Brand New Life Online: Rise Of The Goddess Of Harvest

Within the dark hall inside of the Magician Tower, Merlinus sat over his throne, his dark powers rising as he was in the middle of a large, demonic formation. The souls of demons moved within contained crystals, while the souls of many people constantly feed the ritual, making it stronger and to progress rapidly.

One of his eyes opened as he was within a deep meditation, trying to absorb all the malice within these demonic souls to gain the power he wanted. In front of him, a spectral being resembling a shadow materialized, quickly taking the form of a demon-like man with stitched body parts.

“Master Merlinus…”

“Speak.”

“The three demons have been slain.”

“I expected as much. So? How many died?”

“Less than two hundred.”

“A measly number… but it’ll do for now… I’ll revive those demons so-“

“That is the problem, Master. The Demons have disappeared, we can no longer call them through the contracts. The contracts themselves have been nullified too.”

“What?”

“I think… this is just a conjecture, but their souls must have been destroyed to the point they can no longer go back to hell.”

“What do you mean their souls were destroyed? That’s something not even I can do! Someone… killed the demons, forever?!”

“Yes, my lord.”

“That’s… but that shouldn’t be possible, demons are… direct children of the Demon King of the End! Born of his flesh and blood! This is…”

“We suspect the main culprit to be the Yggdragon, no other living being could be able to do such a ridiculous thing… other than the Demon King’s equal.”

Merlinus smiled a bit, smirking.

“The Demon King’s equal, huh? Hardly now! His legacy is broken into pieces, and the one carrying it is a Player from all things… Hah!” he tried to mock his opponent, yet despite his prowess, he couldn’t help but admit something. “But she’s growing… at an alarming pace. I fear our own attacks must have triggered such quick growth.

The System too, the primary aid of Players, its clearly playing sides here. The Gods, or whoever is wearing their empty husks, are probably supporting her too.”

“So it means… we’re fighting against the System and the Gods, Master?”

“Frank, one of my greatest creations, do you think that such a thing truly matters to your great father?”

“A-Ah, no, father…”

Merlinus eyes squinted.

“What about the prince? I imagine it still alive then? This entire dimension is isolated from the outside world, so my senses are dulled while I am in the process of this ritual.”

“About that… The demon prince that was summoned to harvest souls… inexplicably died.”

Silence.

Merlinus ritual didn’t stop, but it seemed to slightly shake.

“Is that so…”

He seemed rather nicer to this being in front of him, compared to other allies that would sometimes say such things.

If they failed him he would just kill them.

But if they were all dead, well, there wasn’t much he could do now.

“Tell me Frank, at the very least they were able to destroy a few of the city? How many souls did they harvest for me? Focalor is a powerful Prince… It took not only three Demon Dukes to summon him but several Souls and Demonic Treasures from my storage. It was supposed to complete the ritual for me without completely destroying everything.”

“Well, the Yggdragon… and her allies, they killed him.”

“Killed him? You mean…?!”

“Yes… Master. Focalor’s soul was destroyed, his demon heart too, there was nothing left of the Demon Prince other than… ashes that faded away.”

“Ppfff…!”

Merlinus suddenly lost composure, so much he ended vomiting blood out of bitterness.

Or well, more because the ritual was slightly affected, and it sent some backlash to him.

“Hahhh… Unexpected indeed. Focalor should have at least destroyed half the city! Right?!”

“No… Master, they stopped him before he could do anything. from what I remember seeing, he was acting very lazily and conceited, and that allowed them to strike him down.”

“WHAT!”

Angrily barking, Merlinus hit the floor furiously.

“That useless demon! He didn’t take it seriously?! And he was struck down right after birth? This is ridiculous!”

“Demon Princes are strong, but their Ranks seem to make them very… well, spoiled. Most of them are said to not obey their contractors, and that they tend to do as they please. Focalor in specific, was known as the laziest prince. Although his powers are very strong, they had flaws and they exploited them.”

“Hah… HAHAHA!” Merlinus laughed. “Good, not bad at all for those bastards. I suppose they indeed intend to annoy me like the flies they are! but attacking again now… would be unwise. The Demons will certainly not take my contracts as easily anymore after learning I led four of them to their deaths, three dukes and one prince… They might even want retaliation against me!”

“Master, then…”

“But that doesn’t matter!” Merlinus smiled. “I might have to do things without their help, but so what? Almost everything is already done. I will simply stop wasting my resources against them and let them be. After all, the more I create a false sense of security, the more they’ll lower their guard.”

“That’s… not wrong.”

“Once that happens, it’ll be already too late.”

The arch wizard smiled, glancing at the enormous formation around him, which extended for several hundreds of meters.

Slowly, his soul was being refined by this malicious demonic and cursed energies, miasma and nether were also included.

Steadily, his metamorphosis continued.

“I’ll reach highs that no man has ever reached before!” he said. “I shall ascend into a Demon King! The first human to do so! And once that happens, I shall reign supreme in this world infested with nothing but insects that don’t know their place! I’m done with everything, I’m so tired of humans! It’ll be a new era, one for myself, and only for me!

I will no longer serve anybody; I will no longer dedicate myself to serve a King! I’ll become the King of all Evil!”

The darkness gathered in his hands, distorting, and destroying space itself, as void poured like black water from the cracks.

“And once that happens, not even Gods, or the Demon Kings, will stop me.”

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