Chapter 48 – Kneel Before the Future Demon God

The throne room of the Fourth Strongest Demon was vast, its dark marble floor cracked from centuries of battle, the air thick with the scent of blood and ancient power. Hundreds of demons stood in attendance, their eyes flickering with wariness and fear. And at the center, sitting atop a throne sculpted from the bones of fallen warriors, was Asmodeus, the Demon of Lust and Destruction.

A cruel smirk played across his lips as he rested his chin on his hand. His crimson eyes flickered toward the approaching figures—Kuragami and Saphira. The air grew dense as their presence alone shattered the oppressive energy of the chamber.

The demons in attendance instinctively fell to their knees. Some coughed up blood, unable to withstand the sheer force of Kuragami's aura. Asmodeus clenched his throne's armrests, his muscles tensing as if resisting the urge to submit.

Then, he did something no one expected.

He rose from his throne, stepped forward, and fell to one knee.

"Oh, Future Demon God… I do not need to fight you to know my place," Asmodeus declared, his voice filled with both awe and reverence. "I will serve. I will tear through Heaven itself to see your reign realized. The gods will tremble in terror before you."

The entire hall was silent.

Even Saphira, standing beside Kuragami, raised an eyebrow. She had expected another brutal, blood-soaked battle, but instead, this demon had surrendered immediately.

Kuragami's violet eyes narrowed, scanning Asmodeus. He's powerful. More powerful than the Sixth Strongest Demon, Selphira. But why surrender so quickly?

His mind worked fast. Was this submission genuine? Or was it a ploy?

Kuragami took a step forward, his voice a cold whisper. "You kneel before me, yet I sense no fear in you."

Asmodeus chuckled, looking up, his expression unreadable. "Fear? No, my lord. I do not fear you—I worship you. Only a fool would stand against the one who will become the Demon God."

Saphira scoffed. "Worship? Or is it manipulation?" She placed her hand on her sword, ready to strike at any sign of betrayal.

Kuragami, however, simply smiled. "Then prove it."

A flick of his wrist, and a massive portal of darkness opened. From the void, four figures emerged—10th, 9th, 8th, and 7th Strongest Demons, now bound to Kuragami's will.

Saphira's sharp eyes darted between them. He killed them, enslaved them, and now he uses them as puppets. She shivered—not from fear, but from something else entirely. Kuragami was beyond anything she had imagined.

Kuragami gestured toward Asmodeus. "Fight them. If you win, you may serve me. If you fail…" His purple eyes glowed, "I will consume your soul."

The demons watching gasped. No one had ever challenged a Strongest Demon to such a trial.

But Asmodeus simply grinned.

"Then let the bloodbath begin."

The Battle of Lust and Destruction

The chamber exploded into chaos.

10th Strongest Demon lunged first, his claws tearing through the air like black lightning.

Asmodeus countered with a blast of raw demonic energy, sending him crashing into the stone walls.

9th and 8th charged next, their weapons cutting through the thick air, but Asmodeus dodged, his movements too fluid, too unpredictable.

He appeared behind 7th Strongest Demon, whispering, "Let me show you true destruction," before ripping his heart out with his bare hands.

The demons watching screamed in shock.

Saphira's lips parted slightly. He's fast… too fast.

Kuragami remained silent, watching. Studying.

Asmodeus wasn't just fighting—he was playing. Dodging, teasing, and dismantling his opponents with eerie precision.

But Kuragami noticed something else. He wasn't using his full power.

"He wants to join me," Kuragami realized. "But he wants to do it on his own terms."

The fight continued until only the 10th Strongest Demon remained.

Blood dripped from Asmodeus' fingers as he stood over his final opponent. He turned to Kuragami, eyes burning with unshaken resolve.

"Is this enough, my lord?"

Kuragami stepped forward, his aura dark and absolute.

"Not yet."

With a wave of his hand, he activated his golden eyes—the Eyes of the Undead.

The corpses of the 7th, 8th, and 9th Strongest Demons rose again.

The hall erupted into screams. Even Saphira took a step back.

"Keep fighting," Kuragami ordered, watching Asmodeus' reaction carefully.

Would he falter? Would he break?

Or would he prove himself worthy?

Asmodeus laughed. A deep, delighted, wicked laugh.

"You are truly magnificent, my lord."

And then—he kept fighting.

The Unshakable Loyalty of Asmodeus

One hour later.

The floor was drenched in blood. The resurrected demons were nothing but husks.

And Asmodeus still stood.

Battered, broken—but victorious.

He fell to one knee, this time in true submission.

Kuragami walked forward, placing his hand on Asmodeus' forehead. A surge of dark energy erupted between them.

"From now on, you are no longer Asmodeus." Kuragami's voice was absolute. "You are now Malphas, the Black Prince of Destruction, my blade of chaos."

The demons watching bowed immediately.

Saphira, standing at Kuragami's side, whispered, "Another one kneels before you."

Kuragami turned to her, his violet eyes flickering with something unreadable. "And soon… all of Hell will follow."

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Final Thoughts & Next Steps

Chapter 48 sets up:

Kuragami's growing power and influence.

Asmodeus/Malphas becoming a key figure in his army.

More demons submitting instead of fighting.

The creeping realization that Kuragami is something far worse than even the Demon King

The end of chapter 48