"How's the progress of the armies' assembly?" Mi Nuo replied, "Reporting to Your Majesty, except for the Tenth Army, which we can't contact, all other forces have been reorganized and are ready to advance on the Holy Kingdom of Tianlai and the Kingdom of Xiustan. Lord Jia Hu has also led his troops to the Xiustan border." "I leave the command of the human realm to you. I don't want to be disturbed by mundane affairs," Emperor Ba said, turning away. "Your servant obeys!" Mi Nuo bowed and withdrew.
In the room, the two Emilys continued their standoff. Though one was a clone, she looked identical to Emily, making Kaia and Judo hesitant to intervene, only able to watch. Other warriors also observed the battle's progress. No matter what magic Emily used, the clone could mimic it perfectly, and the two fought evenly. "I won't let a fake defile me!" Emily shouted while attacking. Kaia then suggested, "Use the move I taught you before." Emily understood immediately. She cast water magic, and the clone did the same. But Emily had hidden a thunder bomb in her water. As their water spells clashed, Emily was knocked back by the pressure, while the clone, hit by the water, triggered the thunder bomb inside. The combination of water and lightning created a conductive environment, and the soaked clone was paralyzed by the electric shock, collapsing. Emily borrowed Kaia's sword and approached the clone. "Goodbye, false me," she said, striking the clone, which turned to dust and vanished. The grueling battle was finally over, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
"Miss Emily, you're amazing!" the group rushed to congratulate her. After the battle, only 61 survivors, including the hero, remained from the original 500-strong force, decimated before even facing the Demon King. To Emperor Ba, this was barely an appetizer. "Emily, how much magic power do you have left?" Kaia asked. "Enough to cast high-tier magic, and the magic stored in my orb is more than that," Emily replied. "And you, Judo?" Kaia asked. "I might be able to use sealing magic one more time," Judo said. "Alright, everyone rest, treat the wounded, and then we move out," Kaia said, checking on the group. After tending to the injured and collecting the fallen warriors' bodies, the group set off again.
After some distance, a massive black stone door came into view, adorned with a ferocious beast carving. This time, no mysterious voice spoke, and the eerie silence was unsettling. Kaia approached to inspect the door, which stood dozens of meters tall. As he lightly touched it, the door slowly opened on its own. The group immediately went on high alert. The beast's eyes on the door glowed red, like a gate to hell. They cautiously entered, and the door remained open. The hall inside was vast, larger and deeper than any previous room, with a red carpet leading to distant stairs. Kaia and the others noticed a figure on the stairs—a massive silhouette. As they drew closer, some suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed. "Be careful, the demonic energy in this hall is too dense for humans to withstand," Emily warned. "How dull, ignorant, and fearless," the figure spoke. "Are you Emperor Ba?" Kaia said, gripping his sword, facing the figure's back. For some reason, Kaia began trembling, and his sword fell to the ground. As Emily tried to help him, she too was overwhelmed with fear. "I won't fear you!" Judo said, gripping his spear cautiously. Other warriors held their weapons, hearts pounding. The figure slowly turned, revealing the Demon King's visage for the first time. Some warriors fainted under his oppressive aura, others vomited blood, and some clawed at their hair in madness. "Is this the Demon King's true form?" Kaia, trembling, picked up his sword. Emily, without even attacking, sensed the vast gap in power and hid behind Kaia. "Hmph, I've observed your battles—worthless, meaningless displays. The chosen one I await is not among you. No matter, until he arrives, you'll serve as a warm-up," Emperor Ba said with a sinister smile.
"Don't get too arrogant! You're the one who plunged the human realm into chaos and kidnapped Sidorli. Today, we'll settle old and new scores!" Kaia shouted, casting a protective spell to recover. "No need for words. Come at me," Emperor Ba said, smirking as he returned to his throne.