Amidst a multidimensional void, a pocket dimension floated like a crystal bubble, detached from reality. There was no sun or clouds, only the faint glow of distant stars illuminating the entire space. It was a meeting room forged from pure magical energy, where a perfect circle of throne-like chairs stood ready.
At the entrance, two demonic figures served as greeters: Rain, with her blue hair, and Misery, with her green hair. Both wore unreadable, indifferent expressions.
The Demon Lords entered one by one. Milim Nava, the most energetic of them all, bounced with a wide grin before gracefully landing in her seat. The majestic Dagruel followed, his heavy footsteps shaking the crystal floor. Next came Carrion and Frey, walking side-by-side with calm, calculating gazes. Dino shuffled in with a lazy gait, as if he had just been woken from a nap. Roy Valentin walked with an air of complete apathy. Clayman arrived with his signature cunning smile, which never seemed to leave his face. Kazaream was the last to enter, his eyes sweeping the room before he took his seat. The Demon Lords waited in silence.
Once everyone was seated, Rain stepped forward and raised his hand. In a cold but respectful voice, he began the proceedings.
"Alright, let's begin the banquet. First, let us introduce the attendees, one by one."
Rain's voice echoed in the quiet room.
"Demon (Lord of Darkness) Guy Crimson-sama."
"Pixie (The Labyrinth) Ramiris-sama."
"Dragonoid (The Destroyer) Milim Nava-sama."
"Giant (Earthquake) Dagruel-sama."
Dagruel offered a slight nod.
"Fallen (The Sleeping Ruler) Dino-sama."
Dino let out a wide yawn. "Can we hurry this up? I'm already sleepy."
"Deathman (The Curse Lord) Kazaream-sama."
Kazaream gave a sly smile as he glanced at the Demon Lords.
"Vampire (The Bloody Lord) Roy Valentin-sama."
"Beastman (Beast Master) Carrion-sama."
"Harpy (Sky Queen) Frey-sama."
Carrion gave a small nod, while Frey smiled politely.
"Deathman (Marionette Master) Clayman-sama."
"That concludes the introductions."
After everyone had been introduced, Guy Crimson finally spoke with a thin smile.
"Welcome, everyone," Guy said. "It's been a while. Let's get straight to it," his voice commanding absolute authority.
"Let's begin."
Guy let a moment of silence pass, his eyes shifting between Milim and Ramiris.
Suddenly, Milim pointed at Ramiris.
"Hey! Ramiris, why haven't you grown at all?" Milim said mockingly.
Annoyed, Ramiris shot back, "What did you say?! You're still a child yourself."
Floating proudly, she continued, "I am the Pixie of the Labyrinth, the queen of all pixies! You're just a strong little girl, Milim! Your power is for destruction, while mine is far more elegant!"
Milim narrowed her eyes. "Oh yeah? Your body is even smaller than mine! You should be calling me 'big sister'!"
"Never!" Ramiris retorted, crossing her tiny arms. "You're the one who should call me 'big sister'! I was around before you were!"
Milim scoffed, "Lies! I've been around far longer! I'm one of the oldest Demon Lords!"
Ramiris's smile turned cynical. "True. But you're not the oldest, are you? Besides, I'm much more mature than you!"
"What did you say?" Milim shrieked, nearly leaping from her chair. "Do you want me to show you how strong I am?"
Before Milim could act, Guy raised his hand. A cold aura filled the room. "That's enough, you two," he said wearily. "You may look like children, but don't act like them. If you fight again, I'll lock both of you in Ramiris' Labyrinth until you make up."
Ramiris immediately fell silent, her eyes wide with fear. Milim just pouted and looked away. Guy let out a sigh.
"Good. Now, let's continue."
Guy raised his hand, and a giant magical hologram of a world map appeared in the center of the room. The Great Jura Forest was highlighted in detail.
"As we agreed," Guy said, his brilliant red eyes scanning everyone, "the Jura Forest is a neutral zone. None of us are allowed to openly claim it. Anyone who violates this will have to answer to me."
Dagruel, with a wise gaze, looked at Guy. "The Jura Forest is a vast territory that has long been neglected. After the Storm Dragon Veldora was sealed, a power vacuum emerged. It's now a land full of wild monsters. What are you thinking, Guy?"
"Precisely, Dagruel," Guy replied with a sly smile. "It's a ticking time bomb. If we don't set rules, some of you or some other fool might try to claim it, which would lead to war. The Jura Forest is too valuable to risk."
"I agree," Carrion added firmly. "That territory borders my kingdom directly. I don't want powerful wild monsters invading my lands."
"True," Frey said in a soft but calculating tone. "Especially since some of the monsters there have high evolutionary potential. If they evolve, they could become a serious threat to us all."
Milim Nava yawned again. "Why bother? Just let them fight. I love a good brawl." She gestured at the hologram. "I could destroy everything in an instant!"
Dino, with a lazy wave of his hand, said, "I don't care. As long as we don't have to do anything. All I want to do is sleep."
Roy Valentin replied indifferently, "Do as you please. Weak monsters hold no interest for me."
Clayman glanced at Kazaream and smiled thinly. Kazaream, in turn, narrowed his eyes and smirked cunningly. Fools, he thought. They only see the potential for threats and chaos.
They don't see the opportunity. He was already devising a way to break the agreement without being caught. He could send spies or hire adventurers to gather information. The agreement would only limit him if he was honest, and Kazaream was never honest.
All the Demon Lords agreed, since the agreement didn't interfere with their immediate interests.
Once the Jura Forest agreement was settled, the room fell silent again, broken only by Guy Crimson's voice.
"Now, there's another matter. It seems we will have a new member." Guy's eyes scanned the assembled Demon Lords. "A human dare to claiming the title of Demon Lord."
Silence returned, but this time it was due to boredom and indifference.
Milim broke the silence with a cheerful laugh. "A human? A human becoming a Demon Lord? Haha! That's so interesting! Is he strong?"
Dino yawned. "I don't know, and I don't care. As long as he doesn't make me work, I'm fine."
"A human becoming a Demon Lord..." Clayman's voice was cynical. "I'm sure it's just a trick."
Roy Valentin nodded in agreement. "Perhaps. After all, a human? No matter how strong he is, he won't be able to defeat all of us."
Kazaream was silent, his smile a little wider, but beneath it, cold rage burned in his eyes. In his mind, he cursed: A human? Claiming the title of Demon Lord? After all the suffering I went through to earn this title, some mortal comes along and gets to claim it so easily?
He remembered his past, when he, a beautiful pixie princess, was cursed into a monster. Every step towards power was a struggle. The title of Demon Lord was a testament to his strength and suffering. Yet, a human, a fleeting mortal creature, could so easily gain that title.
Walpurgis' decision was to take no action against the self-proclaimed Demon Lord. They would observe from a distance, but there would be no confrontation. This decision only fueled Kazaream's fury, but he couldn't show it publicly.
One by one, the Demon Lords vanished, returning to their domains. Guy Crimson smiled knowingly as Kazaream remained the last one.
"So, you have no opinion, Kazaream?" Guy asked.
Kazaream smiled. "None, Guy. Who cares about such a piece of trash?"
But Guy was too ancient and wise to believe that smile. He saw the burning rage in Kazaream's eyes.
"Go on then. Just don't destroy anything, at least not too spectacularly."
Kazaream chuckled, and a moment later, he vanished. However, instead of returning to his kingdom, he shot straight south, driven by the rumors and the rage that had blinded him. It was no longer the Walpurgis agreement that guided him, but a burning desire to teach a lesson to the human who dared to mock the title of a Demon Lord.