Walking inside the empty yet flourishing halls of the underground dungeon of the white castle, Adrian scanned his surroundings, his purple eyes piercing through everything. The cells lining the walls were empty, save for the innermostyer where his focus finally settled on a solitary figure.


    Standing alone in the dim light, a man with a contemtive expression closed his eyes. Adrian''s presence was unnoticed at first, but his approach was deliberate.


    "Leave me," Adrianmanded the two subordinate demons behind him.


    The demons nodded and quietly exited the room. Adrian''s body shimmered into darkness, allowing him to pass through the bars of the cage-like cell effortlessly. He materialized two small chairs and a table in front of him, then sat down, observing the man with rtive amusement.


    "So, how do you feel, Father?" Adrian asked with a smirk, addressing the Duke who appeared lost in deep thought.


    The Duke finally opened his eyes. Once crimson red, they were now a bloody red with dark hues. Two demonic horns protruded from his head, and his once fatherly face looked younger and more sinister than ever.


    "Adrian… What did you do to me?" the Duke asked, his voice tinged with a mixture of anger and confusion.


    "Hmm~ I made you better. Do you not like it, perhaps?" Adrian replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.


    The Duke''s gaze hardened, his newly transformed visage a stark contrast to his former self. "Better? You''ve turned me into a monster."


    Adrian chuckled softly. "A monster? No, Father, I''ve simply enhanced you. You now possess the power and longevity to match your ambitions. Isn''t that what you always wanted?"


    The Duke''s fists clenched, the demonic power coursing through his veins unfamiliar and unsettling. "I wanted power, yes, but not at the cost of my humanity."


    Adrian leaned forward, his eyes gleaming with a predatory intensity. "Humanity is overrated, Father. In this war, strength is what matters. The demons respect power, and now you have it in abundance."


    "Power without purpose is meaningless," the Duke retorted, struggling toe to terms with his new form. "What do you n to do with me?"


    "Hmm… I can tell you right now, but you might not like it," Adrian said as he stretched his arms. Honestly, he didn''t want to tell the Duke just yet—at least not until he got used to his newfound form and power. But if the Duke was curious, Adrian didn''t mind. It wasn''t like the Duke could resist him anyway. As long as that stone was embedded in his soul, he had no choice but to obey Adrian''smands. Furthermore, the notion of betrayal should have long been eradicated from his mind.


    "Tell me," the Duke demanded, his voice edged with both curiosity and frustration.


    "Well, we need you to act as bait," Adrian said nonchntly.


    "Excuse me?" The Duke''s eyes widened in shock.


    Adrian slowly stood up from his chair, pulled a small magic stone from his pocket, and ced it on the table. It was a holographic stone. After a few seconds, the entirety of the continent''s map, scaled in precise detail, materialized before the Duke.


    "This is…" The Duke couldn''t hold back his words as he slowly came to understand whaty before him.


    "Surprised?" Adrian asked with a sly smile.


    The Duke nodded, his eyes scanning the map. He was pretty sure it wasn''t like this when he lost. He had expected the worst after his defeat, but now, seeing everything—the positions and the areas of territory—he could see that humanity was actually winning. But how?


    "You''re wondering how they''ve managed this, aren''t you?"


    The Duke nodded in response to Adrian''s words. He had been certain that even if all of humanity rose up, nothing would save them from the demons'' ongoing conquest. That was just how dire the situation had be. Without the hero, he was sure the world was doomed. But now, seeing the strategic positions on the map, he was truly surprised.


    "Did the goddess intervene?" he asked, perplexed by the recent turn of events. The Empire''s forces had slowly regained control over the western and northern borders, areas he oncemanded.


    "No… it''s the dragons," Adrian replied.


    "Dragons?"


    "Yes, it seems they''ve finally chosen their side in this war. Honestly, I didn''t expect those lizards to move, but here they are."


    "I see," the Duke said, immediately grasping the overall situation. If this continued, they might actually win.


    "Hmm, looks like somebody''s happy?" Adrian teased, noticing the Duke''s momentary optimism.


    The Duke scoffed at Adrian''s words. Even if he had been turned into a demon, his allegiance remained with the humans. Nothing would ever change that.


    "Well, I''m sorry to burst your bubble, but you''re about to be the most heinous thing the Empire is about to face," Adrian said with a smirk.


    Before the Duke could ask what he meant, he was suddenly overwhelmed by a searing pain in his head. His heart pounded to extreme degrees, and his body burned and turned a bloody red.


    "It seems you misunderstood something, Father. I don''t know what made you happy upon seeing our progress, but the more humanity wins, the more likely they are to be destroyed by us," Adrian said, shrugging as he watched his father''s painful transformation. "That is why, from the east to the west, I want you to kill all the humans you see on the border battlefield."


    Adrian issued hismand with a smile of satisfaction, watching the bloody demon in front of him contort and writhe. The Duke''s cries of agony filled the dungeon as his form twisted into something monstrous. His once noble features were now a horrific blend of human and demon, his eyes glowing with a malevolent crimson light.


    As the transformationpleted, the Duke stood, his breath ragged, his body trembling from the ordeal. His mind, once filled with thoughts of strategy and honor, now swirled with a darkpulsion to obey themand embedded in his soul.


    "Go now, Father," Adrianmanded. "Fulfill your new purpose."


    The Duke, now a demonic warrior, turned and walked out of the cell, his steps heavy with the weight of his new existence. As he exited the dungeon, the darkness within him pulsed, guiding him toward the battlefield where his formerrades fought. The humans he once swore to protect would now be his prey, their fates sealed by the very hands that had once defended them.


    Adrian watched him go, a sense of satisfaction settling over him. This was just the beginning. The war was far from over, and with his father now serving as a formidable weapon, the scales would tip further in their favor. The Empire would soon face the full wrath of the demons, led by one of their own turned against them.


    "What better end than to watch a man destroy the things he once loved, right?" Adrian chuckled, watching the gigantic demon walk out of his cell.


    "You''re satisfied now, Adrian?" he mused to himself, addressing the innermost corner of his soul. There, tucked away, was the original Adrian, who observed everything unfold with a smile on his lips. Ever since he had assimted Adrian into his soul, the current Adrian sometimes grappled with the wishes of his predecessor. But now, having satisfied those lingering desires, the nagging feeling would surely be gone.


    Though this wasn''t the end the original Adrian had envisioned—where he wanted to strangle and kill the Duke to death—this was another form of punishment, a much more fitting end for the man they once called father. Surely, the original Adrian could rest in peace now, right?


    "Don''t worry, Adrian... I know deep inside you loved him as well. I''ll make sure he doesn''t die, at least."


    There were too many reasons to keep the Duke alive for now. Until they had finished setting up the rumor regarding their new forces, he needed the Duke to fulfill his role as a secret weapon—a bait that the Empire couldn''t ignore for quite some time.


    ...


    Meanwhile, on the battlefield across the northern border of the Empire, a demoness could be seen flying a few hundred meters above the army of humans beneath her.


    "It''s a demon!"


    "Everyone, prepare yourselves!"


    "Ready the shields!"


    "Raise your divine weapons!"


    "Don''t be afraid, high-ranking or not, it''s just one demon!"


    The army below her kept rallying, preparing for her to attack. Although their voices seemed confident, she could see the fear in their eyes through her keen vision.


    ''Hmm~ humans truly are a weird lot. They know they will all die if they face me, and yet here they are, trying their best like tiny little ants…,'' she mused, watching them ready themselves with everything they had.


    She was here merely to bait them into chasing after her, but given the way things stood now, they would likely just stay in position and wait for her to make a move.


    ''How troublesome,'' she thought, recognizing how well-coordinated they were. She could use her authority over lust to attract them, but with the divine weapons and armor they were equipped with, such mind spells would probably notst long.


    Pondering her next move, an idea came to her mind as she locked eyes with Princess Christine, who wasmanding the army on her own. A hidden smile tinged her lips as she slowly descended, nning to face the princess in a negotiation that they surely couldn''t ignore.


    Princess Christine watched the demoness descend, her green, reptilian eyes narrowing with suspicion and readiness. The air grew tense as the demonessnded gracefully a few meters in front of the human forces. The soldiers held their breath, weapons at the ready, awaiting their leader''smand.


    Christine stepped forward, her gaze never leaving the demoness. "What is it you want, demon?" she demanded, her voice steady and authoritative.


    The demoness smiled, a chilling yet enchanting sight. "Princess Christine, isn''t it? Ie not to fight but to talk."


    "Talk?" Christine raised an eyebrow. "What could you possibly have to say that we would want to hear?"


    "Hmm~ you''re quite direct, aren''t you…" the demoness mused. She then looked around and smiled. "For starters, how about the entire eastern border we''ve captured?"


    Princess Christine, along with all the humans around her, had their eyes widen in surprise, struggling to process the demoness''s words.


    "The entire eastern border?" Princess Christine tried to reconfirm, her voice edged with disbelief.


    The demoness nodded with a smile. "Yes~ the entire eastern border. If you just ept a single favor—no, a request of mine—all of it could be brought back into your hands. You know what, I''ll even add a contract of ceasefire to allow your army to reinforce this ce when the timees. How about it? Quite the interesting proposal, no?"


    Christine held her breath for a few seconds before asking, "This request of yours—what is it?"


    The demoness smiled, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of mischief and anticipation. "10,000. If you can give me 10,000 of your men, all of this could be yours."


    A hushed silence fell over the battlefield as Christine and her soldiers processed the demoness''s audacious demand. The princess''s mind raced, calcting the possible implications and consequences of such a request.