The temperature dropped even more, snow began to fall somehow in the Abyss painting everything white. The white horizon with the black hole looming over looked majestic.
Xior was now a head taller than before, his body scarred but showing no signs of malnourishment. His hair was almost fully white now, only the tips remained black. It also went past his shoulders, almost around the middle of his back. On his face he had a scruffy beard.
He wore a brown tunic he took off a demon he killed along with pants from another demon. He walked the cold hard ground barefoot. In one hand he held a head and in the other a sword he took from the demons he had killed.
'How much time has passed, I wonder. Not that it matters. This place it is never-ending.' He thought as a fierce blizzard started and cut off what he could see in the distance.
He still couldn't understand how it was snowing in the Abyss, why was there nothing except ruins, monsters, demons and a black hole which just stays in place, unmoving.
Yet he continued to walk, even if it took him a hundred years he would endure it all for the sake of his friend, someone closest to being family for him. And if that meant he had to kill thousands upon thousands of Abyss monsters and demons, he would.
As he walked with the head in his hand he saw a huge palace in the distance, demons going in and out of it. He had arrived at his destination. The home of the 72nd Demon King of the Abyss, Demon King Andromalius.
The guards at the entrance saw the silhouette of Xior and were alerted. Behind the blizzard they saw a man shrouded in darkness, his long hair flowing freely and his pitch black eyes mimicking the black hole which loomed over the horizon.
Then they saw what he held in his hands, a sword and a head. A horn blared as dozens of demons armed with all sorts of weapons formed a line to attack Xior but with each step he took towards them a pressure engulfed their bodies.
These demons couldn't think of being equal to him and so they felt true fear from him, someone stronger than them. Then he suddenly pressed hard on the ground, cracked formed on it as he leapt towards them. With a slash he cut through ten demons.
The others panicked and attacked him but it was useless, Xior by now was immensely powerful than normal demon soldiers. He twisted his body and slashed vertically, with only his strength the air was cut cleanly as it took a huge chunk of the ground with it and the demons in the way were cut in half.
"This will be enough food for a month I think. Let's move on to the bigger fish." He said out loud to provoke and jumped towards Andromalius's generals standing in the distance.
He thought they would be as easy as the demons but this was the first time he was fighting a demon general. One on one he would win, but if four were to attack him at the same time he would have some issues.
The first general blocked his sword while the second and third swung their weapons, an axe and a hammer towards him. One aimed at his head and the other at his knee.
He ducked barely evading the axe and punched the hammer with his free hand as he dropped the head he held.
The hammer shattered and left the general astonished. But then the fourth one jumped out from behind and grabbed his neck between his arm. The others attacked him again.
The first one stabbed him with his sword, the second one swung his axe again towards his head but Xior caught it between his teeth while the third one bit his left arm.
Blood fell on the ground as he gritted hard just as the generals tried their best to finish him off. Xior moved his head backwards and hit the fourth general making him let go of his neck, simultaneously he pressed his teeth hard and the axe broke.
Xior grabbed him by the neck and pressed hard, the generals eyes popped out and his neck exploded into a mess. He didn't stop there, he punched the first one and grabbed the third one who bit his arm.
The demon generals mouth was big and his grip was strong so Xior pulled hard and with the demon he tore off his arm and then smashed him into the ground and stomped on his chest killing him.
The remaining two looked at him in fear. They were the generals of the Demon King Andromalius, they weren't weak in any way. It was just that Xior was way powerful than them. He walked towards the last two as his arm healed and regrew.
"Please have mercy Demon King. We didn't know you were of someone with an authority and power greater than our master." The first one said as his whole body shook against his will in front of him.
"Demon King you say? Well you're mistaken. I'm no Demon King." Xior responded as he picked up the head and his sword.
He swung his sword two times decapitating both of them. His work was done. Now only the Demon King himself remained.
*****
The room was full of exquisite decorations. The bed was big, a table was in the corner of the room with a chair behind it. On the opposite side was a dressing table with a mirror. And then right in front of the bed was a rack with different weapons displayed on it.
A katana, its red scabbard was full of golden engravings. Below it was a spear, just like the katana it was also red with golden engravings on the cover. And finally below that was a silver armor which reflected the light in the room.
It showed signs of aging but it still looked beautiful, it had endured years of war. And in the center of the room stood a man. Tall enough to tower over Xior, pale skin with two long horns protruding from his forehead.
From his back and arms serpents came out which were as pale as him, their scales shimmered under the light. He wore a white buttoned shirt the upper buttons were opened which showed a hole from which the biggest serpent emerged and the black pants with boots going with his clothes.
His tongue was like a snakes as he took a sip of the wine he had poured himself. He was the 72nd Demon King of the Abyss, Andromalius. He was aware of what had happened and now awaited his uncalled visitor.