Demon King and Demon Queen

Translation: Word (Microsoft).

Chapter 1

Sengo's only visible red eye shone with amusement as he watched the towering figures that towered in the sky in front of him. Each of them was a living legend, but to Sengo, they were nothing more than entertainment. Dressed in an elegant butler's outfit, Scáthach, the lethal personal servant of the [Queen Halloween], looked at him with the cold serenity of a master warrior. Around him, ready for battle, were Sun Wukong, the mischievous Monkey King, Thor, the mighty god of thunder, Heracles, the unbeatable demigod, and Karna, the hero radiant with the grace of the sun. Each one wielded their weapons, preparing for the battle that would determine the death of [Demon Lord] King Oni Sengo.

Sengo cracked a cruel smile as his voice echoed like thunder.

"Your weapons will not affect me in the least, thanks to the [Sun Authority of Leo], which I took from Heracles a hundred years ago." His tone, full of derision, echoed on the battlefield as he cast a defiant glance at the Greek hero, who clenched his fists in contained fury.

With a guttural laugh, the demon took a step forward, extending his arms as if inviting his opponents to attack.

"To make it more interesting..." he whispered, his eyes shining with a wild gleam. "I'll let their weapons touch my body. I will not dodge a single one of his blows. Come on, give me the best you have."

Provocation filled the air, burdened with the weight of his inhuman arrogance. Sengo did not fear pain or death; He was only looking for the ecstasy of combat, challenging those heroes with the certainty that, whatever happens, the fight would be glorious.

Thor was the first to attack, wielding his towering hammer Mjolnir with a force that could shatter mountains. Without hesitation, he threw it straight to Sengo's chest. As promised, the Oni made no attempt to dodge. The impact was brutal; The hammer slammed into his torso with a deafening rumble, and a massive bolt of lightning instantly enveloped him, illuminating the battlefield with a blinding flash.

But when the glow faded, Sengo was still standing, his face cracking a wild smile, though his lightning-scorched skin left trails of smoke around him. Thor's attack, despite its incredible power, had failed to cause the deadly damage it intended.

Heracles wasted no time. In the blink of an eye, he lunged at Sengo with uncontrollable fury. Using all his superhuman strength, he sent out a storm of precise and devastating blows, targeting the Oni's vital points. Heracles' fists moved like lightning, striking with the force of a thousand men, but Sengo barely flinched, absorbing each blow as if they were mere caresses. Each impact resounded with a hollow sound, and the ground beneath them trembled, but the attacks were still not enough to knock him down.

Meanwhile, Scáthach, the warrior queen of the wraiths; she was preparing her fearsome spear, the Gaé Bolg. With deadly concentration, she charged the spear with an overwhelming amount of spiritual energy. In the blink of an eye, she threw it with pinpoint accuracy at Sengo, who was still immersed in Heracles' attack.

Knowing what was about to happen, Thor and Heracles jumped back, moving away just before the spear reached its target. When they collided, a huge explosion shook the earth, shattering everything around it. A column of red light rose into the sky, and the ground shattered into pieces, disintegrating under the destructive energy.

Dust and debris filled the air, hiding Sengo's figure for an instant. But those heroes did not let their guard down; They knew that a simple explosion would not be enough to stop that monster.

Sun Wukong, who had kept a prudent distance, watched coldly. Her gaze, normally cunning and mischievous, was filled with contained anger, a silent fury that burned in her chest. Sengo had killed her sworn brothers, and that action could not be forgiven.

"That damn monster..." she muttered, clenching her fists around her staff, the Ruyi Jingu Bang, which could change size at will.

The Monkey King, as many called her, was known for her playful and carefree spirit, but this time her face showed a seriousness that was not usual for her. Sun Wukong wasn't just in that battle to defeat a formidable foe; she was there to avenge the death of her companions, to cleanse the honor of those Sengo had slaughtered.

The dust began to settle, revealing Sengo's figure. Wounded, but still standing, his body burned and scarred from the combined attacks. However, a hoarse laugh escaped his lips.

"Is that all they have? I thought legendary heroes would be more... entertaining."

Sengo's words only further ignited the fury in Sun Wukong. Memories of her fallen brothers filled her mind, and with a cry of rage, she finally rushed to the attack. Her Ruyi Jingu Bang grew in size as she rushed towards Sengo, each step resounding with outsized strength.

"This is for my brothers!" she shouted, her voice laden with hatred and pain.

The staff, now gigantic, descended with unstoppable force, aiming directly at Sengo's head. It wasn't just a blow meant to defeat him, but a discharge of the Monkey King's revenge. Sun Wukong, moved by loss and the desire for revenge, unleashed all her power in that attack, determined to crush the creature that had caused her so much damage.

Sengo didn't need to say a word. With a barely noticeable smile on his lips and a look filled with fierce amusement, he thought to himself, "It's my turn."

In the blink of an eye, he moved. Its speed was overwhelming, almost impossible to follow even for the trained eyes of heroes. Before Sun Wukong could react, she felt Sengo's relentless grip on her neck. The sound of the earth breaking echoed as Sengo crushed it to the ground with terrifying ease. The impact was so violent that the earth itself split, creating cracks that spread around it.

The other heroes watched in amazement as Sun Wukong, a legendary warrior, lay with her face buried in the ground under Sengo's hand.

Wasting no time, and with ruthless precision, Sengo raised his right elbow and plunged it directly into Sun Wukong's stomach with outsized force. The impact was so brutal that a heartbreaking crack was heard, probably from ribs fractured by the blow. Sun Wukong's body trembled violently under the weight of the attack, her breathing became gasping and painful.

Still, Sengo stood still, his gaze charged with a strange mixture of calm and sadism, enjoying the damage he caused.

As Sun Wukong gasped in pain, trying to catch his breath, Sengo leaned slightly towards her, his tone mocking and cold:

"Don't let your desire for revenge consume you. Hatred clouds your judgment and prevents you from thinking clearly... Do you really think that this way you will be able to kill me?"

His words were calm, but charged with a stinging cruelty. As he spoke, Sengo raised his leg deliberately slowly, as if enjoying the moment, and dropped it with outsized force on Sun Wukong's back. The impact was devastating, a crack echoing through the air as the warrior's body was pushed deeper into the earth, as if it were being devoured by the ground itself.

The earth split even further, creating a crater around Sun Wukong, which could barely move under the pressure. The blow had sunk her several meters underground, while Sengo watched with his only red eye glowing, savoring his advantage.

In the blink of an eye, Thor broke his boundaries. With all of his superhuman strength channeled, he swung his hammer Mjolnir with outsized speed and power. The hammer, charged with the power of the lightning, struck directly in Sengo's face, discharging an explosion of electrical energy that shook the battlefield.

Simultaneously, Heracles, with his right leg ready, threw himself from behind. Their goal was clear: to hit the back of Sengo's head with all his superhuman strength. Both heroes, one attacking from the front and the other from behind, sought to destroy Sengo's head with a single combined blow.

However, the impact that would have been lethal to any other being was virtually useless against Sengo. The [Leo's Sun Authority], which he had stolen from Heracles centuries ago, protected his body from the devastating effects of these physical attacks. Sengo's skin did not give way; his bones did not break. Both attacks, although brutal, did not achieve the goal of dismembering or destroying his body.

Karna, who had patiently observed the chaos, knew that these attacks would not be enough to defeat Sengo. In his hand, he held his most powerful weapon, the spear Vasavi Shakti, charged with the energy of the [Cosmology of Zoroastrianism], the only power capable of weakening Sengo, but, not seriously hurting.

Thor and Heracles had been the perfect decoys. While Sengo reveled in his own arrogance, confident that his Authority would protect him from harm, Karna focused all his power on the spear. The time had come, and with a cold and calculated gaze, he launched the Vasavi Shakti with inhuman precision, aimed directly at Sengo's heart.

When Sengo finally sensed Karna's attack, it was too late. The spear pierced the air like a shooting star, overflowing with cosmic energy. Before Sengo could react, the spear struck his body, where the Zoroastrian Cosmology fulfilled its function by internally wounding and releasing devastating spiritual energy that made the ground around him tremble. Sengo's cry of pain rang out, marking the first time in this fight that King Oni felt the real pain.

But even in his wounded state, Sengo did not give up. With his body burning and his wounds open, he turned to Heracles, the closest of his opponents. With unleashed fury, he grabbed the Greek hero's head with one hand and, in a brutal movement, delivered a knee that crunched Heracles' bones, knocking him unconscious instantly. Sengo's superhuman strength exceeded all limits, his anger only fueling his power.

Thor, seeing Heracles fall, tried to intervene again, but Sengo, still reeling, launched a flurry of martial arts attacks that he had perfected since his youth under Yoshi's tutelage. Each blow was precise and deadly, breaking through Thor's defense and leaving him severely injured.

At that moment, Scáthach, who had been waiting for her chance, joined the battle. An expert in martial arts and with the deadly spear Gaé Bolg in hand, she threw herself towards Sengo. The two warriors collided in a brutal exchange of melee blows, each seeking the other's weakness. Scáthach's spear, cursed and fearsome, managed to penetrate Sengo's defense, causing deep wounds and opening new scars on his body.

Through it all, Sengo stood firm, refusing to budge. His enemies, though powerful, had not yet managed to defeat him completely. But with each passing second, the energy of the [Zoroastrian Cosmology] kept eroding his resistance, bringing him closer and closer to his limit.

In an instant, a second copy of Karna's spear struck Sengo's back. He was so focused on his hand-to-hand combat with Scáthach that he did not anticipate the attack. The spear, imbued with the [Cosmology of Zoroastrianism], pierced his defense, penetrating deep into his back and severely damaging his right arm. The cosmic energy spread quickly, numbing his muscles and leaving him unable to move his arm.

The pain was unbearable, but Sengo stood his ground, now forced to defend himself with only his left arm. Scáthach, seizing her advantage, intensified her attacks with lethal precision, each blow of her spear Gaé Bolg seeking to open new wounds. Despite being wounded, Sengo continued to resist, dodging and blocking attacks as best he could, his entire body struggling not to give in.

The tension between the two fighters was palpable. The pace of the fight had changed, and although Sengo was badly injured, his will to continue fighting had not wavered. Scáthach, with her cold, calculating gaze, showed no mercy as she continued to attack, knowing that he had to seize this opportunity while Karna provided him with support.

But Sengo, still wounded and limited, had not been completely defeated.

Sun Wukong suddenly appeared, throwing herself into combat alongside Scáthach. The attacks began to come from two fronts: Scáthach attacked with her spear Gaé Bolg from the front, while Sun Wukong, recovered from the previous blow, moved nimbly, throwing quick and accurate blows with her Ruyi Jingu Bang staff from behind.

Sengo, despite being wounded, did not back down. His battle instincts, sharpened by centuries of fighting, were elevated to a new level. Moving with pinpoint accuracy, he blocked Scáthach's attacks with his left arm while dodging Sun Wukong's attacks from behind. Every movement was fierce, as if fueled by the same violence on the battlefield.

As the fight intensified, Sengo began to gain ground. His reflexes sharpened with every blow he received, taking advantage of every in his opponents' attack patterns. The sound of the weapons colliding echoed in the air, and for a moment, it seemed that Sengo would be able to outperform even two opponents at once.

However, at that instant, Karna, who had been watching carefully, began to prepare his final move. The legendary warrior, with his cool determination, conjured fifty copies of his spear Vasavi Shakti, each loaded with the destructive [Cosmology of Zoroastrianism]. His goal was clear: to kill Sengo once and for all.

Sengo, caught up in the frenzy of battle against Scáthach and Sun Wukong, did not perceive the imminent danger. Karna, with lethal precision, threw all the spears in a devastating attack. At the last second, Scáthach and Sun Wukong leapt out of range, escaping the torrent of spears falling from the sky.

Sengo, without that opportunity, was hit by the entirety of the attack. The spears struck his body with a burst of energy, and the earth itself trembled under Karna's power. Though wounded and weakened, Sengo remained standing, still clinging to his survival instinct. But the severity of his wounds was evident, and the combined forces of his enemies had pushed him to the limit.

As the dust settled from the devastating hail of spears, the heroes warily observed the spot where Sengo should have been annihilated. However, what they saw left them perplexed. Despite the immense strength of the combined attack, Sengo was still standing, wounded, but still intact. None of Karna's spears had pierced his body. The power of Leo's Sun Authority, a Gift that Sengo had stolen from Heracles, proved to be as formidable as they feared.

Scáthach, with an expression of disbelief, kept her gaze fixed on Sengo. "How is that possible? This man... Their resistance is monstrous."

Sun Wukong, still breathing heavily from the strain of battle, clenched her staff furiously. "That [Gift]... the [Authority of the Sun of Leo]. Now I understand why so many heroes and [Demon Lords] covet him. It is the key to their survival."

Thor, his hammer still in hand, watched with a frown. "Even after all that... it still stands. Not even the combined forces of all of us were enough to bring him down."

Karna, who had launched the decisive attack, closed his eyes for a moment. "The [Leo Sun Authority] not only grants him an almost impenetrable defense, but makes him immortal in a sense. Even if we attack him with everything we have, as long as that [Gift] is still with him, he will keep coming back."

As they pondered the situation, something strange began to manifest. A vortex of darkness, deep and ominous, appeared near Sengo. The heroes recognized him instantly. He was the dreaded [End Emptiness], an entity of absolute destruction in Little Garden, capable of absorbing everything he touched.

Sun Wukong's eyes widened in surprise. "The [End Emptiness]? How...?"

Thor stared at the vortex in disbelief. "It can't be! Why is he here now? This is a power that even we can't control!"

Before they could react, the [End Emptiness] began to suck Sengo into its depths. The Oni, still standing, seemed weakened, unable to resist. In a last-ditch effort to stay conscious, his body was completely absorbed into the darkness, disappearing from Little Garden.

The heroes exchanged glances, surprised and bewildered. Scáthach was the first to break the silence. "We don't know where he sent him... But one thing is for sure. Sengo is no longer here."

With the disappearance of King Oni, the battlefield fell silent, as each of them contemplated the mystery behind their unexpected defeat.

❅────✧✦✧────❅•

Sengo, in pain and dazed, began to regain consciousness. The faint glow of spirit stones softly illuminated the interior of the cave he was in. The rock walls seemed to vibrate with an energy unknown to him, but what baffled him most was the place itself. How had he gotten there? He still felt the echo of the battle he fought against the heroes in Little Garden, and a more recent memory came to mind: he had been swallowed by the [End Emptiness], as well as by the girl he saw naked at the spring.

With a sigh, he leaned against one of the nearby rocks, trying to contain the pain that ran through his body. "It saved me..." he thought, referring to the dark entity that had brought him out of impending death. Sengo also looked at his bandaged torso and arms, remembering that it was the girl who should have taken care of it.

He decided to explore his surroundings. Although his body was still weakened, he did not allow himself to sit still for long. Walking towards the exit of the cave, he noticed that, outside of it, the landscape was calm, with a clear sky and mountains in the distance. However, what captured his attention was the figure of the girl, probably about thirteen or fourteen years old, training with a sword.

The girl was focused, moving with a surprising skill for someone her age. The sword she wielded caught Sengo's attention. It was a one-handed longsword, with a red-colored bezel that seemed to emanate a sinister glow. The blade, completely black, gave it an almost demonic appearance, as if it hid a dark power inside.

Sengo, watching from a distance, frowned. "That sword..." he thought, intrigued. I didn't know its name or its origin, but it was clear that it was no ordinary weapon. There was something about her that made him uneasy, a feeling he couldn't identify. The young woman, for her part, seemed to handle it with a dexterity that far exceeded what one would expect from one so young.

The Oni remained silent, watching the scene and trying to understand where it had ended. His thoughts were intermingled between gratitude for being alive and uneasiness about the sword before him.

As he watched her, he began to notice the surroundings in greater detail. The spirit flames that he had previously sensed in the cave also emanated an energy similar to that of the young woman's sword. It was as if everything around him was connected by an invisible thread of spiritual power, a force Sengo couldn't ignore.

He decided to get a little closer, although still silent, so as not to interrupt the young woman's training. I wanted to take a closer look at that strange power, and perhaps, get some answers.

Getting close enough, he watched as the girl stopped her training and then looked at him.

"I'm surprised you woke up," she said, her eyes reflecting amazement at the sight of Sengo. From her perspective, she saw him wrapped in bandages covering his torso and arms, reminding him that he had treated his wounds and cleaned up the blood that flowed from them. In her mind, Sengo had been on the verge of death. She was surprised to see him walk and wake up just two days later. "It was only two days that you were at rest when I treated your wounds."

"Thank you." Sengo settled in by sitting on the ground and leaning his back on a rock for a better rest. "I'm sorry for the trouble you had to go through to help me with my injuries."

She shook her head. "Don't worry. You were seriously injured, I even thought you were going to die once I saw the wounds on your body. It was a miracle to see you breathe without difficulty."

The black sword disappeared from the girl's hand. Sengo put his fingers to his chin in surprise at that fact.

She saw Sengo's obvious surprise.

"It's my hired spirit, you might say."

"Your hired spirit?"

It's something Sengo didn't understand.

This confused the girl.

"Do you know what an elemental user is?"

"If you talk about using magic, I do know it."

A small fire appeared in Sengo's palms.

Now the girl was surprised.

"A man cannot have spirit magic, and neither can he make a spiritual contract with a spirit."

She remembered the legend of the Sulaiman Demon King, but denied that fact. After all, she had Sulaiman's Ring in her possession and where her best friend, Restia Ashdoll, was previously sealed.

So it wasn't possible for that boy to have a hired spirit, but, on second thought, there was no way he could have survived without some other supernatural force.

"So, men can't use magic," Sengo muttered. "Where I come from, it's natural. Even the weakest humans can activate magic, even if it is weak in them. But your reaction tells me another story."

"Only pure women have the privilege of making a contract with a 'Spirit,' and we are known as 'Elementalists.' That's why I'm surprised to see a man using magic."

"So that's the reason," Sengo said, looking up at the sky. "Now I perfectly understand your surprise and how this world works."

(What should I do now?) Sengo thought. (My spiritual energy is failing. The spears that hit my body are obstructing his recovery... I may stay in this place for five years...).

Sengo scratched the back of his head. "This is a nuisance," he muttered.

"A question."

Sengo looked at the girl and motioned for her to continue.

"I couldn't take the patch off your left eye. It was like it was stuck to your skin. I tried to see if you had any wounds, but I had no luck."

"There's no way I'm going to allow them to take the patch off. In that eye there is a strange black hole that behaves strangely."

"Strangely?" Although everything he said surprised her unimaginably, her curiosity was stronger.

"For some reason, he likes to absorb anything to do with darkness."

She opened her eyes, surprised.

"Then, that eye is dangerous to my sword of darkness."

"Yes, it's better that you never take the patch off me. It could cause something unimaginable."

She understood how crucial that patch on his left eye was. Under no circumstances was he to be released.

"Ah, all this, who are you?"

Sengo was blank. It was the first time someone had asked him that question in a long time. Fragments of his past began to invade his mind, memories of a life he had left behind. He was no longer Senji Muramasa. Now it was the [Demon Lord] King Oni Sengo. Before he was simply Sengo, but after murdering his own father, corrupted by the madness of Angra Mainyu, he obtained the title of "Oni King" in his name and then came the [Demon Lord], so he was currently hailed as the [Demon Lord] King Oni Sengo.

Ren was puzzled, feeling that her simple question had unleashed something deep inside the boy.

"Well, I am many things. I guess in this world he would be considered a "Demon King." I have killed countless people, both innocent and evil. Either way, they consider me a "Monster" where I come from."

Although fear invaded her, Ren did not allow her emotions to reflect on her face or posture.

"My name is Sengo... Or you can call me Senji Muramasa, whichever you prefer. I already told you who I am, without hiding my past." Sengo looked at the girl. "What's your name?"

Ren couldn't run away. Even though Sengo was wounded, she felt that escaping was not an option; Something in him told him that she would not make it. Killing him wasn't either, although for some reason, it felt as if an invisible blade grazed her neck, even though there was nothing there.

"Ren Ashbell... and I don't think it's a pleasure to meet you, Senji Muramasa."

"No, it's not. Not after listening to my past. I doubt that anyone in their right mind would want to meet a psychopath like me, let alone become their friend."

Ren nodded, remaining calm.

"By the way, where are we? It's something I'd like to know as well."

"This place is 'Astral Zero'. It is reached through an "Astral Gate". There are many in different places, so it's easy to access this world."

"Interesting. Anything else I should know about this place?"

"In Astral Zero, humans with physical bodies and divine powers are treated the same as spirits. This means that physical bodies suffer minimal damage when attacked, although the pain is felt normally. However, instead of harming the body, attacks affect the mind. Severe damage can cause memory loss, mental destruction, and even the risk of not regaining consciousness. It is an ideal place for combat practices, duels and official confrontations."

"So... mental pain..." Sengo muttered, hiding a small stone in his hand. Suddenly, he threw it towards Ren's head, who was hit squarely.

"That hurt!" she protested, rubbing her head from the blow. "Did you really use me as an experiment to see if I wasn't lying to you?!"

"Yes, but seeing that you're right, there's no need to do another experiment."

"You damn stupid!"

Ren complained, her long black hair standing on end like that of an angry cat as she glared at Sengo angrily.

"You also mentioned official fighting and matchups. What confrontations are you talking about?"

"Grrr!" Ren grunted, but finally answered Sengo's question. "It is the "Blade Dance", a ritual offered to the "Five Great Elemental Lords" that takes place in the spiritual realm, "Astral Zero". Elementalists from all over the continent gather to participate in a kind of sword dance. Although it is now a great festival of combat between fellow elementalists, but it also has an additional goal: the winner will get a "wish" that the "Five Great Elemental Lords" will fulfill. Any desire will be granted, even eternal life is possible."

A long smile appeared on Sengo.

"That sounds fun. And it's a shame, I'm sure it's for women."

"Yes, after all men cannot make a spiritual contract with a 'Spirit.'"

Sengo put his fingers to his chin, thoughtful.

"Fine, I'll go with you. Watching you train, you will also participate in this Blade Dance, so I will accompany you to watch the fights as a spectator."

"It is not necessary-"

"I already said I'm going with you, I'm not going to change my words."

"But-"

"Come on, we have to get to the place where the Blade Dance will be held."

Sengo grabbed Ren, easily carrying her with his right arm as he continued to walk straight.

"Good..." Ren gave up, letting Sengo accompany her, even though she felt she was obligated to have him as her traveling companion.