Dark devil arrives!

As Shan and Rosy walked toward the ominous gate, the air grew colder, and an eerie silence blanketed the area. Rosy couldn't shake the feeling of dread that coiled in her chest.

"Shan," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "Something doesn't feel right. Are you sure about this?"

Shan glanced at her but said nothing, his face set in determination.

Lucifer walked ahead, his stride confident and his gaze fixed on the towering structure before them. "This is it," he said, stopping in front of a massive, grotesque gate adorned with twisted carvings of screaming faces and shadowy tendrils. "The Gate of Dark. Open it, Shan."

Shan hesitated, staring at the gate. The sheer malevolence emanating from it made his heart race, but he steeled himself. Slowly, he placed his hands on the cold, jagged surface and began to push.

The gate groaned, resisting his efforts at first, but it began to creak open, inch by inch. As the gap widened, a wave of darkness poured out, enveloping the world in an unnatural night. Shan stumbled back, the oppressive force of the dark aura pressing down on him.

From the depths of the gate, a figure emerged—a man cloaked in shadows, his very presence radiating malice. His form was wreathed in dark tendrils, his glowing crimson eyes piercing through the gloom.

Lucifer bowed deeply. "My lord, I have fulfilled your will."

The dark figure smirked, his voice a chilling growl. "Well done, Lucifer. You've proven yourself a true devil."

Shan struggled to his feet, his eyes wide with a mixture of fear and fury. "Who is he?" he demanded, his voice trembling.

Lucifer turned to Shan, his expression unreadable. "He is the Dark Devil—the God of Darkness."

Shan's heart sank. "You lied to me," he spat. "You said this was the way to your home!"

Lucifer's smirk returned, but this time it was laced with cruelty. "And it is—after we rid this world of gods."

Shan's fists clenched as anger surged through him. "You promised me! You swore you'd leave this world!"

The Dark Devil let out a deep, rumbling laugh that shook the ground. "Silence, little boy. Go back to your home, or die here."

Shan stepped forward, defiance burning in his eyes. "I'm not letting you do this. I'll stop you!"

The Dark Devil's laughter only grew louder. "You? Stop me? Not even your precious Celestial King has the power to do that."

As Shan prepared to attack, a sudden force gripped his arms. He turned to see Legion, who had appeared out of nowhere. Before Shan could react, Legion grabbed both his and Rosy's hands.

"Let me go!" Shan shouted, struggling against Legion's grip.

Rosy's voice trembled with fear. "Shan, what's happening?"

Legion's expression was unreadable as he uttered, "You're not ready for this fight."

With a flash of dark energy, Legion teleported them to the castle. The world around them shifted violently, and they found themselves standing in the castle courtyard.

Shan stumbled forward, screaming into the night. "Stop! Come back! You can't do this!"

But Legion was gone.

Rosy placed a hand on his shoulder, her voice shaky. "Shan... what do we do now?"

Shan's shoulders slumped, his fists trembling at his sides. "We fight. No matter what, we fight."

Rosy paced nervously, her eyes filled with worry. "Shan, we've made a terrible mistake. We need to inform the Celestial King about this—now!"

Shan shook his head, his voice low and urgent. "No, Rosy. If you tell him, he'll kill us for what we've done."

Rosy stepped closer, her gaze fierce. "No, Shan. The Celestial King isn't like that. He's a kind and just ruler. He needs to know what's coming."

Before Shan could respond, a deep, resonant bell echoed throughout the castle grounds. The sound sent a chill down their spines as the castle erupted into frantic activity. Soldiers rushed to their positions, and the air was thick with urgency.

Rosy turned to Shan, her face resolute. "This is it. I'm telling him."

"Rosy, wait!" Shan called out, but she was already running toward the Celestial King's chamber.

Shan stood there for a moment, his heart pounding. Knowing there was no time to waste, he decided to find Elesta. Maybe she would understand.

As Shan made his way through the castle, he noticed a familiar figure standing in the corridor—Master Yang, speaking with Elesta. Relief washed over him, and he rushed toward them.

"Master Yang! Elesta!" Shan called out, his voice filled with desperation.

They turned to face him, their expressions shifting to concern.

"Shan," Master Yang said, his tone calm but firm. "What's going on? You look troubled."

"There's no time for pleasantries!" Shan exclaimed, his breath quick and shallow. "I... I accidentally opened the Gate of Dark. The Dark Devil is coming to attack us."

Elesta's eyes narrowed, her voice sharp. "I knew Lucifer was scheming something, but I didn't think it would be this. The Dark Devil... this is worse than I imagined."

Master Yang's usually composed face darkened, a mix of disbelief and disappointment flickering in his eyes. "Shan, how could you let this happen?"

"He tricked me!" Shan blurted, his voice breaking. "He promised me he'd leave this world if I opened the gate. I thought I was helping!"

Elesta shook her head, her tone icy. "You've proven you're still a child, Shan. This isn't just a mistake. This is a disaster." Without another word, she turned on her heel and walked away, her disappointment cutting deeper than any blade.

Shan turned to Master Yang, seeking some semblance of reassurance, but all he found was a somber expression.

"You don't understand what you've unleashed," Master Yang said gravely. "We're going to lose countless lives because of this, Shan. So many innocent people... all because of you."

The words hit Shan like a hammer, and his legs felt weak. Master Yang gave him one last look—a mixture of sorrow and anger—before leaving him alone.

Shan sank into a nearby chair, his head in his hands. His mind swirled with guilt and regret.

"What have I done?" he whispered to himself, his voice trembling. Images of the chaos he'd set in motion played over and over in his mind. The lives that would be lost, the trust he had broken—it all weighed heavily on him.

He clenched his fists, tears streaming down his face. "I have to fix this. Somehow, I have to make this right."

But deep down, he wasn't sure if redemption was even possible.