After a blinding light that seemed to sear through Bliss's vision, he found himself standing in a wondrous white room. Marble pillars, exquisitely sculpted into the forms of demons unknown to him, adorned the grand chamber. He couldn't help but marvel at the craftsmanship, even amidst his confusion.
As he scanned the surroundings, a voice echoed through the vast, pristine room, pulling his attention away from the intricate statues.
“This is far sooner than I expected, young demon lord.” the voice intoned.
Bliss shifted his gaze to locate the source of the voice, and there, seated comfortably on a marble throne, was a demon. This demon, though now seated and with his eight wings seemingly absent, still exuded a radiant golden aura. Unlike their first encounter, Bliss felt more at ease meeting the Demon God's gaze, as if the oppressive atmosphere had mellowed.
MorningStar beckoned Bliss to approach, his regal posture commanding respect. Tentatively, Bliss took a step closer, curiosity mingling with unease.
"Why am I here this time? Is this some reward for passing the trial of the Demon Lord?" Bliss inquired with a hint of pride, remembering his recent success.
However, MorningStar's response was far from celebratory. He wore a nonchalant expression as he replied, "That trial is but child's play. Consider this summons a reward of sorts."
MorningStar slowly sat up not showing a bored expression anymore as he waved his hand and a crystal appeared out of thin air.
Bliss felt as though MorningStar was being more proactive than the first time he met him. In their first encounter, he felt more like a kindred spirit but now he gave off an air of superiority in all aspects.
As the crystal formed the image of a group of adventurers entering the dungeon came into view. Bliss seeing the lot intrude on his domain nodded in understanding.
“Is this a warning to protect the demons?” Bliss asked as he continued to watch them enter one by one. To Bliss this party did not seem particularly interesting, apart from the leader who looked like a decrepit old man they didn’t seem that interesting.
“I will have you know, I've spent the last month or so dealing with these kind of adventurers quite easily.” Bliss spoke, watching the adventurers' progress with casual detachment.
MorningStar's response was an eloquent wave of his finger, which caused the crystal's image to zoom in, revealing the faces of the intruders. Ignoring the elderly man leading the group, Bliss noticed a woman further back, one he found oddly familiar.
Furrowing his brow, he ransacked his memory until it finally clicked — she was the adventurer he had allowed to escape during their last encounter. Bliss didn't think much of her presence, but his focus soon shifted to the burly commander trailing behind her.
Suddenly, vivid memories of his brutal interrogation at the hands of that very commander surged to the forefront of Bliss's mind. Cold sweat broke out on his brow, and his throat tightened with dread.
"It appears you've once again attracted some... unique attention," MorningStar remarked, noting Bliss's unease.
Taking a deep, calming breath, Bliss replied, "Okay, I understand. Send me back so I can deal with them."
MorningStar, however, wore a rueful expression as he delivered an unexpected revelation. "Well, as much as I'd love to do that, you see, I happen to be out of power at this time."
Bliss regarded the "God" incredulously. "How does a 'God' 'run out' of power?" he asked, a trace of mockery in his voice.
MorningStar, still wearing an apologetic expression, gestured around the opulent room they were in. "You see, I may have squandered a bit of power on the decor."
Bliss, torn between amusement and frustration at MorningStar's extravagance, questioned, "So, what am I supposed to do here if you can't send me back?"
"You'll naturally return to your body once it's finished maturing. I brought you here to give you a warning," MorningStar replied.
Bliss looked at the god with a look of intrigue,
“All the way here for a warning?”
MorningStar gave a faint, wistful smile;
“I don’t have much time left, but you need to know,” MorningStar suddenly began to fade, his presence suddenly dwindling to nothingness.
“Becoming a Demon Lord will notify all of the other Demon Lords… but the demon lords have already been corrupted.”
With those words the energy of the Demon god dissipated and Bliss was left alone in the silence of the marble room.
Bliss was left pondering his warning, his thoughts mingled as he was forced to only be an observer as the intruders began their rampage within the dungeon. He felt powerless, relegated to the role of an unwilling observer, unable to interfere.
The intruders marched in unhindered due to his absence. If he was still in control of his body and by extension the dungeon he would have swallowed the commander first and dealt with him the easiest way.
Bliss was no fool and vividly remembered his haphazard battle with the commander, even if he had grown in strength he would prefer to see the commander destroyed mentally like he had done to him.
Bliss shook his head and tried to operate the crystal like he would his own, but as the image shifted, his eyes widened in terror. What he saw was a nightmarish sight, something he had once believed could only exist in his past life. The crystal flickered with an eerie light, and Bliss’s expression twisted into one of adject mortification.
-
Venturing into the dungeon and making it past the entrance the party was met with a dense ominous fog. The fog clung to the forest floor, shrouding everything in a ghostly embrace. Tall trees rose above the haze, their forms barely visible.
Sir Donald, his brow furrowing, took in the eerie atmosphere. "This fog feels different, but the layout is hauntingly similar," he observed, his voice tinged with uncertainty.
Riger, eager to press forward, didn't allow the unsettling fog to deter him. "It doesn't matter. Let's keep moving."
The moment he took a step forward an arrow came whistling in his direction. In a heartbeat, Riger’s reflexes kicked in and he snatched the arrow from mid-air and hurled it back towards its source.
A shrill cry pierced the fog as an unidentified creature fell from its concealed perch in a tree.
“I guess this is where I warn you guys about this boss's pension for sneak attacks.”
Donald, his voice filled with caution and regret, said after seeing the exchange and remembering what happened to his men, meanwhile the soldiers that were behind him gulped feeling the familiarity of the space.
Khan, ever observant, added his insights, keeping a cautious distance from the fog. "Traps, too. My guess is this whole place is a minefield of deadly surprises."
Understanding dawned on Roku, and he nodded solemnly. "Very well, then. Let's deprive it of surprise."
Hearing the old man speak Kirin and Hypo looked at Roku with a look of confusion not understanding his intent.
Roku stepped forward, raising a finger toward the forest. A small fireball ignited at his fingertip, puzzling the party. The ball of fire suddenly seemed to condense into an even smaller ball.
They watched, unsure of his intent, as the fireball continued to condense, shrinking until it was barely visible, no larger than the point of a needle.
Finally at its limit the almost invisible ball was sent flying through the fog.
Tension hung in the air as the party waited for something to happen. Doubt clouded their expressions as they exchanged glances.
“That’s alright senior, we all have a little performance issue every now and then.”
Hypo was the one to heartily pat Roku on the back trying to cheer him up with a half hearted smile.
Before Maco could add his own comment to break the silence, an earth-shattering explosion tore through the heart of the forest followed by a light so bright it was almost blinding.
The fog, once thick and suffocating, vanished in an instant. The shockwave radiated for miles, and everything in its path fell prey to its unforgiving might.
Trees that look like they had stood for centuries, their trunks adorned with moss and lichen, were reduced to shattered splinters. The explosion stripped their bark away, leaving charred skeletons standing as solemn witnesses to the cataclysmic event. Leaves and branches were turned to ash in an instant, creating a swirling vortex of fiery debris that ascended into the heavens.
The ground itself convulsed, creating jagged fissures that snaked through the forest floor like scars. Massive boulders were dislodged and sent tumbling down from the ceiling leaving scars on the dungeon’s surface.
The ground trembled violently beneath their feet, threatening to knock them off balance. The shockwave from the explosion coursed through their bodies, nearly forcing them to the ground. But what truly silenced them was the sight that met their eyes.
In the heavens above, a colossal cloud rose, resembling a sinister mushroom. Its ominous presence hung heavy in the air, casting a shadow of dread upon the onlookers. The party gazed at the scene in mute astonishment, their voices robbed by the raw power they had just witnessed.
Their collective awe was palpable, and they regarded the old man with newfound reverence. Even Riger, the skeptic among them, couldn't help but feel a lump in his throat as he took in the devastation that the seasoned adventurer had wrought.
"Linda, it would be wise to erect one of your protective barriers for the party," Roku advised, his voice carrying a sense of wisdom and concern.
Roku let out a deep breath feeling somewhat pleased to let out so much power once more.
Linda took a moment to regain her composure, her heart still racing from the shockwave's intensity.
"Is that really necessary, Guildmaster? I believe you've obliterated everything in this forest," she replied, her voice laced with confusion, unable to comprehend the purpose behind this.
“That may be so, but this particular attack of mine always seems to have terrible side effects on living creatures, I'd prefer you lot to not end up deformed.”
Linda's eyes widened with realization, and without hesitation, she summoned a shimmering, transparent barrier that enveloped the entire party.
