here.

However, one thing is certain—he was tricked by the Lich King!

Before this, none of them had noticed the Demon King's arrival; it was clear that Theresa had used some method to conceal herself.