"Beckman, you felt that too, didn't you?"
Floating above central headquarters, the three strongest True Cored humans on the planet feel real fear for the first time in decades.
"I did, Redgrave. The Vermillion Family has returned..."
Beckman scrolls and taps through his system interface while sweat trickles down his temples.
Elara speaks through the link next.
"It feels like that True Core has grown stronger since the first visit... That Demon's Aura made it through the S-Grade Originator Stone Defenses. It's like he could see right through, as if we're in a glass room."
Beckman looks up from his status screen full of numbers.
"Yes, that wave that hit me was approximately 129% stronger than the strongest attack I felt the last time we met. That is certainly the same Demon, I don't forget faces."
There's silence on the three-way line for a few seconds before a laugh echoes through from Redgrave's crystal.
"We've grown stronger too, you know! Three on one should get the job done, don't you think?"
His transmission device clicks off, but his laughter continues in private as he begins to dance around and send shimmering yellow divine flames at the inner walls of his room. Voices come out of the transmission tablet left behind on the arm of his throne, the first is from Beckman.
"That is not part of the plan. We shall stay on target and wait one more day. The probability of unnecessary fighting is too high if we approach now."
Elara returns a message.
"He won't go unless you give the order, he's just getting overly excited..."
A few dozen messages are sent back and forth between the two of them while Redgrave finally begins to calm himself down and walks back to his transmission tablet to hear Beckman's next words.
"Yes, that would be best. Awaken the emergency squads. I want bases built as close to the abyss as possible, far away from the Vermillion Family's forts, and preferably far from the Flame Emperor's strongest settlement in Sector 2. Have the yellow cores bring the offering package to their leader, for now; we're holding true to the pact."
A satisfied sigh comes through the channel from Redgrave next.
"Fine, fine. Elara, take care of activating my squad. I don't want to talk to either of you until we're actually heading toward the throne."
There's an annoyed click of the tongue from Elara before she speaks.
"You know I can't do that, you need to activate your squad through the designated channel. This is a safety protocol for all of us."
He grumbles back.
"Then at least let me take out that pest calling himself the Flame Emperor on our way over. I want a clear mind before I enter the doors."
There's silence on the channel again, but finally Beckman speaks.
"That shouldn't be a problem. If the Vermillion Leader hasn't killed him first, you're permitted to do as you wish once we make our move. But please, keep the civilian casualties below 1,000,000 if possible this time. We cannot risk losing a portion of central's population if there aren't enough workers left to satisfy the Demons."
Redgrave grins.
"Deal."
The corner of my mouth turns upward as Arie and Luna's name tags within my Rising Emperor's Domain interface come back online, shining brightly as the only purple-colored text in my interface.
I curiously watch as they easily take down five more red-cored demonic knights that followed the scouting squad, and repeat the same process, draining Demonic energy from the immobilized Demons.
As Arie drains the last drop of Demonic Soul Energy from his prey, he notices an orange-cored knight coming their way and whispers to Luna.
"There's a far stronger one coming now. We'll have to fight it together, don't hold back. It's using the same odd gravity magic... I think we can take it. This will be our final test, then we're headed back to the Crimson City to show the others what we found."
Luna nods, not saying a word, and closes her eyes.
Seconds later, a massive purple eye forms high in the sky above them, and a dozen smaller eyes form all around it, looking as though they've been summoned from all kinds of demonic monsters; some resembling snakes, others cats, and some birds.
They all emit their own purple aura, and cover the distance between them and the approaching Orange-Cored Demon while Arie's energy form grows in size and six arms emerge from his back to draw back and load three massive bows.
The Arch Demon that approaches wields a heavy shield and a longsword, and stares at Arie while activating a communication link to his superior.
"General, we've encountered the first threat. They seem to be humanoid Demonic Beasts. Strong ones, they took out seven of our knights. No divine energy is present, but the scent of ascended beasts is all over these two. I'm going to engage, but I'll need backup."
There's a click, and one of the yellow cores sends orders for the requested reinforcements, then turns to their leader and reports the news.
He replies in an unbothered tone. "Intelligent Ascended Beasts? No—it's most likely humans that used the throne's excess radiation as a training ground. Take care of them yourself, I don't want a single orange core injured."
"Yes, Sir!"
The high-level yellow core floats in the air, then heads off in the direction of the disturbance.
–
All 13 of Luna's Eyes simultaneously blink, and at the same time, Arie sends three arrows toward the Orange Core running their way.
The first white arrow bounces off the tough obsidian armor chestplate tethered with orange threads without leaving a mark.
The second light purple arrow hits the demon in the leg as it curves around its massive shield, and a small fragment of armor is broken off, making the demon misstep.
Arie grins as he sends his final dark black and purple arrow toward the commander.
Its core is filled with dense mana, while its outer layer is charged with all of the Demonic Soul Energy that he siphoned out of the Red Cores on his way here. There are leftover red thread residues in this attack, accidentally strengthening it even further.
Arie lets go of the arrow, and it twists around the demon's sword like it has a mind of its own and hits the commander right in the arm, shattering its orange-thread-imbued armor and forcing it to drop its sword.
The 13 eyes above blink three more times, and each time they do, Arie sends out another three shots, hitting the demon's other three limbs, and immobilizing him on the ground.
As Luna and Arie move toward their target, a transmission goes off in the commander's helmet.
"Support is on the way!"
As the poisonous [Demonic Essence of The Ascended Scorpion] laced within Aries arrows flows through the demon's body, its eyes are wide open. It can't speak, move, or even think of the words to reply.
There is only silence as the 13 eyes above stare down and Arie drains the commander's body dry of Demonic Soul Energy.