White Sand

In White Sand village. . .

Rue spawned back into the ruined village and immediately raised her eyebrows in shock. A barrier manifested and caged around her. Chains leapt from the ground and wrapped around her, dragging her towards the ground.

Gray energy crackled as she attempted to shatter the chains with her Demonic Energy. At most they creaked and shuddered but they didn't even crack.

"It's as you said! She's back!"

"Quick someone inform Yams. It was a good thing we prepared a trap of Second Stage!"

'Second Stage?', Rue thought.

Considering the strength of these 'First Stage' individuals and the power of this trap Rue presumed these 'Second Stage' individuals were even stronger. She was elated at the thought! Someone even stronger! She pushed against the chains attempting to shatter them but even still they remained strong.

A few minutes later an individual dressed in a warlock cloak and a hood that shadowed their face teleported to White Sand village. In their hand a book made of skin and flesh. Rue tilted her head with difficulty as she looked at this book. A smile steadily forming on her face.

"Demon summoning?", she asked.

The one referred to as Yams turned his gaze towards Rue. His expression was shadowed by his hood. A harrowing laugh escaped his lips, "You recognize it do you?"

Rue's smile grew wider, "How close are you?"

"Why should I tell you that?"

"Considering the size of this village, it has to be a greater one.", Rue egged on this 'Yams'.

"Indeed. A High Class. Our effort has spread across multiple villages."

Her smile slowly faded. The concept of a "High Class" Demon wasn't familiar to her. Rating did not exist for the Demonfolk. It was simply the Lord, Generals, and Demonfolk. Perhaps Class referred to the level of strength? Or did the Demonfolk of this 'A World's Legacy' live more civilized lives devoid of constant war?

She was unwilling to let Yams feel any form of confidence however. So she let her smile fade thoroughly and spoke in a disinterested tone, "Is that all?"

"All? This is a Demon of the highest strength! A candidate of the Demon Lord!"

Rue suppressed the urge to laugh. Managing to look up from her bound self she asked, "And?"

"And?!", Yams inhaled furiously before composing himself, "Not that it matters. I simply held some interest in you. An alleged level one killing First Stage individuals. Unheard of."

"They weren't that strong."

"So it would seem. Just in case I had them prepare a Second Stage trap to see if you'd break that, and it seems you cannot."

"It's quite comfortable."

Yams' eyebrow twitched but this wasn't revealed, "In the case you were Second Stage I decided to handle you myself, but to think you really are just level one."

"Oh?", Rue's eyes shone, "You have such strength?"

"As a Third Stage, naturally."

A Third Stage! This must be even stronger than those supposed Second Stage individuals! Rue grinned, "Want to put it to the test?"

"I'm not interested in clashing egos."

Yams raised a hand and the pages of the flesh book began to flip dramatically. A ball of deep red flame manifested Yams hand, "A punishing flame, with this your respawn will be delayed by several hours. Enough time for us to move on."

"So much effort for just me~?", Rue flashed a teasing smile.

Yams threw the ball of flame and it landed on Rue. The chains and barriers shattered in the face of this flame. Rapidly it encompassed her, and the flame bellowed violently. Then the color shifted to gray.

A beautiful laugh escaped from Rue. Standing to her feet she extended a hand and the flame shifted to her palm. As a Demon Lord her command of anything Demonic surpassed that of a mere book! 

She was ecstatic! To think her authority rang true in this world! No wonder Akiol wanted her to investigate! This place. . . it was truly amazing!

Yams stepped back in shock, "What?"

Snapping her hand shut Rue absorbed the flame. Gray demonic energy violently clapped as the other players were struck down. Their charred bodies twitched and a few items remained at their bodies.

Although the might of the flame surpassed that of the absorbed First Stage individuals, it was lacking in quantity. She already used half of it to strike down the spectators. Still she smiled, "Can't you use them to fulfill the summoning requirements?"

Yam's cloak bellowed as mana gathered. A bolt of blue lightning shot forth. Rue raised an eyebrow. Gray Demonic Energy shot forth and collided with the bolt of lightning. Considering that this was a Skill from Yams, Rue could not utilize her authority as Demon Lord to control it.

Another large fraction of the absorbed flame was utilized. Rue's smile didn't fade as she spoke aloud, "Chantless?"

"How can you react to Third Stage speed?! You're just a level one!", Yams prepared another spell.

"You're so obvious that's how!", Rue laughed.

"I'll show you obvious!"

Rue's eyes glinted with joy. As expected nothing was easier than getting under the skin of an amateur who believed they were in control. Thus she completed a set of conditions, and utilized the last bit of the power from the absorbed flame.

{Ternary Scale: Alecto}!

The pages flipped in Yams' hand as a portal manifested underneath Rue. Several Demonic hands reached out to drag her in, but in the face of the gray energy they visibly flinched. Retracting back until the portal closed by itself.

"Lose yourself in a fit of rage.", Rue's voice echoed with strength. 

Pages flipped and Yams summoned a demonic spear. It shot forth and paused right before hitting Rue. Reaching out she grabbed it and threw it towards Yams. It pierced his side and passed through without stopping. 

"You damn-!! What are you?!"

Words echoed through Yams head as he relied on the strength of the flesh book. The pages flipped as he struggled to find the right spell.

Rue took a casual step forward. She actually had no other means of hurting Yams. This much became clear after Yams survived the spear. Although Rue was capable of contending against First Stage, she didn't stand a chance against a Third Stage. Normally that is.

There was a few key points in this battle that gave her an absolute advantage! First was naturally the book Yams used! Her authority as Demon Lord gave her absolute control of whatever spell came out of that book. Second was the conditional {Ternary Scale: Alecto}! It magnified the rage in its target's heart and slowly clouded their thoughts. Sending them in a fit of madness and rage. Yams, with his clouded judgement, relied on the strength the book gave him. Which in turn was something Rue could use!

There was an additional condition to this however. {Ternary Scale: Alecto} was not nearly as powerful against stronger opponents. The only reason why it worked so well against Yams was because of that book! His reliance on it made his body more prone to accepting Demonic Energy. Thus Rue's technique was able to afflict him with very little resistance.

This was an utter terrible match up for Yams! 

Rue's voice echoed in his head, "So close too. . ."

"Would you shut up!", Yams settled on a spell as the book stopped flipping.

A large double door opened behind Rue. Tendrils launched forth threatening to consume her, but they flinched and returned against the Demon Lord's authority. The door shut without accomplishing anything. There was a limit to madness however, even in his confusion Yams was able to realize his attacks were useless and stopped relying on the book.

Rue's grip on the glaive weakened and she frowned. Examining her arms she found her veins bulging with a gray color. A frown forming on her face. There was a limit to her as well. Considering she picked human as a starting race, her body wasn't built to withstand the raging amount of Demonic Energy she had been harvesting. 

A bout of bad luck. Out of the spells Yams chose, many couldn't be turned against him. Rue sighed in her heart, she was having so much fun too.

A regular large ball of fire formed above Yams, "Die already!"

Rue jumped to the side, or attempted to. Her legs spasmed and failed to heed to her command. She fell to a knee and clenched her teeth. Raising the glaive she swung towards the descending ball of fire, when a beam of black energy shot it to smithereens.

"About time I found you."

A pressure slammed against Yams as he struggled to raise his hands. Rue looked towards the source and found a strange figure approaching. His armor was holding on by threads, he looked particularly torn. Yet a white mask with a singular dot remained pristine on his face. Two swords radiating an impressive might at his hip. 

Rue suppressed her smile at this moment. She recalled Akiol's previous words and was able to recognize who this was. 

This was that so called 'Dot'!