Location: The Unknown Island
Before Lucifer and Zach even began their confrontation, the surrounding environment was unnervingly silent. The once-vibrant flora lay lifeless, as though the entire island had succumbed to a creeping death. But amidst this oppressive quiet, there was a disturbance a single figure darting through the dead forest at an almost supernatural speed. Every step produced a sound: the faint crunch of grass underfoot, the brittle snap of fallen twigs giving way beneath his weight. Yet above him, an enormous shadow loomed not one, but a multitude of overlapping silhouettes flapping asynchronously. These were no ordinary birds. Forty-one demonic crows circled him in an almost ritualistic focus, their gaze locked on the runner.
The island itself was colossal, spanning thousands of kilometers, yet somehow, it felt constricted to the inhabitants and the demonic creatures roaming it. The figure's mind raced, tension tightening every thought.
Richard (thinking): Can Zach really stand against that monstrosity?
His inner voice teetered on the edge of doubt, threatening to pull him into a pit of indecision. Yet, as he sprinted, he delivered a sharp slap to his own face, a self-inflicted jolt meant to bring him fully into the moment. Immediately after, he executed a slight leap and spun backward.
Richard (thinking): No… Once I take out this swarm, I'll rush to support him.
The demonic crows froze mid-air, yet the incessant flapping of wings created an eerie rhythm, punctuated by a sudden chorus of growls and screeches. The entire swarm reacted as though sensing a massive predator entering the scene.
Richard: Shall we begin?
He spoke, his voice cutting across the air as if addressing the crows directly. They gathered tightly, forming a dense, hovering cloud. The central crow pivoted, locking eyes with Richard, peering into his soul as though his very essence were exposed. In its gaze, it was as if everything about Richard save his limbs was being consumed, a harbinger of death whispered silently. The crow let out a shriek, piercing the air like a human scream so sharp it could shatter eardrums. But then, its beak was crushed inward, as though an invisible force compressed its head. The entire flock witnessed this sudden act of violence in stunned silence.
The central crow screamed again, a sound so agonized and raw it mirrored the final death-throes of a human. Richard's next command cut through the tension.
Richard: Sound Control, Sonic Burst!
The central crow, still in the midst of its tortured scream, was instantly compressed, its body flattened as if squeezed by an immense, invisible hand. Some of the nearby crows scattered, seeking safety, yet four or five remained in the blast zone. Within moments, the trapped crow's body expanded slightly before detonating violently. The sonic explosion was catastrophic the four or five nearby crows had their skulls obliterated instantaneously. The remaining flock had already distanced themselves, but the pressure wave from the burst obliterated everything within a ten-kilometer radius: trees, plants, and all living matter succumbed to the sheer force of sound. The decibel level? Impossible to quantify but enough to crush everything in its reach.
Richard: Alright. Who's first?
Richard, a master of Techno, wielded the technique of Sound Control capable of manipulating every audible element, even bending sound barriers to his will. There were special calibrations embedded within his model, allowing him to push limits few could imagine.
Richard: Sound Control, Mode : Mach 1!
As he uttered the words, a violent surge of sound erupted around him. Simultaneously, he had already begun running, moving so fast that the flock scrambled to track him. To the naked eye, he appeared almost like a single, darting mosquito but unlike a mere insect, every motion he made carried lethal intent. While Mach 1 equated to roughly 343 meters per second, Richard's unique manipulation of energy allowed him to push past this, reaching speeds approaching Mach 1.5, around 500 meters per second.
He glided behind the last crow in the formation, placing his hand directly over its back. But it was the rhythmic thumping of the crow's heart that guided his touch, precisely where its beating organ lay.
Richard: Your heart beats beautifully… want it to beat a little louder?
Before the crow could even respond with a scream, a tremendous explosion erupted. Not extending all the way to Lucifer and Zach they were engaged in their own separate chaos but the shockwave annihilated everything in the immediate vicinity. The first attack from Richard obliterated three crows: one's head was torn apart, another's chest ruptured, and the third lost both its head and an arm in the blast. A scene of absolute devastation unfolded, yet Richard's calm remark was chilling in its casualness.
Richard: Nine down, thirty-two to go.
The remaining crows, terrified, retreated. Richard, detecting their movement, triggered another sonic pulse and leapt into the air. His jump was graceful, almost Leonardo-style, but infused with his Sound Control mastery. A detonation followed his ascent as he soared toward the remaining flock. All the crows focused on a single point, spiraling toward it but collided in a chaotic mess, a mortifying scene that would drive any witness to horror. And then, the unthinkable happened: the crows began to merge, their forms coalescing like a nightmarish, slime-like entity yet more grotesque and terrifying. Anyone witnessing it would surely be sickened.
Richard hovered, suspended as if on an invisible platform, his voice cutting through the fear and chaos.
Richard: Don't tell me… it's the Great Demon Ritual!
The Great Demon Ritual was a forbidden practice, one where lesser demons were sacrificed to birth a far more powerful being. The crows were willingly giving themselves up, realizing that only by creating something stronger could they hope to match the approaching threat. Thirty would be offered to forge the Great Demon, while the remaining two would be used to craft a demonic weapon. Richard, recognizing the danger, unleashed a long-range attack of tremendous potency.
Richard: Super Technique! Sonic Explosion!
The attack was cataclysmic, flattening everything in its path. Even before the energy fully released, the surrounding area was utterly ravaged. Yet, the ritual itself was interrupted, as though the force of Richard's assault rendered it null. Where a grotesque slime-like amalgamation should have emerged, instead stood a humanoid entity: wings sprouting, eyes glowing a deep crimson.
- - - : Perfection… but what shall I call myself?
Richard tensed, every nerve alert.
Richard (thinking): I promised I'd finish quickly and aid Zach but this… this is impossible.
The strange figure turned toward Richard, its grin revolting and malevolent.
- - - : My name is Corvadaptis. And for all the crows who created me, I shall kill you.
Corvadaptis was the newly born Great Demon. His form was entirely black, devoid of ornamentation, only the ominous expanse of his obsidian attire. On his back were massive twin wings, feathers tinged faintly red. His hair was black, eyes a deep, blood-red, and his face fully humanoid, crowned at the center with twin wing-shaped protrusions. Standing at 1.93 meters, his age was yet newborn.
Meanwhile, elsewhere on the island, other forces were stirring. A place where immense threats emerged an area only King-Level entities could tread. Yet, elsewhere, different events unfolded entirely.
Location: ???
The space was silent, filled with crates, chests, and steel containers. It seemed a vast storage area, yet contrary to expectations, it was illuminated by candlelight. In the center lay a massive void, etched with mystical symbols reminiscent of an ancient language. Candles circled the space, framing a strange object: two eyes, emanating an aura of immense importance and exuding a curse-like energy. They rested within a ritual circle, where two figures awaited.
Revenant: So… my piggy bank... I mean my lord, when will you arrive, Ugly Demon?
Hana, seated with one eye closed, erupted upon hearing Revenant's words.
Hana: What did you just say, you cowboy scum?!
Revenant remained expressionless, unaffected, deliberately provoking the demonic woman.
Revenant: Of course, of course… how much longer will this remnant linger within the circle?
The eyes within the ritual circle were, in fact, the God-Cursing Eyes. What kind of ritual could Revenant and Hana possibly be conducting?