The demon and the mysterious man appeared without warning, emerging from a swirling distortion in the broken void. Their arrival was silent, but the space around them trembled as if recognizing their terrible presence. Below them, two shattered figures—one white-haired man and one red-haired demon—floated helplessly, their bodies cracked, torn, and drained after the brutal battle that had devastated the area.
Without hesitation, the two newcomers thrust their swords into the chests of the white-haired man and red-haired demon. The moment the blades pierced flesh, faint wisps of soul energy scattered into the void like sparks drifting into darkness. The two dying warriors, who moments earlier had shaken the void with their power, could do nothing but allow their broken souls to flee.
The demon bent down, grabbing the limp body of the red-haired demon. He stored it in a spatial ring with a flick of his wrist. Blood still seeped from several wounds on the corpse, staining the demon's fingers.
"They ran with their souls," he said, his voice deep and rough. He reached again and stored the white-haired man's body as well. "Even in this condition, they managed to escape."
The mysterious man looked around the shattered void. The traces of the battle were everywhere—thousands of kilometers of fractured space, floating debris of shattered moons, and the lingering pressure of near-godly ki. He remained expressionless as he observed the remnants.
"Let them run," the man said calmly. "We obtained what we needed. Their souls may have survived, but they are completely broken. They cannot repair themselves now." His eyes gleamed coldly. "They will die anyway."
The demon nodded in agreement. There was no need to chase after crippled souls; the void itself would devour them in time. Their mission was complete. Without speaking further, the two figures opened separate spatial rifts. The rifts expanded into black, swirling entrances, humming with unstable energy. They stepped through, vanishing from the ruined battlefield as the rifts closed behind them.
Silence returned to the void. But two broken souls fled into the unknown.
...
[500 YEARS LATER]
Far from the battleground of gods, the continent of Kraunca stretched beneath the sky like an ancient sleeping beast. Mountains pierced the clouds, rivers cut across vast plains, and countless cities thrived under the rule of various empires. Despite five centuries passing, not a hint remained of the distant, forgotten war between the white-haired man and the red-haired demon.
Kraunca was divided into five regions: north, south, east, west, and center. The southern region was the most prosperous, home to three mighty empires—the Chul Empire to the east, the Mati Empire at the center, and the Shambh Empire to the west. Each empire was powerful in its own right, supported by the sects within their territories. Farmers, merchants, nobles, and warriors lived within these lands, cultivating ki and striving for strength.
The eastern, central, and western parts of Kraunca were all dominated by humans, while the northern lands belonged entirely to demons. Although wars had occurred in the past, a fragile tension maintained the balance between the two races.
Strength was everything in Kraunca. Warriors cultivated ki, broke through levels, and aimed for immortality and supremacy. Each realm was divided into nine sub-levels—the nine stars. From the lowest Chakra Opening to Practitioner Warrior, all the way to Master Warrior, Grandmaster, Spirit Warrior, Overlord Warrior, King Warrior, Emperor Warrior, Ancestor Warrior, Venerable Warrior, Half-Saint, Saint, Demigod, God Warrior, God King, and finally God Emperor—the pinnacle of existence.
Only legends had reached the highest peak... and the world believed those legends long dead.
...
In the Mati Empire, within one of its major cities, Trapura, life bustled as usual. Merchants shouted in the streets, hawking herbs, talismans, and weapons. Young cultivators sparred in open courtyards. Guards patrolled the roads, maintaining peace among the people.
Among the crowded streets, a sixteen-year-old boy walked quickly, clutching a small package of herbs. His red and black clothing fluttered slightly in the wind, matching well with his black hair and sharp black eyes. His name was Eklavya Rudra, the young master of the Rudra Clan.
His clan mansion stood only a few dozen meters ahead when he spotted someone exiting the main gate—another boy around his age, dressed in a luxurious green outfit, accompanied by two armoured guards. His expression was proud, arrogant, and irritatingly amused. This was Vihaan Marwah, young master of the Marwah Clan.
The moment Vihaan saw Eklavya, he smirked and walked faster, as if eager for confrontation.
"Oh? If it isn't the young master of the Rudra Clan," Vihaan laughed, stopping directly in front of him. He glanced casually at the herb package in Eklavya's hand. "Just came from talking with your clan leader. Did you know… half of the Rudra market is now ours?"
He laughed loudly, obviously mocking.
Eklavya narrowed his eyes but remained calm. "I don't care about that. If it weren't for dirty tricks, how could my brother have lost last week's battle? Young master of the Marwah Clan—Vihaan Marwah."
Vihaan's expression twitched with annoyance before turning into a smug grin. "Hmm… a win is a win, Eklavya Rudra."
Eklavya smirked coldly. "Move aside."
Vihaan stepped closer for a moment, lowering his voice. "I'll see you later. Just wait." Then he turned away with a wave of his hand, his guards following behind him.
Eklavya exhaled quietly and headed straight into the clan mansion. When he reached the main hall, he saw his father sitting on the clan leader's chair, his hand on his forehead, looking exhausted. His father was a Spirit Warrior, usually proud and strong—but today, he seemed worn down.
"Father," Eklavya said, stepping closer. "What happened?"
His father looked at him but didn't answer immediately. "Go and practice."
Eklavya frowned. "I already know what happened. I met Vihaan outside."
"What can we do now?" his father sighed. "Your older brother acted impulsively and made that bet. We can't back out from it. Go practice. I will handle this matter."
Eklavya didn't argue. He stepped out of the hall just as all six elders of the Rudra Clan walked past him and entered the meeting hall. He glanced back briefly before heading toward his room.
Inside his room, he sat on his bed, closed his eyes, and began cultivating. Ki flowed through his chakras channel in slow, warm streams. His breathing deepened, and his presence grew calm.
But after a few minutes, he felt something shift in the air. A faint ripple. A strange vibration.
Before he could react, a spatial rift tore open beneath him. The floor disappeared. He dropped downward with a scream echoing through the distorted space.
...
[IN A SECRET REALM]
Somewhere far beyond Kraunca, beyond any city, continent, or even worldly dimension, stretched a secret realm filled with endless fields of bones—white and grey bones of beasts, humans, demons, and creatures long forgotten by time. Hills made of skeletons rose like mountains. The air itself smelled ancient, heavy with death and lingering soul energy.
Two figures floated above the sea of bones—the soul of the white-haired man and the soul of the red-haired demon. They were transparent and faint, barely holding onto form, weakened by centuries of decay.
"It has been five hundred years," the white-haired man murmured, his voice echoing strangely. "Five hundred years of waiting… searching for someone who can inherit our legacy."
The red-haired demon glanced at him. "At least," he said, "we finally found someone."
He made a hand sign with his spectral fingers. Energy rippled outward, and a rift opened in front of them. After a few seconds, Eklavya fell out of it, screaming in terror as he landed on a pile of bones.
He scrambled up, eyes wide with fear. Everywhere he looked—bones. Mountains of bones. Skulls staring at him from every direction. A cold shiver ran down his spine.
"Wh… where am I…?" he muttered. "Is this hell? What did I do to come here?!"
Then he looked up. Two floating figures hovered in front of him—transparent, glowing faintly, clearly not alive.
Eklavya's scream was immediate. "A-Ahhhh!! G-ghosts!"
The white-haired soul ignored his panic. He pointed toward Eklavya while asking the demon, "Is this the person you selected?"
"There wasn't any other option," the demon replied flatly.
Eklavya swallowed hard, trying to gather his courage. "W-Who are you? Why did you bring me here?"
The white-haired man spoke first. "We don't have time to explain everything slowly, so listen carefully. You were not chosen because of talent. We selected you because you are a new soul—untainted, unconnected."
Eklavya blinked in confusion, but before he could ask anything, the two souls raised their hands. Soul pressure exploded outward, pressing into Eklavya's sea of consciousness. His mind shook violently as countless fragments of knowledge, techniques, and memories poured into him. He staggered, clutching his head as waves of pain assaulted him.
When the pressure finally eased, he fell to his knees, gasping for breath.
The demon extended a token toward him. "One year from now, this secret realm will open. Use this token to enter. There are many treasures here—take whatever you can."
Eklavya took the token shakily. "Why… why would you give me your inheritance? Nothing in this world is free."
The demon smiled faintly. "You owe us two lives."
Eklavya blinked. "Huh?"
"First," the demon said, "you must kill Demon God King Mahasura."
The white-haired man continued, "And second, you must kill God King Avas."
Eklavya stared at them in disbelief. "Are you kidding me?! You both… you both are sending me on a suicide mission!"
"You will not fight them now," the demon said sharply. "You are not even an ant before them."
The white-haired man added, "You now carry both our inheritances and our sealed soul power. As you grow stronger, the seal will slowly open. And because you inherited a demon's power as well, a second soul will awaken inside you. It will be evil. You must suppress it."
Eklavya stood frozen, overwhelmed by fear, confusion, and disbelief. "Then… at least tell me your names."
The demon stood proudly. "I am Demon God Emperor Dashirsur."
The man followed. "And I am God Emperor Avrah."
A portal opened suddenly beneath Eklavya. He didn't even have time to scream before he fell through it. A moment later, he crashed onto the floor of his room as the rift opened above him and closed instantly.
In the secret realm, the souls of Demon God Emperor Dashirsur and God Emperor Avrah dimmed. Their forms flickered, then finally dispersed into faint motes of light.
The last remnants of two ancient god emperors vanished forever.