The gate closed behind Kael with a sound like a dying breath.
Heat washed over him instantly—not scorching, but heavy, saturated with will. The sky above was a deep crimson, cracked by veins of black lightning. Jagged mountains floated in the distance, suspended over endless abysses.
The Demon Realm.
Kael steadied himself.
The moment his foot touched the obsidian ground, both powers inside him reacted.
Human Qi circulated defensively.
Abyssal essence surged possessively.
His body tensed.
[Warning.]
[Environmental Conflict Detected.]
[Heavenly Qi Suppressed: −30%]
[Abyssal Authority Enhanced: +20%]
Kael grimaced. "So this place has opinions."
[Statement: All realms do.]
Veylra watched him closely. "You're resisting the Realm's pressure. Interesting."
The two demons behind her were less subtle.
"Hmph. He shouldn't even be standing."
"A halfling carrying Heaven's stink…"
Their words drew attention.
Nearby demons paused mid-stride. Eyes turned. Horns angled. Whispers spread.
"…Is that a human?"
"No. Look at his aura."
"That's wrong."
Kael felt it—dozens of wills brushing against him, testing, probing.
His Abyss Mark flared instinctively.
The ground cracked.
A demon twice his size staggered back, eyes wide.
"…He suppressed me."
Silence fell.
Veylra raised a brow. "Careful," she warned Kael quietly. "Here, authority invites challenge."
As if summoned by those words—
A figure descended from the sky, landing with a heavy impact that split the ground.
Broad shoulders. Ash-gray skin. Massive horns curling backward like blades.
A noble.
"Scout Veylra," the newcomer rumbled. "Why does a human-tainted thing stand on demon soil?"
Pressure rolled outward.
Kael's knees bent.
But he didn't kneel.
Human Qi surged, stabilizing his body.
Abyssal authority lashed back, pushing against the noble's presence.
The clash rippled the air.
The noble's eyes narrowed.
"…Dual flow?"
The system chimed sharply.
[High-Ranking Demon Noble Detected.]
[Threat Level: Severe.]
Veylra stepped between them.
"He is under Abyss observation," she said calmly. "Interfere, and you challenge more than him."
The noble snorted. "Observation does not mean protection."
He looked directly at Kael.
"Half-blood. Kneel."
Kael's heartbeat thundered.
Every instinct screamed.
But something deeper answered.
He stood straighter.
"I kneel only to what can crush me," Kael said evenly. "You haven't."
The plaza exploded into noise.
Outrage. Laughter. Shock.
The noble's aura flared dangerously.
Then—
The sky darkened.
A low, ancient pressure descended—vast, cold, impartial.
Every demon froze.
The noble stiffened, teeth grinding.
"…The Abyss," he muttered.
The system spoke, softer than before.
[Notice.]
[Demon Lord Trial Proximity: Confirmed.]
A colossal shadow passed over the realm, unseen yet undeniable.
The pressure vanished as quickly as it came.
Silence lingered.
The noble stepped back.
"Tch. Filth survives another day."
He turned and left.
Veylra exhaled slowly.
"…You don't ease into chaos," she said, glancing at Kael. "You drag it behind you."
Kael wiped blood from his lip.
"I didn't ask to be born this way."
She studied him.
"No," she said. "But the Abyss asked you to rule."
Ahead, a massive black spire rose from the land, etched with runes older than demon history.
Veylra gestured.
"That is the Trial Spire," she said. "Survive it, and the Demon Realm will have no choice but to acknowledge you."
Kael stared at it.
Both Heaven and Abyss stirred within him.
He took a step forward.
"Then let's see," he said quietly, "which realm breaks first."