The reason Demon Lords were known as "natural disasters" in Little Garden wasn't just because of their overwhelming power—or their authority to force Communities into Gift Games without consent.
The truly terrifying part…
Was the price of losing.
Once a Community lost a Demon Lord's Gift Game, the consequences were absolute.
Just like what had once happened to 'No Name.' Even as one of the strongest Communities in the lower and middle tiers, they had collapsed overnight under a Demon Lord's assault.
And now—
'Perseus' stood at the same precipice.
If they lost this Gift Game, then not only would Leticia be taken—
Their inherited Gifts, their banner, even the name 'Perseus' itself—
Would be stripped away.
Of course, this was still a game.
Where there was victory, there was defeat.
And if the Demon Lord lost, then even he would not escape the consequences. A defeated Demon Lord would become the property of the victorious Community.
That was Little Garden's balance.
"Wait!"
Lios's voice cracked as he stared at the black parchment in his hands.
"You only want that vampire girl! We don't have some blood feud that demands a fight to the death!"
He swallowed hard.
"This is the East District! The territory protected by the strongest Floor Master—Shiroyasha! If she discovers a Demon Lord attacking Communities under her jurisdiction, she won't just stand by!"
The bravado was gone.
Completely gone.
Leaving aside how powerful Ren Kuroda was as a Demon Lord—
Lios fundamentally couldn't afford to lose.
He didn't even dare imagine what losing would mean.
Why had he brought 'Perseus' from the middle tier down to the lower levels in the first place?
Because after the previous leader stepped down, their strength had plummeted. Their position in the middle tiers had become awkward—embarrassing.
And Lios—
A man who preferred pleasure and indulgence over responsibility—
Would rather reign as a tyrant in the lower levels than endure mockery in the middle.
But he had never expected that shortly after arriving—
Before he could even enjoy his new life—
He would be targeted by a Demon Lord.
Lios might be incompetent.
But he wasn't stupid.
Everything he enjoyed—his status, his arrogance, his luxuries—existed only because of the name 'Perseus.'
If the banner and name were stripped away—
He would be nothing.
After weighing the stakes, Lios made his decision.
Compromise.
Losing a mere vampire girl? He could live with that.
But losing everything?
Unacceptable.
The other members of 'Perseus' reacted with visible displeasure.
They despised Lios's earlier arrogance.
They despised his current cowardice even more.
They carried the name 'Perseus.'
Their legendary ancestor—a great Greek hero—had accomplished miracles as a mere human.
And now?
His descendant couldn't even muster the courage to resist a Demon Lord.
Before the battle had even begun—
He was already bowing his head.
Ren Kuroda watched Lios choose surrender.
And smiled.
A slow, almost cruel smile.
"I'm afraid it's too late," he said lightly, spreading his hands. "Once the contract parchment appears, it means the Little Garden Central Authority has already accepted the Gift Game."
He tilted his head slightly.
"Even as the host, I don't have the authority to cancel it at will. Unless you can find a loophole in the rules."
He shrugged.
"And I told you from the beginning—when I said your Community had caught a Demon Lord's attention, I wasn't lying."
"As for that vampire girl… there's no need to 'hand her over' anymore."
His crimson eyes gleamed faintly.
"I'm a Demon Lord now. If I want something… I'll take it myself."
He gestured lazily at the parchment.
"And really, the victory condition is generous, don't you think? You have so many people. If even one of you survives for one hour…"
"Then I'm the loser."
The Gift Game began.
Unlike ordinary Gift Games, this one—titled "Birth of the Demon Lord"—prohibited outside interference.
The territory of 'Perseus' had become Ren's designated hunting ground.
The moment the game commenced, every non-participant was forcibly expelled from the space.
Some types of Gift Games unfolded within special dimensions prepared by Little Garden. Even if someone "died" inside, they were merely ejected from the game field.
Ren's hunting-style Gift Game—
Was precisely that type.
The designated game area belonged to the host.
And the only territory Ren possessed—
Was his Reality Marble.
His personal domain.
The Oni Realm.
In an instant—
The magnificent palace of 'Perseus' dissolved.
Replaced by something cold.
Something suffocating.
An eerie, pitch-black world spread outward at terrifying speed, swallowing marble pillars and golden chandeliers whole.
Darkness surged like the gaping maw of an abyss.
And devoured everyone.
When Lios and the others regained their senses—
They found themselves standing in absolute blackness.
A darkness so complete they couldn't even see their own hands.
"Damn it!" Lios's voice trembled in the void.
"Wasn't the lower East District supposed to be the safest place because of Shiroyasha?! Why do we run into a Demon Lord the moment we arrive?!"
His anger found a convenient target.
"It's all that damn vampire's fault! If she hadn't run off to meet that 'No Name,' none of this would have happened!"
If there was someone Lios hated most at that moment—
It wasn't 'No Name.'
It wasn't even Ren.
It was Leticia.
He had come to the lower levels to enjoy life.
Instead, because of that vampire—
His entire Community now stood on the brink of annihilation.
The thought made his teeth grind in fury.
He almost wished he could storm out and lash her again.
But rage changed nothing.
Right now, whether 'Perseus' would even continue to exist—
Was uncertain.
"Lord Lios…"
One of the 'Perseus' members forced himself to speak calmly.
"This environment is disadvantageous to us… but it should be equal for both sides."
"In such darkness, if we avoid making noise, it won't be easy for him to locate us—"
A silver flash cut through the void.
So fast it was almost imaginary.
The speaker's voice stopped abruptly.
Silence swallowed the rest of his sentence.
Then—
A soft chuckle echoed through the darkness.
Ren's voice drifted across the Oni Realm like a whisper beside their ears.
"This is my hunting ground."
"Did you really think I'd be restricted by its environment?"
A faint metallic sound—like something being dragged lightly across stone—scraped through the blackness.
"Even if we assume my vision is limited here…"
His tone turned playful.
"Your voices."
"Your breathing."
"Your fear."
"In this darkness…"
"They shine brighter than floodlights."