--Eflan Continent, Capital--

The place where the allied nations living in the Eflan Continent discuss governmental issues is simply known as The Capital. This is also where ambassadors from each country reside, and only those elites are allowed to enter the capital. Naturally, powerful entities live in this place.

At the same time as the gate appeared in this world, those powerful entities painfully became aware of it. It was akin to alarm bells ringing in their heads and vibrations crawling around their skin, signaling them of an anomaly that could potentially destroy their world. Those more sensitive to mana even fainted from the abnormally vile mana that poured into their world, creating contradictions with their world's more peaceful mana.

With that as the signal, spies were sent in every country until the cause was found. Naturally, such an abnormal situation with no clear solution can't be made public yet. Although, those with enough qualifications from other continents have felt it too. This spurred on various investigations and caused many powerful entities to make their move.

***

In a hallway, a soldier ran, having heard that his target was heading in this direction. When he saw the person he's looking for, he shouted.

"Gen-General Ruxue!"

That person heard it and turned around.

A tall man with austere features was revealed. He was wearing a standard military uniform, pressed and neat, with no wrinkles from his movements. With breathtaking momentum, his muscled body flexed in a seemingly normal posture but filled with the readiness to attack at any time. The eyes of a predator looking at prey met the soldier. It was like being in front of a tiger about to pounce. The soldier froze 10 meters away, almost stumbling.

"What is it?" The fierce man said in a cold, commanding tone.

The soldier snapped out of his trance and was about to approach when he was glared at again. It's like saying 'don't come near my territory or else you're dead!'

The soldier was full of sweat. What did I do??!!

"T-there's another anomaly! Sir," he said as seriously as he could.

"Speak."

"Yes! Two days ago, in the northwest forest of Frimelia Kingdom, there is another distortion of space. According to the reports, the area's plant life became rotten a-and...," the soldier stammered.

"What is it?" The general glared again, his meaning evident: spit it out or else I'll break your neck.

"T-the Frimelia Kingdom..."

"What about it? Any casualties?"

"T-the, the whole kingdom is gone," he said with a distorted face.

"What?"

"The whole kingdom was annihilated. Corpses are still being retrieved, but the consensus is that the whole population of the kingdom, including civilians and children, wasn't spared. Initial reports said that the same phenomenon that happened in the forest appeared in the Kingdom."

Hearing the report, the general went silent, his countenance dark and unreadable.

The hallway was silent save for the gulping soldier waiting for his verdict.

"Has culprit been caught?"

"N-no, sir! I was tasked to deliver the report and to give an order from the higher-ups. Tasking General Ruxue, Commander of the Gierral, to investigate and annihilate the perpetrator before it repeats."

"Who else knew about this? Any witnesses?"

"Only the higher caste, other elders and trusted captains like me and the f-first witnesses..."

"The news hasn't been spread to the others," the general said, understanding the soldier's meaning.

"Y-yes. They wanted to conceal it until the culprit has been found to not cause any panic. For that reason, any routes and all borders connected to the Frimelia Kingdom has been closed."

The General once again brooded.

"Dismissed," he then turned around and left.

The soldier saluted and left the seemingly dark hallway with heavy steps. He knew that something big is going to happen.

The General reached his office. It looked dull and ordinary with a bookshelf full of war and ancient texts covering one wall. A table and chair were beside a big window where you could see the view of the sunset and the training field. Contrary to the lively scene downstairs, the room was silent and dark. The general, with his thoughts, stood near the window.

"Seems like it's gonna repeat."

In the dark corner of the room, a shadow appeared. What stepped into the light was a snake-like beautiful woman.

"Those hypocrites are done for this time. Something must have happened that involved them," the beauty paused, thinking of something. She squinted her eyes as she analyzed the past events, "Something feels off about this situation. It feels like-- "

"He's back." The general said having deduced the whole situation.

"What? You mean. He...," the beauty said, having understood his meaning. Her eyes widened in disbelief followed by conviction at the other's affirmation.

"Another Demon Lord," the General said indifferently.

The beauty smiled while releasing a killing aura. She laughed bewitchingly as she blended back into the shadows, but not before offering a parting line.

"Then we're at war."