I did it…

I killed Cthulhu.

Watching the remnants of the Demon Lord float around in Outer Space, my mind was in the midst of a flurry. While I'd fully expected to defeat the Demon Lord, seeing it come to fruition still shocked me. With this, two out of the three known Demon Lords had been eradicated from existence…

All with my own two hands.

[Sora… Is this reality?]

[Hmmm? Did the Demon Lord do anything to you? Did you suffer from a mental attack?]

[No, never mind…]

I mentally chuckled and looked down at the blue planet I call home. I protected Earth from a Demon Lord. I defended my home from a Demon Lord. And most importantly… I saved my loved ones from a Demon Lord.

However, I shouldn't become cocky. The battle with the Outer Demons was far from over. After Eyghon and Cthulhu, one more beast was still threatening the planet. Not only that but based on Cthulhu's words, there was a Goddess to whom the Outer Demons were faithful. And there was no guarantee that there were only three Demon Lords.

But still…

[HAHAHAHA!!! I've really done it!!! I killed two Demon Lords!!!]

I couldn't hold back my joy anymore and shouted with everything I had. Of course, in the middle of Outer Space, my voice wouldn't come out, and no vibrations could be felt from my throat, but still… I let out a victory roar that would resonate till the end of time.

It wasn't a fluke like the time with Eyghon. It wasn't a fight where I was the weaker party and had to use tricks to defeat my opponent.

This time, I took on Cthulhu in full combat and won.

It was proof of my growth. Proof of my efforts. And proof that I'd achieved my goal.

To be the strongest person in the World.

[Jin… Have you gone crazy?]

[Haha, perhaps I have.]

It only took me a few seconds to fully regain my composure. The high from defeating a Demon Lord hadn't died yet, but I wasn't in any position to celebrate much longer. The scales of the Outer Demon war have shifted. With Cthulhu gone, the Goddess of the Outer Demons would have guessed my existence, and most likely, the invasion would step up a notch or two.

We would reach the next phase of this endless war, and many will perish in future battles. The Gates will no longer remain dormant and Outer Demons that were just as strong, if not stronger than Cthulhu, may continue to appear.

Nevertheless, I was prepared. With one Demon Lord under my belt, I had the utmost confidence that I could kill another. But, for now… I have some research to do.

Although Cthulhu had been killed, remnants of its body still remained. More importantly, remnants of that anti-magic black goo still floated around in space. I created an alternate pocket dimension, and with my control over the fabric of space, I isolated the mysterious liquid into one spot and sealed it within the dimension.

This was the first time my magic had been countered so perfectly. As a Vampire Progenitor, my magic was everything. If I'd lost it, I didn't have another method of countering my opponents. Essentially, the black goo negated ninety-nine percent of my effectiveness in battle.

I lucked out this time, as Cthulhu wasn't in its home territory and was working with what finite magic power it had. Otherwise, even with the support of the World Tree, I wouldn't be able to go against an endless ocean of that anti-magic black goo.

Which was why I had to rectify this weakness of mine.

When the threat of the Outer Demons has passed, I will study and examine this anti-magic goo to hopefully come up with countermeasures against it. But this wasn't the time.

There was still another Demon Lord on the planet.

[Sora, can you go for another round?]

[I can go for decades if you want, but don't tell me you're going to fight another Demon Lord right after you killed one?]

[Well, there's no better opportunity, isn't there? If Baishe returns to the Demon Realm, it would only return stronger.]

[Shouldn't you rest a bit? My magic power may be infinite, but your vessel isn't durable enough to withstand another battle like that. Besides, if it's that other Demon Lord, your comrades are dealing with it now.]

[My comrades?]

[You know, the ones with the white clothes and golden crosses. They summoned something interesting to tie the Demon Lord down. So far, it's working quite well.]

[The Holy Church? They summoned something?]

Given Sora's description, there was only one organisation I could think of. Plus, if they were summoning something, I had a decent idea of what it was. Closing my eyes, I directed my senses to the planet and scanned for distinct, magic signatures. It didn't take long for my 'eyes' to pick out two large chunks of energy, both foreign to the natural world, locking each other in a battle of pure attrition.

One of those energies was highly reminiscent of Cthulhu's. It felt otherworldly and beyond anything the Earth could produce naturally. While the other had a large mass of energy that I was familiar with.

After all, I fought against it just a few days ago.

My lips curled into a smile, and my mind was set almost instantly. Containing my excitement, I murmured out in my mind.

[Archangel…]

[What?]

[How fortunate… Demon Lords and Archangels. I got to see them both today. And once I study them and dissect their powers, I'll…]

[J-Jin… That's a really evil face you're making.]

[Is it? It must be your imagination.]

Shaking off the shivering World Tree fairy, I summoned my Soul Armament and discreetly teleported back to the planet. All done under cover of darkness…

??

"Cthulhu is dead…"

In the Demon Realm, two silhouettes were instantly notified of their compatriot's demise. As the Goddess of Destiny and the Demon Lord responsible for the future of all Outer Demons, Uriel was intricately connected with all the other Demon Lords. Therefore, the second that Cthulhu's lifeforce diminished, the Goddess could sense it, even if she was a galaxy away.

"Cthulhu? That blockhead? Even though Cthulhu is an idiot, no human on Earth is a match for that beast. Would Baishe have taken this opportunity to cleanse old grievances?"

"No, they won't betray our kind just for some petty differences of the past," Uriel replied to the dark figure with a solemn tone. She stepped forward, unveiling her inhumane yet, angelic appearance for the subject and determinedly said:

"They won't go against my word. Even if they aren't loyal to the Demon Sovereign and all of Demonkind, they can't betray me."

"... I apologise."

The dark humanoid bowed in reverence and didn't deny the Goddess' words, for she was right. While the Demons may not listen to their respective Demon Lords or even the Demon Sovereign himself, they would never betray the faith of the Goddess. Or, to be more precise, they couldn't cross the Goddess of Destiny even if they wanted to.

Such was the power of the second strongest Demon to ever exist in the Demon Realm.

"If it wasn't Baishe, then there's only one other possibility."

"Yes," Uriel turned her back and raised her head to the sky. Her eyes were hidden from view as she was blindfolded, but the black hooded figure could tell there was sadness within them.

"Our worst fear has come true. 'He' has become stronger…"

"..."

"I'd thought we had much more time… Fate is such a cruel thing. No matter how much I plan, how much I scheme, how much I pray… I can't stop destiny."

The hooded figure stood up and walked over to Uriel. If it had a physical body, it would have embraced the woman to give her a sense of comfort. Alas, all it could do was watch silently by her side as the Goddess of Destiny trembled.

"The Sovereign… Will he return?"

"Not yet," Uriel replied with a shaken voice. "Now that 'he' has awakened, the Demon Sovereign needs to increase every advantage he has. The battle against him will determine the fate of all Demonkind. If we disturb his isolated training, we will lose that advantage."

"Then I guess… I'm up next."

"Yes, I'm afraid you are." Uriel turned her face to the dark cloak, and even without pulling out her blindfold, the hooded figure could sense the intense emotions that lay within.

Fear.

The Goddess of Destiny was experiencing fear beyond her wildest dreams. Fear for the future, fear for all Demonkind and… Fear for one of her oldest comrades.

"Thanatos… You were created to kill 'him'. But there's no guarantee that you'll succeed. There's no guarantee that you will return from your journey. I tried my best to divine your best chances of killing 'him', but…"

"I understand… His magic is blocking your 'eyes' from seeing Fate."

"Yes," Uriel responded despondently. "I don't know the full extent of 'his' powers, and I can't imagine what heights he has already reached now that he's killed Cthulhu. But I have faith in you, Thanatos. God of Death."

Thanatos raised his head from the darkened hood, revealing a black skull with a red ruby of death enshrined within his crown. A dark aura which was just as repugnant as it was deadly radiated out from the undead skeleton. Everything that the aura touched 'died' almost instantly. From living creatures to solid rock. From molecules in the air to ancient trees that lived thousands of years.

Nothing could escape the potency of the death aura.

Everything, except the Goddess of Destiny herself.

"I will not fail you, Goddess. I will break the shackles of destiny and give you the future you've dreamed of." Thanatos knelt at Uriel's feet in reverence and declared.

"Thank you, Thanatos." Uriel's lips broke into a smile. "Thankfully, Cthulhu's energy must have remained on 'his' body, so I can use that to find his location. However, it'll take time and preparation to create a Gate large enough so that you can fit through. Your magic power is stronger than that of Cthulhu, and Baishe combined, after all."

"I await your orders."

"Yes… Then, I shall give you this order. The moment my preparations are complete, the Gate to 'him' is ready. Thanatos, you shall…"

Uriel reached out to the Demon Lord of Death and placed her pristine hands on the skeleton's radiating skull. And with a maniacal smile that was unbefitting of the Goddess who bewitched the entire Demon Realm, she declared:

"Kill him."