The Demon King's Tower did not rise quietly.
It screamed.
Stone tore itself out of the earth, ancient runes burning alive as if waking from a nightmare. Entire mountains split open, their peaks collapsing as the tower clawed its way into the sky—floor by floor, gate by gate, power leaking from every crack.
Across the world, seismographs shattered. Magic circles malfunctioned. Divine altars cracked down the middle.
The gods felt it.
Inside the tower, darkness stretched endlessly.
The Demon King stood at the highest balcony, his long coat unmoving despite the violent mana storm around him. Below, the lower floors rearranged themselves, walls shifting, corridors breathing like living creatures.
"My King," his assistant said, kneeling behind him. "The tower has fully acknowledged your return."
"Good," the Demon King replied.
He lifted one hand.
The entire tower bowed.
Chains shattered across multiple floors. Gates sealed for centuries burst open. Deep inside the dungeon, something massive turned over in its sleep.
The assistant swallowed. "The forbidden floors are awakening. Even the ancient beasts—"
"Were they told not to?" the Demon King asked.
The assistant paused. "…Yes."
"Then let them awaken."
The tower roared in approval.
---
Princess Elowen clutched the Demon King's sleeve as space twisted around them.
When the world settled, she blinked rapidly.
"…Oh."
They stood in a vast hall of black stone. Pillars taller than castles stretched upward into darkness. Crimson crystals floated mid-air, casting soft light across ancient runes.
Her eyes sparkled.
"This is AMAZING."
The assistant stiffened.
The Demon King said nothing.
Elowen let go of his sleeve and slowly spun in place, her dress brushing the cold floor.
"It's very… dramatic," she said thoughtfully. "But it's a little gloomy. Dark places get sad, you know?"
She knelt and placed her palm on the stone.
The assistant opened his mouth. "Princess, you must not—"
Too late.
Golden light spilled from her hand.
Vines erupted from the floor, delicate and glowing. White flowers bloomed instantly, spreading across pillars and walls, their petals humming with divine mana. Soft light replaced the harsh crimson glow.
The dungeon changed.
The tower shuddered.
The assistant froze in horror. "My King—!"
The Demon King watched silently.
The tower resisted for half a second.
Then it accepted it.
The vines wrapped lovingly around the black stone, not weakening it—enhancing it. The runes adjusted, absorbing the divine energy without conflict.
"…Fascinating," the Demon King murmured.
Elowen stood, brushing dust off her knees. "See? Much better! Oh, and maybe some hanging flowers from the ceiling? I can do that too!"
She looked at him expectantly.
He did not stop her.
"Do what you want," he said.
Her smile could have powered a kingdom.
---
Alarms echoed across the world.
In the Holy Empire, priests collapsed as their holy mirrors turned black.
"The Demon King's Tower… it's evolving!"
In the Dragon Kingdom, ancient dragons lifted their heads.
"A human aura?" one growled. "Inside his domain?"
In the Celestial Realm, gods gathered.
"This is wrong," a radiant figure said. "The tower should reject her."
Another god clenched their fist. "He is allowing it."
Silence fell.
"The Demon King is changing the rules."
---
Back in the tower, the assistant stood rigid as Elowen happily walked through the hall, humming to herself while flowers bloomed wherever she stepped.
"My King," he said quietly. "She is altering your domain."
The Demon King looked at the transformed hall.
Black stone.
Golden light.
Flowers blooming in a place meant for despair.
"It's still mine," he said.
"Yes," the assistant agreed immediately.
The Demon King turned toward the core chamber.
"Prepare the first floor," he ordered. "Summon the beasts."
The assistant hesitated. "With the princess here… the lower floors may become unstable."
The Demon King's eyes glowed faintly.
"Then let them adapt."
He stepped forward.
The tower obeyed.
Deep below, massive gates creaked open.
Chains fell.
Eyes opened in the darkness.
Elowen clapped her hands excitedly. "Oh! Are those pets?"
The assistant looked like he might faint.
The Demon King smiled—just a little.
---
Far beneath the tower, something ancient and terrible whispered:
The King has returned.
And the tower, now blooming with forbidden beauty, prepared to devour the world.