Chapter 496: A new player.

The sky in that dimension was neither blue nor gray, but tinged with a hue reminiscent of ink spilled on rice paper: soft shades of lilac and gold, as if eternity rested suspended there. The breeze slowly stirred the leaves of the cherry trees blooming over the distant mountains, and the sound of a distant bell reverberated, marking a time that was not human.

On the varnished wooden balcony, leaning against the railing, stood the man. Tall, impeccably built, he wore a dark blue kimono embroidered with subtle patterns of dragons and clouds, so refined it seemed to belong to a forgotten era. His face was of a hard, almost cruel beauty, like a blade polished to reflect the secrets of the world. His long hair, black as night itself, was tied in a simple bun, supported by a jade rod.

He observed the landscape as if reading a poem written by nature itself. The lakes below reflected the mountains and flowers, and the roofs of the red temples rose like silent guardians against the still sky. Nothing in that world seemed to belong to the chaos of mortals. Here, there was only discipline, silence, and order.

Behind him, kneeling on the tatami mat, was his subordinate. A woman with delicate features, porcelain-white skin, her hair tied in a low bun adorned with a simple wooden ornament. Her kimono was gray, marked by a black sash that signaled subservience. Her posture was impeccable: her back straight, her hands resting on her thighs, her eyes lowered in reverence.

The silence lasted for long minutes, as if even the wind was waiting for permission to blow. Finally, the woman spoke:

“Master… I bring news from the underworld.”

The man didn’t turn around, but his eyes narrowed slightly, intent.

“Speak.”

His voice was deep, calm, but charged with an authority that needed no assertion.

The subordinate took a deep breath before answering:

“The fifth demon king… Vergil Lucifer… has not been seen in the underworld for over eight months. None of his movements have been detected. There are no records, no sightings, no trace of his presence.”

The man arched an eyebrow, still staring at the mountains.

“The fifth king…” he repeated in a meditative tone, as if tasting a bitter word. “Curious. A demon king with no domain, no territory, no legions… and yet, his absence is noted.”

He closed his eyes for a moment, letting the silence fill the space. When he spoke again, his voice was laced with an almost imperceptible disdain:

“The demons have lost their discipline. Kings who do not rule. Queens who hide. Is this what the underworld has become?”

The woman swallowed hard before continuing:

“Master… it’s not just King Vergil Lucifer. Other important figures have also disappeared.”

He finally turned his head slightly, as if curiosity had overcome his boredom.

“Oh?”

She lowered her head even further, her voice low as a whisper.

“Queens Raphaeline Baal, Sapphire Agares, and Stella Sitri… are also missing. No sight, no contact, no sign. It’s as if they’ve vanished from the board.”

A faint glint of interest appeared in the man’s eyes. He clasped his hands behind his back and walked slowly to the edge of the balcony, his footsteps silent on the wood. When he spoke again, there was something dangerous in his voice:

“Three queens and a king… missing at the same time.”

The subordinate continued, her head still lowered:

“And not only that. The Gremory clan has also closed its borders. Queen Cabernet Gremory has completely sealed off the territory.” No way in. No way out.

The man let out a low, cold laugh, like wind cutting through a blade.

“Fascinating.”

He paused, looking back at the golden landscape.

“Tell me, what do you think of this?”

The woman hesitated. Her lips moved, but no words came out. When she finally spoke, her voice was thick with caution.

“It’s possible… they’re in seclusion. Perhaps training, perhaps preparing something in secret. Or… they simply disappeared, fallen to some fate unknown to us.”

The man closed his eyes for a moment, savoring the possibilities.

“Training in silence… or running from something greater than themselves. Both are signs of weakness.”

He turned slightly, staring at his subordinate with eyes that seemed to pierce flesh and soul.

“But strangely convenient, isn’t it? That the four of them, of such importance, chose the same moment to disappear.”

The woman nodded silently.

The man, however, merely sighed. His fingers touched the wooden railing as if drawing invisible symbols.

“Keep watching them. I want constant reports.”

“Yes, master.”

Silence reigned again, broken only by the soft sound of the wind against the cherry blossoms. But then, the subordinate dared to raise her voice once more.

“Master… what about the youkai of Japan?”

The man’s eyes gleamed slightly.

“Hm. The beastly spirits…”

The subordinate lowered her head even further, her voice almost ceremonial.

“Inari-sama… recently gave birth. A new kitsune has been born.”

This time, the man turned completely. His face was now bathed in the soft light of the golden afternoon. His lips curved in a smile that was neither joy nor kindness. It was the smile of someone who saw a clear opportunity unfolding before them.

He descended from the veranda with firm steps, the hem of his kimono dragging lightly on the tatami mat, and walked to stand before the kneeling subordinate. He leaned in, his gaze piercing hers, forcing her to feel the weight of his presence.

“A new kitsune…” he murmured, as if it were a sacred revelation. “Then it seems the time has come.”

Her smile widened, cold as newly forged steel.

“It’s time we began to master the youkai.”

The woman trembled slightly, not from fear, but from reverence. She lowered her face until it almost touched the mat and answered firmly,

“Yes, my lord. Celestial Demon.”

He closed his eyes, absorbing the title. Celestial Demon. It wasn’t just a name. It was a sentence.

The wind blew again, sending a few flower petals tumbling through the air. They danced around him, as if the world recognized his authority.