Chapter 401: The Demon Emperor, Zerathos

"Failed, huh? What a load of crap..."

Standing in front of the mirror in a luxurious room, a young man shook his head in frustration.

He was of average height, with short brown hair and a handsome face.

If Elina had been there, she would have recognized him immediately—one of her brothers, Cassian Lorian.

However, unlike Cassian, who had always appeared gentle on the surface, this time he looked cold, indifferent, and stern.

This expression would confuse anyone who knew him and make them wonder if he was still the same Cassian.

"That’s normal. The demon I just summoned is weak. I was only resurrected a few days ago, and my power hasn’t fully recovered yet."

A deep male voice echoed in his mind.

Cassian frowned in dissatisfaction. A few days ago, while he was preparing a plan to defeat his brothers in the Empire’s anniversary celebration, that voice suddenly appeared in his head.

The figure introduced himself as the most terrifying entity from a thousand years ago—the Demon Emperor Zerathos.

Zerathos was the name of the Demon Emperor who had once wreaked havoc across the entire continent.

It had taken the combined power of human empires and kingdoms to overthrow him.

He was so powerful that the rulers of those nations had to create two Holy Swords and summon two people from another world just to defeat him.

What Cassian never expected was that the long-dead figure would suddenly appear as a consciousness within him.

At first, he was terrified. He didn’t know the demon’s purpose or why he was inside him.

However, when Zerathos explained that Cassian was one of his incarnations, he finally calmed down and began to accept the situation.

"In that case, can you summon another demon? I want Elina dead before the Empire’s anniversary ceremony begins in a few days," Cassian said coldly.

Among his rivals, Elina was the most dangerous and threatening.

Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen, who were once considered the frontrunners in the battle for the throne, were now overshadowed by Elina.

So, if Elina could be eliminated, Cassian’s path to the throne would become much smoother.

"That’s difficult, kid," the voice replied coldly. "Summoning a more powerful demon requires a lot of demonic energy. Like I said, I’ve only just resurrected. Even if I want to summon them, I’d have to find those demons myself. But I don’t know where they are, and I can’t go anywhere in my current condition."

In truth, he hadn’t expected Cassian to have such a strong desire.

Zerathos, who had initially thought he could immediately take over his body, was hit with the bitter reality that Cassian couldn’t be removed so easily.

In the end, he chose to cooperate with him in order to survive. Of course, his desire to control Cassian’s body hadn’t disappeared.

Little by little, he would still try to take over that body and rise again in this world.

Unaware of Zerathos’ hidden intentions, Cassian let out a deep sigh.

"I understand. But let me ask you—who is stronger, you or the Singularity of Chaos?"

Upon hearing the question, Zerathos fell silent. Then, in a calm voice, he replied, "I don’t know who is stronger. After all, the Seven Singularities didn’t exist in my era."

When asking about the changes that had occurred in this era, Cassian had mentioned the existence of the Seven Singularities.

As far as Zerathos could remember, such powerful figures did not exist in his time.

If they had, it would have been impossible for him to conquer the continent so easily.

He also asked about their power, and Cassian explained that they were extraordinarily strong—even capable of splitting the ocean.

"But..." Zerathos continued, "if I regain my peak power, I’m sure I can defeat the Singularity of Chaos."

That power was his confidence. With it, he had once brought misery and fear to all races.

"So that’s how it is..." Cassian couldn’t hold back a smile. "You’re that powerful, huh? That’s good for me in the future."

Elina had the Singularity of Chaos behind her, and Cassian had the Demon Emperor supporting him.

This battle for the throne was clearly a stage for the two of them to clash for power.

As for Aldric, Cedric, and Adalen, he underestimated them and didn’t take them seriously.

"Alright, that’s fine. I’ll wait for you to recover, and after that, I want you to summon a stronger demon. Do you understand?"

Zerathos was deeply annoyed by Cassian’s commanding and arrogant tone. But he suppressed it and replied indifferently, "I understand. Leave it to me."

...

Three days later...

Since winter had arrived, the atmosphere at sea had grown a little tense. It wasn’t because of danger or anything like that, but simply because the temperature had dropped drastically.

In previous seasons, daytime temperatures could reach twenty-five degrees, but in winter, they only reached thirteen to fifteen degrees.

The sunlight was blocked by snow-filled clouds, making the day feel noticeably darker.

Nolan and Sharon stood on the deck of the ship, observing the ocean in front of them.

"The Empire’s Anniversary Ceremony should have started by now, right?" Sharon asked.

Since she entered the academy, she had never gone home. Because of that, she had never attended the sacred ceremony for years.

"Yes, it should have started," Nolan replied with a slight smile. "Finally, this year I’m free from that boring ceremony. It feels so refreshing!"

Only he knew how annoying the ceremony was.

Two hours wasted just to hear his father say the same boring things every year.

Wouldn’t it be much better to spend that time sleeping?

"Pfft! You’re so naughty," Sharon giggled as she pinched his cheek. "If Father found out, he would be furious."

"He won’t find out if you don’t tell him." Nolan rolled his eyes.

The two continued joking until Jack’s excited voice came from behind them.

"We’re finally here! The port is visible in the distance!"

Nolan and Sharon were surprised. They exchanged glances for a moment before nodding slightly.

"Finally here! This damn journey is over."

Draco climbed onto the deck with a bright smile. He had been bored to death because he had nothing to do except train and train.

Fortunately, he had managed to stay sane. Otherwise, he would’ve gone crazy.

"Pfft! I didn’t think you were so dramatic, Draco." Cassiopeia chuckled softly. "But you’re right—I’m bored too. I even finished the dozen books I brought yesterday because I had nothing else to do."

Edward Layard’s books were indeed fascinating and enjoyable. But honestly, she was also tired of reading that much.

"Cassiopeia," Sharon called as she walked closer. "Has the news of our arrival been reported to the Kaldorian Kingdom?"

Cassiopeia nodded slightly. "Yes, Your Highness. Don’t worry, they should be welcoming us at the port."

Sharon didn’t say anything else. They waited quietly, and eventually the port came into clear view.

Strangely, however, there was no group of soldiers as they had expected. Only ten people were waiting for them.

"What’s going on? Why are there only ten people?"