Heavens fall

Two thousand years ago, the great war between humans and demons came to an end. The reigning Demon Lord, Luciferous, forged a contract with the human kingdom of Aelfhim as a symbol of their peace.

The war, which once ravaged the land, ultimately birthed a favorable relationship between the humans and demons, elevating humanity's status. However, after two millennia, the line of kings on both sides had changed countless times, and the once-strong alliance between the two races faded into memory.

Now, the humans are embroiled in a desperate battle against the fallen angels, who seek nothing less than the complete annihilation of humanity. The fate of the human race rests in the hands of its greatest warriors, led by the current princess of Aelfhim.

"Princess, this is bad!" one of the captains cried, his voice shaking with urgency. "The ruler of the fallen angels has made her appearance! We're barely holding our ground against their lower-ranking forces, but now... now the greatest warrior of their entire race is here!"

The cries of battle filled the air as Leviathan, the queen of the fallen angels, unleashed thunder upon the remaining human forces. "Is this how it ends? After so long, extinction will come at the hands of the fallen angels?" The princess's voice trembled with pain. "Why? Why were we the ones to remain at the bottom? Why?!"

She stared at the ring on her hand, her heart heavy with the weight of her thoughts.

"If only what Grandpa said was true... but no matter the crisis we faced, humanity never received help from the demons. Yet this damn ring was made our royal treasure! If only it was real!" The princess's face was grim as she watched the imposing figure of Leviathan approach her. Her dark wings radiated a divine elegance mixed with a trace of dread, an aura both celestial and devilish.

With a mocking smile, Leviathan flew gracefully toward the princess. "Humans, you've enjoyed the mercy of us supreme beings for far too long," her voice rang out coldly. "You don't even deserve to be called one of the Five Great Races. You are the weakest of the weak. With inferior magic and frail bodies, you've clung to life by enduring hardships. Allow me to free you from your suffering."

The princess's heart sank as she stared up at the sky, filled with massive thunderbolts that were about to descend upon them. "Help me, please!" Her voice cracked as the weight of death pressed down on her, a feeling of doom suffocating her very being.

But in that final moment, when all seemed lost, a silhouette appeared before her. The lightning collided with the figure, causing a massive explosion that enveloped the entire battlefield in a thick cloud of smoke.

"Where am I?" A voice emerged from within the smoke. Slowly, the figure of a man emerged, his body clad only in a towel tied around his waist. He had long, silky black hair and a muscular build that could captivate anyone. His crimson eyes burned with immense power, reflecting the very essence of reality itself.

He surveyed his surroundings, confusion etching his features. "How is this possible?" he muttered, still processing the strange turn of events. "Is there any human left who could summon a being like me?" He knew the humans were weak, but here he was, summoned into a battle as one of the strongest beings in the world.

"Who summoned me here?" he asked, his gaze locking onto the princess. He had sensed a faint trace of demonic magic emanating from her.

"It really worked!" the princess whispered to herself in disbelief, before regaining her composure. "I am the crowned princess of Aelfhim. I summoned you to ask for your aid in battle!"

The figure chuckled darkly. "You dare? How laughable. I'll destroy you instead!" His eyes flickered with dangerous intent. The being she had summoned was none other than Luseraph Morningstar, the 13th ruler of Hell-known as the greatest prodigy of demons. At the age of seven, he possessed power rivaling the Demon King, whom he later killed when he was only twelve.

The princess, taken aback by his response, quickly explained that the contract was made with the demons 2,000 years ago, after the great war between humans and demons.

"Do you think I was born 2,000 years ago?" Luseraph sneered. "That's no longer my concern. It was probably my grandfather you made the deal with." He paused, his gaze narrowing. "But if you truly want my help, offer yourself up to me!"

"Do you think I was born 2,000 years ago? That is no longer my problem. It was probably my grandfather that you made the deal with... Hm, on second thought, if you really want my help, offer yourself up to me!!"

"You vile demon! How vulgar, as expected from the demon race!" One of the captains lashed out, sword raised high as he charged at Luseraph, his face twisted with rage. His blade gleamed with a faint, ethereal light, a symbol of his determination. But Luseraph merely watched him with disinterest, eyes gleaming red, like a hunter sizing up its prey.

Before the captain could land a blow, the princess stepped forward, raising a hand to halt the soldier. Her voice rang out, firm and unwavering, "That's enough. Without his help, we might as well all die. If it's for the future of humanity, I might as well offer myself up! I, crowned Princess of Aelfhim, hereby swear upon my crown that if you help us secure a victory against the Fallen Angels, I will offer my life up to you!"

The air around them shifted, an unspoken tension growing heavy. Luseraph's crimson eyes flickered toward her, his lips curling into a dangerous smile. "If that's the case," he said softly, his tone like silk wrapping around steel, "then I see no reason why I shouldn't help you take care of these pesky Fallen Angels." With a swift motion, he landed in front of the humans, the ground beneath his feet cracking as his gaze shot upward, locking on the Fallen Angels' leader.

"Hey, Leviathan," Luseraph called out, his voice smooth and teasing, "I hope this doesn't mean you'll spare this insignificant race from annihilation because of me!"

Leviathan, high above in the sky, stood still for a moment. Her form, a towering silhouette against the blood-red sky, radiated a potent and undeniable presence. Her piercing gaze locked onto Luseraph, her voice cold and cutting, "It seems Luseraph, the demon prodigy who became the Demon Lord by defeating his father at the age of seven, has chosen to side with the humans-all because of a single girl. However, I must warn you: if you get in my way, I will not hesitate to kill you!"

Luseraph chuckled darkly, the sound of it like a whisper that echoed through the battlefield. "Ah, I see. So because the humans are of a lower level of existence than you Fallen Angels, you plan to kill them all?" He shook his head slowly, his smile deepening. "I see... Well, in that case, I also have reason to wipe out your entire race, since you're of a lower race to us demons! So, pick: go, or be killed!"

Leviathan's eyes narrowed into slits, a dangerous smile playing on her lips as she slowly raised one hand toward the heavens. The air seemed to thicken, and a pulse of dark energy surged through her, crackling with power. "It seems you've become too arrogant. We Fallen Angels are not inferior to demons. In fact, we're of a higher level. After all, we have your strengths but not your weaknesses!" she declared, her voice laced with deadly confidence.

She flicked her wrist, and a massive, purple magic circle appeared in the sky above, its edges crackling with immense energy. It spiraled down toward the battlefield, spreading like an ominous storm cloud. The ground trembled as the circle expanded, its presence suffocating the very air around them.

Luseraph's smile only grew wider as he met her gaze. "Seems you've made your choice," he said softly. He raised a hand and turned it in a sweeping motion, as though conducting an invisible orchestra. "Well, it's about time I make mine..." His voice grew louder, a deep resonance in it. "Hear me, humans: this is no longer your fight, so consider the deal we made void! Your princess wasn't really eye-catching to begin with-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the captain who had tried to retaliate against him lunged forward, his sword aiming for Luseraph's chest. But his movement was slow, too slow to reach the demon lord.

Luseraph's gaze flicked to the captain in the same instant, his crimson eyes gleaming with malice. In one swift motion, his hand shot out, gripping the captain's throat and lifting him into the air with ease. The soldier's body spasmed in an attempt to break free, but Luseraph merely squeezed. The captain's body trembled, his face turning purple, and then-explosion. Blood sprayed across the battlefield as the captain's body shattered, leaving only fragments of flesh and bone scattered across the floor.

The princess recoiled, her eyes wide in shock, but Luseraph's gaze never left her. His voice was cold, casual, "I've tolerated you enough! Anyone else who'd like to join him?"

The words barely left his lips before Leviathan's rage-fueled voice rang out, "Judgment of the Fallen Gods!" Her words cut through the air like a blade, and with a violent surge, she summoned a massive sword-over a hundred meters in length-carved from pure purple energy. The sword descended from the sky, its edge glowing with an ominous light, aimed directly at Luseraph and the humans.

The air around them crackled with electricity as the sword's massive form grew closer, casting a shadow over everything below. "With this attack, I bid you all goodbye, including you, Demon Lord!" Leviathan shouted, her voice high and maddened with laughter. Her face twisted with almost sadistic glee, as though this were the climax of some grand spectacle.

Luseraph's eyes gleamed, unbothered. He looked up at the descending blade and smiled faintly, his voice dripping with disdain. "Well, that's if the attack even manages to hit." He paused, his smile widening as his crimson gaze flicked back toward Leviathan. "It'll probably take ten seconds before it reaches us, and that's enough time to kill you. You'll soon understand why I'm known as the Demon Prodigy!" He raised a single hand, fingers splayed wide as he summoned something-an orb-like object that appeared in his palm.

The orb pulsed once, its surface dripping with dark, crimson fluid. It was heart-shaped.

Leviathan's eyes widened in disbelief as Luseraph crushed the heart into pieces with a casual motion, sending the broken pieces scattering like fragile glass. The very air seemed to tremble with the sheer weight of his power.

"Spatial magic! One of my best," Luseraph remarked nonchalantly, his voice cool and unaffected. "Since I disrupted your magic, taking care of this attack will be child's play!" He vanished in a burst of speed, appearing in front of the massive sword in the blink of an eye. With a single, devastating punch, his fist collided with the sword, shattering it into a thousand shards. The pieces exploded outward, sparkling like glass as they disintegrated into nothingness.

Leviathan stared, wide-eyed and furious. "You think taking my heart would kill me?" she sneered, her tone dripping with venom. "We Fallen Angels share the same concept of life as angels! After all, we're half divine!" Her form shimmered with energy, the wound she had suffered rapidly healing before the humans' eyes.

"Dark Lightning!" she roared, thrusting both hands into the air as purple lightning crackled around her. The bolt erupted from her fingers, a blinding stream of violet energy that shot straight toward Luseraph.

The bolt engulfed him in a violent explosion, a massive flash of light that consumed the sky and split the heavens themselves. The shockwave rippled outward, a shock of pure destructive force that shook the very earth beneath their feet.

"Are you still there, or are you already dead?" Leviathan's mocking voice echoed through the storm as she hovered in the air, eyes gleaming with malicious delight.

In the wake of the explosion, the humans cowered, hearts racing as they feared the worst. But then, as the smoke began to clear, a voice cut through the haze, calm and unfazed.

"Did you call for me, master?" a voice inquired, soft and steady. From the swirling dust emerged a silver-haired boy with crimson eyes. He appeared no older than fourteen, his features serene, almost ethereal in the light.

"Yes, Beel! Help me take care of these small fries while I deal with this pesky Fallen Angel!" Luseraph's voice rang out clearly from behind the boy, stepping through the smoke completely unharmed, as though the lightning had never touched him.

"Understood, master!" Beel grinned, his face lighting up with fierce excitement. In an instant, he was gone, vanishing into a trail of flashing light. The remaining Fallen Angels, who had been closing in on the humans at incredible speed, suddenly found their heads severed from their bodies in a flash. Their lifeless forms crashed to the ground with a sickening thud, blood spraying in all directions.

"You're as fast as ever, Beel!" Luseraph praised, watching with mild amusement as his subordinate effortlessly eliminated the last of the Fallen Angels.

Beel landed beside him, eyes gleaming with pride. "If you want, I can take care of the final one for you!" he said, full of confidence.

Luseraph turned his gaze toward Leviathan, who hovered in the air, stunned and furious. "It would be an insult for the leader of the so-called mighty Fallen Angels to die at the hands of my subordinate while I merely watch," he said with a smile, his voice laced with amusement. "But as a reward, I'll let you experience a portion of my power."

"It would be an insult for the leader of the so-called mighty Fallen Angels to die at the hands of my subordinate while I just watched! But as a reward, I'll let you experience a portion of my power!" Luseraph said, turning toward Leviathan, who was still stunned by the events.

Leviathan's eyes narrowed, her thoughts racing as she struggled to comprehend the true strength of Luseraph. "It seems the Demon Lord is afraid of me, hiding behind the power of one of the Seven Deadly Sins! And you dare call yourself the strongest?" She scoffed, but her words were laced with doubt. She could feel the overwhelming presence of Beel, and she couldn't deny it-the Demon Lord's subordinate was stronger than her.

Luseraph's smile only deepened. "Say what you want, but your death is inevitable. The more you talk, the more you delay your end. You'll soon understand what it truly means to make an enemy of the Demon Lord." With those words, a black flame flickered to life in the palm of his hand, swirling with unnatural intensity.

"Impossible! How can one single demon possess the power of Amaterasu?!" Leviathan gasped, recognition flooding her mind. The flame before her was the infamous Hell's Furnace, known for its endless, consuming heat-the strongest of all flames.

Luseraph casually regarded the fire as it began to grow larger, his voice cool and composed. "Well, this much isn't beyond the scope of my abilities. Now, perish." With a single motion, the flames erupted, engulfing Leviathan instantly. She shrieked as her body was consumed by the black inferno, and despite turning herself into water, the flames continued to burn with an unrelenting ferocity. No element, no matter how mutable, could quench the demonic fire.

The pain was excruciating, but Leviathan was an immortal being, her essence tied to something far beyond the limits of her physical form. "It seems I underestimated you," she murmured, her voice devoid of desperation as her body dissolved into the flames. "However, remember that Fallen Angels don't die so easily. This is not the end... I will have my revenge!" Even as her body perished, her mind remained resolute, accepting her fate without a hint of panic.

Luseraph turned his back, his expression unbothered. "I'll be waiting," he said, his tone cold as the remnants of Leviathan's form were carried away by the wind, leaving only ashes behind.

The humans, watching from a distance, could only stare in awe at the sheer power that Luseraph wielded. The princess, still in a daze, struggled to find her voice. "It seems we have you to thank for our survival. And as I promised, I am yours," she spoke softly, her words heavy with the weight of her oath.

Luseraph gave a dismissive wave, his gaze already shifting toward the portal Beel had created. "Like I said earlier, you're not worth it. Humans are an inferior race compared to us demons. You think I would benefit from taking you as a concubine? In terms of beauty, you're second-rate, and in terms of power... utterly pathetic." His words were blunt, each one a cruel jab that stung the princess deeply.

But the princess held her ground, her resolve hardening. "Even still, I made a promise. How about you name your prize instead?" She had sworn an oath on the crown, and though the thought of offering herself seemed increasingly humiliating, she could not go back on her word.

Luseraph paused, his gaze lingering on her for a moment. "I see," he said, smirking. "I'll give it some thought once I return to Hell. But for now, let me have a peek at that ring of yours. It seems quite fascinating." The princess, still shaken by his harsh words, handed over the ring without hesitation.

Luseraph's crimson eyes gleamed as he examined the ring. "Fascinating," he murmured. "It's an 11th-grade artifact, though it's sealed for now. If the humans knew of its true power, they could have easily turned the tide against the Fallen Angels. However, only a portion of its power has been unsealed, making it currently only a 4th-grade artifact. Still, it's a weapon designed specifically against demons." His mind raced as he analyzed the artifact's potential. "An ordinary demon couldn't have created this. It must have been made by a primordial or even the founding demon themselves." He traced his finger along the surface of the ring. "It has the ability to tame and summon demons. It can absorb demonic magic and also houses an ultimate anti-demonic resistance spell."

Luseraph's thoughts shifted. He realized that this ring could potentially become a major threat to his plans if the humans learned to wield its true power. "This ring is indeed powerful. If only you could use its full potential, the battle would have been won in an instant." He tossed the ring back to the princess with a nonchalant flick of his wrist.

The princess caught it, her hands trembling. "Then do you want it?" she asked, her voice softer now. She understood that if he accepted it, it might be the only way she could truly repay him.

Luseraph smirked. "As powerful as it may be, I pride myself on growing stronger through my own efforts. But there's a little secret about that ring. It's already soul-bound to another person. It would be useless in the hands of any other human. However, if you can find the person it's bound to, perhaps humanity will have a hero who, one day, could defeat the Demon Lord." His smile widened with a mixture of amusement and intrigue.

"Who... who could it be?" the princess wondered aloud as Luseraph and Beel began to vanish, the portal pulsing with dark energy.

Back in Hell, in the Demon Lord's castle, Luseraph reclined on his throne, his presence overwhelming. Beel knelt before him, a question on his lips. "My Lord, don't you think obtaining the ring would have been the wiser choice?"

Luseraph's gaze was distant, his expression unreadable. "Whether they have the ring or not, it wouldn't be enough to stop me in the future. The reason I left it with them is to give them a chance of survival in a world where they're the weakest."

Beel's face lit up in admiration. "Truly a noble deed! As expected, my Lord! Your kindness knows no bounds!" He rose and turned to leave, but not before Luseraph's voice stopped him.

"Things are about to get interesting from here on out. I've been cooped up in Hell for far too long. It's time I see the world for myself." A gleam of anticipation sparkled in his crimson eyes, and his lips curled into a satisfied grin.