The frontier.
Imperial army encampment.
Esdeath lounged in her chair, staring at the military map spread before her with waning interest.
"How utterly boring."
The so-called northern foreign tribes were proving laughably weak.
At this rate...
The war would end far too soon.
Yet she hadn't tasted even a hint of true combat thrill.
She shook her head, rising to retire for the night—when her gaze sharpened.
"What is this?"
A sheet of pitch-black parchment materialized before her, radiating an ominous aura.
Almost instinctively, she snatched it up.
[Devil Contract]
Esdeath's brow arched.
She didn't recognize a single character...
Yet the meaning flooded her mind clearly.
"A devil, hmm? How intriguing."
A smile curved her lips, dangerous and eager.
A glint of peril sparked in her icy eyes.
If it truly was a devil...
Could it satisfy her craving for battle?
She picked up a quill without hesitation and signed her name.
"Then come, devil—answer my call."
Anticipation flickered across her face.
What sort of powerhouse would a legendary devil prove to be?
That was her sole thought.
Everything else...
Didn't concern her in the slightest.
Though...
It was probably fake.
Her eyes gleamed skeptically.
After all, she'd never heard credible tales of devils actually existing.
If it turned out to be a prank, she'd hunt down whoever dared toy with her.
Just as disappointment crept in...
Dazzling light erupted within the tent.
Hum!
The contract floated from her grasp, transforming into a mysterious magic circle on the ground.
Esdeath's pupils contracted as she shot to her feet.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Crisp footsteps echoed.
A figure emerged from the circle and stepped into view.
A young man with black hair and eyes, dressed casually yet exuding aristocratic poise.
"You're... truly a devil?"
Esdeath stared in disbelief.
But the magic circle was undeniably real.
"You summoned me—yet you doubt?"
Kaiser smiled faintly. With a soft whoosh, sleek black wings unfurled from his back.
"This should be proof enough, no?"
Esdeath's eyes narrowed further.
Even for her, the sight was staggering.
Her entire worldview shuddered.
So he'd arrived in this world after all.
At the same moment, Kaiser's own eyes flickered subtly.
The instant he laid eyes on Esdeath, he knew exactly where he was.
A world brimming with beautiful women...
Yet steeped in profound darkness and despair.
Still, to him...
It held promise.
Countless dangerous Teigu beasts could yield substantial experience.
And the Imperial Arms themselves.
Most were beneath his notice.
But a select few possessed astonishing potential.
If he mastered their crafting techniques...
He could forge his own.
Most crucially...
This world teemed with candidates qualified for his contracts.
At that thought, a spark of interest lit his gaze as he regarded Esdeath.
"Then—what is your wish?"
Esdeath snapped fully back to reality.
Summoning a real devil had caught her off guard.
Her understanding of the world had been reshaped.
Devils... truly existed.
Yet...
It aligned perfectly with her desires.
Madness radiated from her as she declared boldly, "Simple. Give me a thrilling fight."
"That does suit you."
Kaiser's expression remained unchanged as he beckoned with a finger. "Well? What are you waiting for?"
"Heh heh."
Esdeath let out a low, predatory chuckle and wasted no more words.
She launched forward like a shooting star, an ice-forged military saber materializing in her right hand, trailing a chilling arc of light.
Boom!
A thunderous clash echoed.
The blade struck as if against unyielding steel.
Esdeath's eyes widened—she hadn't even grazed him.
An invisible force seemed to coat Kaiser's body...
Deflecting her strike entirely.
What power was this?
Esdeath approached every battle with deadly seriousness.
Facing a legendary devil...
She'd held nothing back from the start.
Yet...
She couldn't even breach his defenses?
Thud!
A fist slammed into her midsection, halting her momentum.
The next instant...
Overwhelming force erupted.
Visible ripples distorted the air in all directions.
Esdeath's body hurtled backward uncontrollably, smashing through the tent and collapsing it in a thunderous crash.
Hum.
Demonic energy surged, shredding the remnants of the canvas.
Kaiser stepped forward, a faint smile on his lips.
Demon King-class strength was already this dominant.
Even someone like Esdeath seemed outmatched.
He wondered...
How terrifying would Transcendents beyond that prove?
Meanwhile...
Countless soldiers, drawn by the commotion, stared in stunned silence.
The disheveled figure rising from the rubble...
Was none other than General Esdeath?
Who could possibly reduce her to such a state?
"Cough... cough..."
Esdeath coughed, a trickle of blood at her lips.
"Ah—looks like I held back a little too much."
Kaiser scratched his cheek at the sight.
It couldn't be helped.
To earn genuine submission from someone like Esdeath...
Overwhelming power was essential.
On the periphery...
The encircling imperial soldiers finally snapped out of their daze.
They'd started to roar and charge—only to meet Esdeath's icy glare.
Instantly...
Every soldier froze, realizing they were interfering.
Without delay...
They withdrew swiftly.
Not daring to disrupt General Esdeath's enjoyment.
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