Black String of Fate

It seemed as if they didn't belong in the world, but rather came to conquer and spread their way of life. While their sudden appearance took the strongest empire of that time down by surprise, it didn't take long for the world to unite against them and a savior to spring into existence.

"We're performing feats that The Elemental King was renowned for throughout history. Doesn't this make you excited?"

"It would have if it wasn't a fake scenario created by the trial. I don't really like fake things like this, it gets extremely tiring."

Xavier heard Seraphina's dismissal, catching on that there was something more to her dislike than just personal preference. It was a strange thing to be averse to such a niche idea, but he didn't want to probe further.

"Well, it'll be over soon. Just stay alive and keep your promise to me in case I die and this world is more than just an imagination. We will surely pass the trial, so I'm not worried for my life, but this boy is an unfortunate one to be possessed by someone like me. If this world continues to exist after my "death", I'll deprive innocent children of their only dependable figure."

Seraphina sighed as she heard him mention this once again, she looked into Xavier's eyes as she sternly said,

"Remove these weak doubts from your mind. This world is not real, and it'll cease to exist once we're done. You must've seen the proof from your own eyes when you stupidly revealed your true origins to a native. This trial is just a trial, nothing more, nothing less.

Right now, I want the fearsome Demon King, who struck abject terror in the hearts of all, to wield his blade fearlessly. If you want to change into a better person, you are free to do so after this trial. But, for now, be the ruthless demon king I know."

Xavier looked deep into the determined eyes of Seraphina. He stared for a few moments before sighing and saying,

"You are treading a fine line between light and darkness. Be careful, the end of this line is something far worse than the deep end of both extremes."

Without waiting for her reply, Xavier flickered away towards the demonic sect. Seraphina, not exactly understanding what he meant by that, shrugged her shoulders and headed towards the military camp established nearby the demonic sect.

"Commander, the response from the demonic sect has arrived." A messenger rushed into a big tent pitched for the use of Seraphina, holding a rather large box in his hands.

"Oh? Did they accept our terms and surrender? What was their response?"

"That…" The messenger hesitated for a second but soon closed his eyes in defeat as he opened the box.

Inside was the head of the messenger they had sent.

Seraphina's eyes turned cold as she said,

"With this casualty, the perpetrators have been established. We now have full justification to annihilate them without a speck in our history. Sir Xavier has already gone ahead, tell the captains to begin marching their soldiers."

"Yes, ma'am."

The messenger saluted before rushing off to the tents of the captains. The war had now begun.

**************

In front of the demonic sect, thousands of swordsmen were standing in a well-trained formation. They were on high alert, and their leaders, the 7 Grandmasters and 3 sages, were standing at the forefront.

Behind the army, was the heavenly demon sitting on a makeshift throne while wearing a demonic mask. He was dressed in a simple but high-quality black robe with gold designs, and beside him hung a sword deep black in color.

He was sitting leisurely when he suddenly felt the presence of a certain someone. He smiled with anticipation, waiting for him to reveal himself.

Xavier, who was walking through the forests towards the demonic sect alone with a sword in hand, smiled as he noticed the attention of a powerful being.

'This battle won't bore me.'

Rejoicing that thought, he took a deep breath and burst out the passive energy that he'd been suppressing for so long.

*WOOOSH*

From the swordsmen at the demonic sect to the soldiers assembled at the empire, everyone felt the fearsome aura of the demon king. Everyone, regardless of whether they were enemies or allies, shivered on the spot and felt as if a demon had come for their soul.

Everyone, except two people.

'...It's still weaker than his prime, but it shall be sufficient.'

'I never imagined such a being was hidden for so long under the same heavens as me.'

Seraphina took a deep breath and collected herself, and then started to help the soldiers get back to their senses. The heavenly demon did the same but with a far harsher method.

*WOOOSH*

He released his own passive energy and woke the swordsmen out of their stupor. The two auras clashed, both of a similar nature, trying to dominate the other.

"Greetings, heavenly demon. I'm Xavier, your spiritual successor."

The heavenly demon, though confused by the statement, stated his own greetings.

"Welcome, walker of the demonic path and traitor of the sect. Do not try to act honorable when you gain the upper hand by backstabbing."

The heavenly demon flickered and landed in front of his army, and at the same time, Xavier got out of the cover and stood face-to-face with the heavenly demon.

They both wore black, both had a demonic presence, and both carried themselves with the pride of being the strongest under the heavens.

It almost seemed like a reunion between a master and a disciple.

"While I'm here to engage you, I'll take the heads of the three sages. You know you can't stop me, so just step aside."

Xavier arrogantly declared in front of the heavenly demon and shocked the whole army, especially the three sages standing behind him. The eyes visible from the heavenly demon's mask twitched, as he sighed and said.

"I don't have any hopes of winning against you if I try to protect three deadweights. Kill them, they've been playing politics against me all this while instead of swinging their swords, their cause of death is their own weakness."

Xavier smiled and nodded as he instantly flickered out of sight and reappeared a second later with the heads of the Sages in his hands. They, the second most powerful voice in the sect and unmatched by any of the empire's forces, died in a blink of an eye.

"Let's move away from here, we don't want to kill our own men, do we?" Xavier proposed and the heavenly demon nodded, both moving within seconds towards a desolate land with no life around for hundreds of miles.