Chapter 36
Pain still lingered in every fiber of Kael's body.
Lying in his hideout, he breathed slowly, counting each heartbeat as if it were a countdown. His mana circulated faintly now—not like a raging sea, but like a cautious stream, finally obeying a discipline he had always rejected.
His eyelids closed.
And without realizing it, his mind drifted into the past.
Flashback — The Assembly of Demon Kings
At that time, Kael was not yet a fugitive.
He was a Demon King.
The hall was vast, carved from black stone soaked in ancient mana. Crimson flames burned along the walls without heat, illuminating a circular table around which the sovereigns of chaos were seated.
There were nine of them.
Nine Demon Kings, each embodying a calamity.
Kael was the youngest among them.
His throne seemed almost too large for his still-fragile body, yet his aura… his aura was already abyssal.
The infinite mana radiating from him made the air tremble, drawing silent discomfort from several of the others.
"You are wasting your potential," a deep voice declared.
It was Morvhal, the Demon King of Profaned Steel, whose body looked forged from living alloy.
Kael lifted his gaze, irritated.
"My mana surpasses yours. Why would I need advice ?"
A rough laugh echoed around the table.
"Because your body is weak," said Zyraeth, the Demon Queen of Spiritual Essence, her voice calm. "And infinity means nothing without foundations."
Kael clenched his fists.
"I only need time."
The Revelation
Another Demon King spoke.
Kharzun, ancient and withered, whose mere presence crushed the spirit.
"There exists a path you ignore, young King. A path even demons walked before you."
Kael frowned.
"What path ?"
"Cultivation."
The word echoed through the hall.
Kharzun continued:
"Humans use it to defy gods. We used it to survive eternity. It strengthens body, soul, and mind… slowly. Methodically."
Kael burst into laughter.
"A slow method? Useless for someone who already possesses infinite mana."
Silence fell.
Zyraeth stared at him for a long moment.
"You confuse power with stability. Your mana will destroy you before your enemies ever need to."
Arrogance
Kael rose abruptly from his throne.
"I am a Demon King. I will not walk the paths of mortals."
Morvhal crossed his arms.
"Then remember this gathering on the day your body betrays you."
Kael left the hall without looking back.
Back to the Present
Kael's eyes snapped open.
His breathing was heavy.
His hands trembled.
"…Cultivation."
The word he had once despised now returned to haunt him.
He slowly pushed himself upright, pain etched across his face.
"You were right," he murmured. "All of you."
Back then, he had a choice.
Now, only one path remained.
A weary but determined smile formed on his lips.
"Then I will do what I once refused. I will cultivate."
And this time…
not as an arrogant Demon King.
But as a survivor.