It was flames.

Brilliant flames, like the fire of stars, the light of heaven.

As Shien Buztout stood before the Supreme Castle’s gate, bearing the heavy pressure like a towering mountain, dazzling flames erupted from his body.

Astonishing magic power burned fiercely.

The Hero’s aura surged rapidly.

The terrifying Demon Lord aura that had enveloped Central City, forcing all demons to submit, was now being pushed back by Shien’s rising power.

In an instant, as if an invisible gale was blowing, the entire city was swept by the clashing auras.

“Whose… whose aura is this…!?” Countless people were shocked.

“He…!?” Even those accompanying Shafney widened their eyes in astonishment.

Especially Liel, Hart, and Gray. Looking at Shien, his body burning with dazzling flames, an aura that made them feel suffocated, their shock was unimaginable.

After all, this was the first time they had seen Shien unleash his full power.

Even Liel, who had fought him hundreds of times, had never seen this level of power.

Legendary Level?

Limit Level?

No!

This clearly surpassed the limits of life, reaching the level of…

“Is this his true strength?” Liel couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Impossible!” Hart was also shocked. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

“The Hero…” Even Gray was stunned, murmuring as he felt the blood in his veins boil.

“Shien Buztout…” Even Hartley whispered, her gaze fixed on the flame-wreathed Shien, her eyes flickering.

Only Shafney and Lilith, one with a bright smile, the other with a proud expression, watched Shien push back the terrifying aura from the Supreme Castle with his own power.

This made the Demon Lord standing by the window change her expression slightly.

Naturally, the others reacted similarly.

“He actually blocked Kamina?” Lid stood up from Millu’s head.

“Wow!” Millu also exclaimed in surprise.

“Has he reached this level already?” Sara, watching from the top floor, her gaze piercing through space and falling on the flame-wreathed figure before the Supreme Castle gate, her eyes narrowing.

“It seems he’s become stronger again,” Airi said, sensing Shien’s familiar aura and its immense power, a rare smile appearing on her face.

Behind her, the three dragon girls reacted even more strongly.

“How… how is this possible?” The haughty dragon girl was shocked.

“Mitra…” The horned dragon girl, as if seeing the figure that terrified the Demon Race a thousand years ago, her hand holding the wine barrel trembling.

“As expected of Master!” The Limit Level dragon girl’s face was filled with adoration.

At this moment, Shien became the center of attention, leaving a deep impression on everyone.

However, he only stared at the figure standing by the window.

Then…

“Heresu!”

He drew his Holy Sword, instantly unsealing all its seals.

“Clang!” A brilliant light erupted.

The steel blades on the Holy Sword Shien held high slid open one after another, returning to their ring form and attaching to the hilt.

As everyone’s expressions changed, Shien, wielding the legendary sword, slashed downwards.

“Slash!”

With a tearing sound, the overwhelming aura from the Supreme Castle was severed by the Holy Sword.

The terrifying Demon Lord aura instantly vanished.

…

“Ugh…” Kamina groaned in her room, as if struck by an invisible attack, the aura surging from her suddenly cut off, making her clutch her chest with a pained expression.

“Master Kamina…!?” The female demon executive, who had been trembling before Kamina’s overwhelming aura, cried out in alarm.

Kamina ignored her subordinate. “I see,” she muttered, her face grim, “The Hero after a thousand years, so this is what makes him special.”

That single exchange made Kamina finally take him seriously.

“Although he hasn’t truly arrived, he has already touched upon our realm, possessing the power to temporarily contend with us.”

“Interesting, truly interesting,” she said, a grim smile gradually appearing on her face.

“Not even at Limit Level, yet capable of temporarily rivaling Transcendent Level power. Even Mitra wasn’t this terrifying back then.”

In other words…

“Is this Hero’s potential and special nature even greater than Mitra’s?”

No wonder even Airi favored him, Lid and Millu held no hostility towards him after meeting him, and even Sara, their eldest sister, said he was special and had been observing and investigating him.

Such a Hero, with such immense potential, summoned in this era after a thousand years, the secret behind this must be significant, right?

Moreover, he even had Lilith, the Evil God, by his side…

“Things are getting more and more interesting,” Kamina’s expression turned joyful.

…

“—” Silence descended upon the area before the gate.

As Shien slashed at the seemingly invisible, powerful being, the terrifying aura instantly vanished. All the demons in Central City felt the pressure lift, no longer needing to endure it. They looked at each other, then stood up, still shaken. Commotion gradually arose, and Central City became noisy again.

The flames around Shien also subsided, and the seals on his Holy Sword returned.

However, neither Hartley, nor Liel, Hart, and Gray, dared to look at Shien the same way as before.

Especially Hart and Gray.

“I originally thought he was just a junior…” Gray said, a bitter look on his face. He hadn’t expected this new Hero, whom he had only met briefly once, and who was engaged to someone from his family, to possess such power. Although he had sensed Shien’s extraordinary nature, surprised by his young age and Legendary Level strength, and believed that even if his level wasn’t as high as his, coupled with the Holy Sword’s power, he would still be a formidable opponent, at least his equal, he still underestimated him.

If not for this, Liel wouldn’t have mentioned that he and Hart were no match for Shien.

“Could this be why Master Shafney values him? Because he’s already capable of reaching the same level as her?”

Thinking of this, the bitterness on Gray’s face deepened.

And if Gray’s feelings were bitter and complex, then Hart’s were pure terror.

Recalling that suffocating feeling, Hart almost lost his composure.

“I… I actually had killing intent towards such a being?” He was completely terrified.

Along the way, seeing the growing closeness between Shien and Shafney, the jealousy and killing intent in his heart intensified. Upon arriving in Central City, he even considered finding an opportunity to eliminate this Hero. If not for the fact that Shien was about to become the Dragon Demon’s fiancé, and his own considerable strength made Hart wary, he might have already started plotting.

Only now did the suppressed killing intent in his heart vanish like a doused flame.

How could he possibly kill him? How could he eliminate him?

With that aura that made even him want to flee, if he dared to act, he would undoubtedly be killed.

Not only would he die, but even Shafney might not protect him, and even the Bi’an Clan might be annihilated!

This easily imaginable outcome made Hart tremble all over.

“Fortunately… fortunately, I saw his true strength…” He was incredibly relieved, his back drenched in cold sweat.

Shien, unaware of their inner turmoil, simply sheathed his Holy Sword, deactivated [Samsara of Heaven’s Decree], turned around, and embraced the pouncing Lilith.

“Can we go in now?” he asked Hartley casually, stroking Lilith’s head as she beamed. He acted as if nothing had happened.

Hartley looked deeply at Shien.

“Please follow me.” She didn’t mention what just happened and led the way.

“Let’s go,” Shien said with a smile, following Hartley.

“Heh heh,” Shafney chuckled, looking at his back with amusement, then followed him.

“…” Liel, Hart, and Gray fell into a heavy silence.

One bit her lip.

One’s face was pale.

One’s eyes were filled with complex emotions.

Then, they followed Shien, silent.

—”Hero.”

Only now did they truly understand the terror of this legend passed down for tens of thousands of years in Omnipotence.

Supreme Castle, Top Floor.

Led by Hartley, Shien and the others arrived here. This place, like a palace, was grand and spacious, but unlike human palaces, it wasn’t overly ornate or luxurious, but rather solemn and dignified, similar in atmosphere to a temple, only lacking its sacredness.

People here unconsciously straightened their backs, becoming serious and quiet.

And unlike the top floor of the Succubus Fortress, which was restricted to Shafney and those she allowed, this place was filled with various people: demon warriors standing guard like statues, officials carrying documents, seemingly handling various matters, all Higher Demons above level seventy.

This was astonishing.

“Higher Demons above level seventy everywhere…” Even Gray’s expression turned serious, clearly impressed.

One of the requirements for joining the Mitra Kingdom’s prestigious Royal Knights was being at least level seventy. And the Royal Knights only had seventy-seven members. Although this was just the number of members in the Royal Knights, not the total number of those above level seventy in the Mitra Kingdom, as the Adventurer’s Guild also had thirty-three Rank 7 adventurers above level seventy, and the Knight Commanders and Vice-Commanders of various territories were also above level seventy, the number of high-level warriors and magicians in the entire Mitra Kingdom was still far less than here, where they were as common as ordinary staff.

Gray, having lived in Succubus City for over twenty years, had seen many Higher Demons, but never so many in one place.

Liel and Hart, however, were unfazed.

“This is the most important administrative center in the entire Demon Realm. Those who work here are responsible for managing the Demon Realm’s affairs and interacting with the Divine Realm and the Human Realm. How could they possibly do these jobs if their levels were too low?” Hart explained to Gray in a low voice.

The Demon Race valued strength. Therefore, to manage various matters and people, one needed sufficient power to command respect and fear. And when representing the Demon Race in interactions with other races, to demonstrate their strength and earn the respect of the God Race and the Human Race, those involved in diplomacy also needed to be powerful.

These factors combined meant that those working in the Supreme Castle had to be strong.

Therefore…

“The minimum requirement for working here is being a Higher Demon. Those who aren’t can only serve tea and water, acting as servants,” Liel said, snorting coldly and glaring at Hartley, “Otherwise, why do you think the Moon Demon, the supreme being of the Demon Race, has all three Limit Level experts of the Demon Race as her subordinates?”

The reason was that Sara, the Moon Demon, was the supreme being, responsible for interacting with other races. Whether for status or practical reasons, her subordinates had to be the strongest in the Demon Race. And just being Legendary Level wasn’t enough.

After all, the Demon Race was once the strongest, suppressing even the God Race and the Human Race. To control these two races, they needed Limit Level experts who had reached the limits of life.

That’s why all three Limit Level experts of the Demon Race were under Sara’s command. These experts, who had reached the limits of life and were even rarer than Transcendent Level beings, were the most powerful representatives of each race. Even Transcendent Level beings respected them.

Currently, all transcendent beings were born that way, not through cultivation. Only a few Heroes throughout history had reached Transcendence through gradual growth. Other beings, under the rules of the world’s Logic, could only reach level one hundred, the limit of life. They competed with their own kind, fought against other races, and finally, after countless battles, reached Limit Level, the highest level the world could tolerate. Such beings naturally deserved the respect of those born with Transcendence.

This was also why Shafney, who usually ignored others, responded to Hartley’s greeting and didn’t completely ignore her.

Limit Level was the highest level attainable under normal circumstances, the ultimate goal for ordinary beings, the pinnacle of life. Those who reached it were incredibly rare, and they could be proud of their achievements, seeing it as the highest honor. Perhaps because of this, Hartley could maintain her composure before Shafney.

Led by Hartley, every demon along the way bowed respectfully, showing her high status here. Of course, most of them looked at Shafney with fascination, adoration, and infatuation.

Shafney, however, simply walked beside Shien, looking curiously at Lilith in his arms, seemingly interested in her.

“This child is quite cute. Although she’s a goddess, I can accept her if she’s an Evil God,” she said to Shien excitedly.

“Can I hold her?” she asked.

Shien’s reply to this mischievous witch’s request was a simple,

“No.” He refused without hesitation.

“Stingy, just a hug won’t hurt,” Shafney said, displeased, “I’ll let you hold little Airi. We can trade.”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” Shien said with a forced smile, “If I remember correctly, she’s my fiancée. I can hold her anytime I want. Why would I need to trade with you?”

“Naive,” Shafney chuckled, “Do you think you can do whatever you want to my little Airi just because she’s your fiancée? I’m telling you, that’s impossible. My little Airi has more pride than anyone. Not just you, even we, her older sisters, if we want to hug her, she’ll refuse mercilessly.”

Shafney didn’t notice the strange look on Shien’s face.

“Is… is that so?” he asked, his tone slightly odd.

“Of course,” Shafney confirmed without hesitation, “Besides our mother, the Demon King, no one has ever casually hugged little Airi. That girl is very rebellious, even more heartless than me in some ways. If she’s displeased, she’ll even attack her own sisters. I, as her second oldest sister, don’t know how many times I’ve been rejected by her.”

“Really?” Shien narrowed his eyes, “Then what if I told you that when I’m with her, I can hug her whenever I want, and she’s never refused?”

Shafney stopped abruptly.

Shien also stopped, and they looked at each other in silence.

After a while…

“Really?”

“Really.”

“Are you lying?”

“Since you’re asking me this, it means your [Ripple Heart Demon] has already sensed that I’m not lying, right?”

“So… little Airi really doesn’t refuse you at all?”

“Absolutely.”

“…Just hugging?”

“We’ve also slept together, we just haven’t bathed together yet.”

“…”

“…”

“Alright! Draw your swords!”

“Don’t use [Ripple Heart Demon] to read my internet slang from my previous life!”

As expected, Shien and Shafney started bickering again. Their playful banter made the surrounding demons stare, dumbfounded.

“Who… who is that man?”

“How can he be so… close… to the Succubus?”

“This… this is impossible!”

“How can Her Highness be so close to a man…!?”

The demons were in an uproar.

“?” Lilith, held by Shien, tilted her head in confusion.

Hartley, Liel, and the others were also speechless.

“Master Shafney, she…?” Hartley, seemingly seeing Shafney bickering with Shien like this for the first time, was also surprised.

“Tsk…” Liel’s displeasure was evident. This entire journey had been filled with frustrations, her mood worse than ever.

As for Gray and Hart, they no longer looked surprised or uncertain, but their expressions were incredibly complex, one no longer daring to feel jealous, the other filled with fear and awe, both falling silent.

These three were truly unlucky, nothing going their way today.

Until…

“Stop messing around and come here,” a displeased voice echoed from above, making everyone look up.

“Lady Sara,” Hartley immediately bowed towards the sky.

“Oh my, it seems big sister couldn’t wait,” Shafney said with a chuckle.

Shien also recognized Sara’s voice.

Sara then said impatiently,

“Bring Shien, Shafney, and Lilith here. The rest of you stay outside, Hartley.”

“Yes,” Hartley replied.